Below is my take on the film, as well as "her" take on the film.
Bringing Up Baby (1938)

My take: I love the witty dialogue, and I think while Grant is a great actor, he plays great to a powerful woman who's energy is stronger than his own, and Hepburn delivers. I think what Hawks created in this film is unreplicatable and is just wonderful, there are so many memorable scenes and moments, and the insanity of it all is a true pleasure.
Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

My take: I actually thought some of the special effects and airplane piloting tricks were pretty impressive especially for that time. But the dialogue truly is week, and the characters are written somewhat inconsistently. While this film is different from many other films in this time, in it's style and story, it lacks the charm that make some of these other films a little more magical. Even the more emotional scenes don't carry the punch you would hope for or expect.
His Girl Friday (1940)
Her take: I have seen this one eight years ago. I think Cary Grant does a good job, but I think that Roslind Russell is not that endearing of a character. This one seems more like a period piece with the way journalist interacted with the police and the government, it's okay.
His Girl Friday (1940)

My take: I actually enjoyed Russell's performance, again Grant really benefits from a strong female co-lead. I thought that some of the fast-talk scenes were more refined than Bringing Up Baby, but I wasn't sure if I thought this more refined story was a full benefit. Grant's charm is lacking, but his strong screen presence certainly is not. Besides the phone scenes with the reporters, I actually most enjoyed the scenes with Grant and Ralph Bellamy (Bruce Baldwin, Hildy's screen fiance).
I Was A Male War Bride (1949)

My take: I actually think this film is under-loved. I think this biggest problem with this film is that Grant is horribly unimpressive in acting like a Frenchman. In fact, his acting as a woman in this film exceeds his acting like a military man from France. Beyond that though, I felt like the writing was fun, and there was something incredibly brilliant in the creative premise, not to mention the scenes where Grant is forced to sleep in the most uncomfortable of locations, it really was exceptional physical comedy.
Monkey Business (1952)
Monkey Business (1952)

My take: I actually was least impressed with this film. I thought it was completely gimmicky with the Monkey's and the story line. Definitely Nutty Professor style. There was definitely a lot less romantic intrigue as well because Grant and Ginger Rogers played a married couple, and so the slight bit of tension created by Marilyn Monroe's character, only seemed slightly out of place. Not to mention, there was a change in the humor from previous films, it wasn't quite as fast paced, and it relied a little more on alluding to sex.
4 comments:
BRINGING UP BABY definitely wins for me with HIS GAL FRIDAY as a distant second
My wife and I have come to really like Cary Grant Films. There is a great biography out there about Grant that I would also recommend as it truly illuminates who he was as a person...I can say that I learned more than I would ever ave known!
Cary Grant is easily my all time favorite actor. His on screen performances still zing and resonate in a way that many of his contemporaries do not. I'm intrigued by your decision to review all the Grant/Hawks films. (Next you could do Grant/Hitchcock--there are 4 of them, "Notorious" and "North by Northwest" amongst Grant's best, in my opinion.) He's the king of the screwball comedy and in addition to LOVING Bringing Up Baby and His Girl Friday, I highly, highly recommend "The Awful Truth." His work with Irene Dunne in that movie was simply divine.
Also, a very compelling documentary was produced about him a few years back called "Cary Grant: A Class Apart." Very well done.
I was commenting with someone a couple of months ago about how we didn't think Only Angels Have Wings was all that. I've tried to love it multiple times, but just can't.
His Girl Friday, though, has my vote for one of the best films ever made, and Bringing Up Baby's not far behind. I pretty much agree with you the other two - I Was a Male War Bride is fun but not great, and Monkey Business is okay. It actually grated on me a bit at times, though.
It was fun to see both your and your wife's reactions together!
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