If charming banter was a genre "His Girl Friday" would take the award. The film is a 1940 screwball crime comedy about a divorced couple, which features Cary Grant as Walter Burns, the editor of The Morning Post, and Rosalind Russell as Hildy Johnson, one of his best reporters. The plot circles around Hildy wanting to quit her journalist job to go off to live with her new fiancée, Bruce Baldwin played by Ralph Bellamy, and his mother in Albany. She wants to trade her reporting job for something calm and suburban. However, Walter offers her one last story to write about, centering on the execution of a convicted murderer by the name of Earl Williams. Meanwhile, Walter's true intentions are to sabotage Hildy’s wedding and win her back. Spoiler
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Throughout the movie, we see Walter and Hildy partake in many flirtatious and sarcastic remarks towards one another, acting like old friends instead of exes. From the beginning of the film, we learn that Hildy is a rambunctious and fiery lady, and when she mentions becoming a house-wife it seems a little unsettling; it feels as if though it is not her persona at all. Walter, on the other hand, seems to be a very charismatic and suave man, snappy with comebacks and sharp all around. Bruce, Hildy’s new fiancée, seems sweet, but also very dopey and rather clueless in contrast to Walter.
In one of the most memorable scenes, we see Walter, Bruce and Hildy walking into a café after Walter sneakily convinced Bruce and Hildy that he will take them out to lunch. Within the scene, there is a full shot in which we can see how the characters are dressed. Both Hildy and Walter look dapper and professional with a suave touch of city roamers. Bruce looks very loose in comparison, while Hildy and Walter are wearing well-fitting and stylish outfits (not to mention Hildy’s spunky hat). Bruce already looks like he does not belong.
As they sit down, Gus, the waiter, who already knows Walter and Hildy, starts to chit chat with them. Walter quickly takes a spot next to Hildy, which in return shocks Bruce as he accidentally sits down on Walter, most likely thinking that as a couple him and Hildy should be next to each other. After sitting down, both Walter and Hildy take out a cigarette and start smoking, showing the similarities between them with the actions that they exhibit, while Bruce on the other hand does not smoke throughout the entire scene (or the whole movie).
Going into the conversation, Walter starts to interrogate Bruce, asking about his job, his life, where they are going to live and such other things, one-upping him every time he answers, which makes Hildy stomp Walter's foot with every comeback that he throws towards Bruce. Unbothered and enjoying answering questions, Bruce seems to be unaware that Walter is making fun of him, making Hildy get slightly angry and irritated towards both men. At the peak of her irritation, as Walter throws another question towards Bruce, she slams her foot trying to hit Walter, but ends up hitting Gus the waiter instead. Gus initially comes over to offer a drink, to which Walter responds with a coffee, then asking if rum should be added and Hildy in agreement doubles that order. When focused on Bruce, he denies the offer saying that he has a long and busy day ahead with much to do.
For a movie that is set in the late 1920s, there is a lot of compare and contrast between the characters involved. The energy between Walter and Hildy is apparent from the first time we see them together and how well they work together. After being introduced to Bruce, who is seemingly a nice guy, we see how him and Hildy are opposites. Whereas he is more of a country boy, she is a city gal that lives on adventure and current events. With interesting characters and witty dialogue overall, this movie is definitely a classic.
