In the history of the Academy Awards, there are only three movies that won all of the top five awards: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. They are: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Silence of the Lambs... and It Happened One Night.
It happened one night won half the awards. So many awards that they changed the nomination process. Same thing happened with the Grammys when Roger Miller won every award one year.
My Aunt Pat (03/17/1925 (YUP!!! St. Patrick's Day!!!)-06/20/2018) was big fan of "The Thin Man". When I was at the San Diego Comic-con in '01 (I think) there was a dealer selling autographs. He'd gotten Powell's and Loy's out of some autograph books he'd purchased at estate sales. He'd then gotten his hands on the jacket of the Laser-disc edition of "The Thin Man" and mounted the thing under an art board that was strategically cut and had two windows behind which he fitted the sheets with their autographs. And Powell had clearly signed with a fountain pen. The price was right, so I got it for my aunt. She loved it. We went right out to a framing place and she had it framed. I took it when she died. And it's right next to me as I type this.
A "collect call" is also known as reversing the charges. If you were at a payphone with no coins, or you needed to make an expensive call such as a long distance call, you could call collect. The operator would call up, say "Ashleigh is calling and she wants to reverse the charges. Will you accept?" and when you say yes, the call would begin. And then the person you called gets the bill instead of you paying it. So most often this means someone you know is out of money or in trouble.
I grew up in the pre-cell phone days, and my big sister and I had a code that whenever I needed her to pick me up from someplace, I would let her know by calling home collect on a payphone, she would refuse to accept the charges, and we would both hang up.
@@jculver1674 we used this trick as kids! The recording would ask for a name and instead we’d say “pick me up at ____” then whoever got the call would refuse the charges
Do you remember the old Phone commercial where the guy calls collect and when the operator asked who was calling the man said "It's 'Phil' Addababyitsaboy." The guy that answered the call said he wouldn't take the call and hung up. After that the wife asked who called and the man said "It was Phil. They Had a baby it's a boy."
@@beefsupereme Heck, I could give a whole pile of information. "I'm going to philly, I'm going to stay at Grandmom's, finals went well, I'll see you on Thursday"
Fun fact, Bugs Bunny's love of carrots and fast talking attitude was based on Clark Gable character in this movie. Inspiration comes from the darndest places. Oh, and the autogyro is what they had before the helicopter. The helicopter didn't come along until 5 years after this movie came out.
Fun Fact 2: In the 1930s and before, men always wore T-shirts under their shirts. When this movie came out and showed Clark Gable not wearing a T-shirt, T-shirt sales took a major nose-dive.
Both Bugs and Daffy Duck were characters that evolved in their first several appearances. Bugs was kind of dopey and Daffy was nuts. Then the personalities grew. As noted, Bugs added the casual carrot munch and the Gable style from this movie. Daffy was given the speech impediment and the "the world owes me a living" attitude of Leon Schlessinger, the producer of Looney Tunes and suddenly the cartoon worked much better...and then they realized Leon had to watch it and they all prepared their resumes and/or wills, only to find that Leon was clueless about where they "found that funny voithe for Daffy."
And Bugs Bunny is the main reason people think rabbits love carrots... So basically, rabbits and carrots will forever be connected in people's minds because Clark Gable ate a carrot once.
@@panowa8319 But he chewed carrots anyway for the sound effect. No other vegetable sounds like a carrot. He would bite into it, and then spit it out before saying, "What's up, Doc?"
3 FUN FACTS! 1. Superman was named Clark after Clark Gable. 2. Bugs Bunny’s signature mannerism of chomping away on carrots was based on Clark Gable chomping on the carrot on the side of the road in this movie. 3. This is one of three movies to sweep the “big five Oscars” - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay. The other two are One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Silence of the Lambs. Bonus Fact: Back then, Claudette Colbert showing leg was a HUGE deal 😂
And the reason she was so resistant about the first motel was because that was pretty scandalous for the time -- i.e., a respectable woman staying in the same room as a single man. This was definitely seen as a very "adult" movie in its time, and in fact the Hays Code would prevent movies from showing certain types of similar scenes in the future.
The actor Cary Grant went with that stage name because his agent said he should go with a C G name like Clark Gable (Cary Grant's birth name was Archibald Leach, which he mocks in His Girl Friday, using the name Archie Leach for a random character in a brief story he's telling).
Fun Facts: 1. Both Gable and Colbert were 'forced' to star in this movie by their home studios as punishment. Both won Academy Awards! 2. Colbert did not think her performance or the movie was any good. She wasn't even at the AA when her Award was announced. She had to be located and picked up from a train station to rush to the Academy to collect it. 3. Colbert initially did not want to show her leg in the hitchhiking scene (this was 'scandalous' back then). But then when the studio told her they'd bring in a leg double, she demanded to do it herself. 4. In the initial cabin scene where Clark is undressing, he originally had on an undershirt. But the take went on too long, so he decided to do it without an undershirt. After this movie hit it big, sales of men's undershirts declined by 75%.
Memo to Chris: I applaud your decision to have Ashleigh review some black and white films. In making your selections I hope you remember to throw in a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie.
@@ryanflake3481 My wife and I have a tradition of watching Thin Man movies on New Year's Eve. It works because I believe the first film is at Christmas-ish time in NY and the second film picks up where the first one leaves off so now it's New Year's Eve in San Francisco after they took the train ride across country. All in all great fun! The chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy is terrific!
An "auto camp" is an earlier name for a "motor hotel" or just simply what we now call a motel. One thing audiences today may not quickly realize is that this film was released right smack in the middle of the Great Depression.
I think you would absolutely love The Philadelphia Story with Jimmy Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and Cary Grant! Another witty, romantic, funny film that has stood the test of time as well 😍
The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace, Desk Set, How to Marry a Millionaire, That Touch of Mink, Father Goose, Some Like it Hot. All "old" movies you should definitely check out. And one "REALLY old" silent movie, Charlie Chaplin's City Lights
I’m really glad to see that you enjoyed this movie! Most of the films from the 1930s through the 1960s are really pretty interesting in their own right and can be impressive or funny or moving in unexpected ways. I’m continually surprised by how much variety there is in older films that were made before I was born, and how effective some of them still are today. I’ve never quite understood the mentality some people have where they avoid older movies simply because they’re older movies, made with older technology and acted in older styles. Storytelling is still timeless.
It seems to me that avoiding old movies is like avoiding any other form of old art. The Mona Lisa, the 1812 Overture, Romeo and Juliet are not examples of old art; they are examples of art. Art is ageless.
Of course, we tend to only remember and re-watch the gems. There was a lot of garbage out too, just as there is today. And that applies to every genre - painting, sculpture, music, plays, TV.
Let's face it. The truth is that when you are young, myself included, you believe that new is always better and relevant, and old is irrelevant. I hated 50s R & R. As I mellowed with age, I realized that talent is talent, no matter when it arrives. Today's genius is always standing on the shoulders of those that came before. I believe it is part of our DNA, always searching for the greener grass on the other side of the hill.
Now that you have seen the Oscar winning It Happened One Night, you should also see another film nominated that year--1934's The Thin Man starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. It's a murder mystery but also a fun look at it's main characters--a loving married couple. Their other family member is their adorable dog Asta. It was a novel idea at the time to show a husband and wife who enjoyed being with each other. I think you will really like this one!
I love dialogs in older movies. Smart writing plus people didn't have to get naked and curse in order to "explain a scene". Thank you for watching this movie, Ashleigh!
Pre-code, there was a move toward somewhat more adult movies in the U.S., but due to the introduced Hayes Code and morality board, it would take until the early 60's to get to some of the adult content that Europe always allowed in their films. The writers had to get creative with their innuendo to make certain topics get past the censors.
@@dan_hitchman007, those were definitely the "creative years" for cinema! You could bet that A Clockwork Orange couldn't come out before 1972! Of course, I would bet that Stanley Kubrick was already working on it just about the time the Hays Act was about to die! Geebus, it's almost as if Prohibition wasn't enough!
So glad you enjoyed one of my favorite movies of all time! Frank Capra is by faaaar my favorite director. His films were always so full of heart-warming scenes they were referred to as "Capra-corn" - but that's why I love them so much! I actually have an autographed picture hanging on my wall of Frank as inspiration. One of my prized possessions! Thanks for sharing your first viewing with us! It was big fun! These black & white classics are much better than anything they're producing today!
If you liked this one, there is a series of what were called "screwball comedies" starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn that were hilarious, with a hefty dose of sexual tension. BRINGING UP BABY, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY come to mind. Very fast moving, very stylish, and Kate Hepburn used to come in the same deli as I did for coffee every day. So there is that.
@@marthaajackson While I sympathize with the sentiment, don't you think that the misogyny is part of the point of the story. I thought that the playwright was in the woman's corner and was pointing out the triumph of women in unfair circumstances.
Love that you enjoyed this one. It's soo funny that you called the knee out, skirt up gag to hitch a ride because this was the first time that was depicted and it was such a popular scene that it was called back to often in movies and shows. You knew it was a gag from other things but those were referencing this movie.
I worked at a Video rental store through college. To compete against the chains, the owner specialized in classics which in the 80's meant movies from 30's, 40's, 50's. We had a retired man who came in every week, he must have been in his 80's as well, and always had on a suit and tie. He would tell us girls which movies in the Classics section were the best. This was his favorite--his eyes would light up talking about Claudette Colbert.
Claudette Colbert in The Palm Beach Story is absolutely wonderful. But then again, it’s hard to go wrong with Preston Sturges in this cockeyed caravan…
She's one of my favorites! Some acting from this period is stilted and over the top; she was incredibly natural, which is why her films have aged so well. And she had impeccable comedic timing.
An Autogyro is the forerunner to the Helicopter we know today. It's known as a STOL or short Takeoff and Landing aircraft. It uses the rotors as a wing but isn't geared to the motor like a Helicopter. The rotor provides the lift a wing wouldand it's capable of landing short distances. Helicopters can also decouple the rotor from the motor, and it's known as "autorotation'. They can also use this in emergencies when the tail rotor fails, or the motor fails. Helicopter pilots practice this for just this reason. Autogyros weren't fairly common and were pretty much a novelty of the time having only been developed in Spain in the early 1920's. The first real Helicopter that was mass produced was the Sikorsky R-4 developed in the final months of WW II. Sikorsky went on to develop the helicopter into practical machines and is one of the leading builders of them today.
The scene with Clark Gable eating the carrot is what inspired animators to have Bugs Bunny chomp on a carrot. Now people are under the assumption that rabbits are particularly fond of carrots, of which they're not.
A Night At The Opera is my favorite! And I love how Margaret Dumont is in so many of their films as the straight woman who never gets any of their jokes.
@@moeball740 I would love to watch Ashleigh react to Marx brothers bits. I'm curious to know if she'd like the musical numbers from the boat party scene.
@@moeball740 The earlier movies they made at Paramount (like *Duck Soup* and *Animal Crackers* ) are a little bit more chaotic, but are also a little bit more well regarded; however, I also love the MGM stuff (like *A Night at the Opera* ). To my mind, *A Night at the Opera* would be just as good an introduction to the Marx brothers as *Duck Soup* . Actually, come to think of it, *A Night at the Opera* was my introduction to the Marx brothers.
Some Like it Hot was my first old B&W movie I saw and I was pleasantly surprised. I was only in highschool at the time so having that movie win a teenager over who was just basically into 80s action/comedy movies at the time shows how quality that movie was.
There are a lot of good old movies! I love to watch them! I think a lot of people don’t watch them because they’re not like movies today. But that’s what is so cool about them. They’re like a whole different genre.
Now that you have been introduced to Clark Gable, let me be the first to beg you to watch Gone with the Wind. It was the movie that invented the term epic blockbuster. Yes, it's long, but when you watch it, it doesn't seem long.
No offense intended, but the term "blockbuster" started in WWII in reference to aerial bombs capable of leveling entire blocks of buildings: "Its first known use in reference to films was in May 1943, when advertisements in Variety and Motion Picture Herald described the RKO film, "Bombardier," as "The block-buster of all action-thrill-service shows!" Respectfully yours, Mr. Fussy Pants Film Guy 😸
I LOVE THAT YOU WATCHED THIS!!! I am 41,and my Mom had me watch this when I was probably 9 or 10. She loved old movies and exposed me to them at a young age. I am thankful every day that she did! This is such a classic, it is awesome that you are open to watching old movies. You are right, people should be watching b&w movies more. You are helping to promote that appreciation by having this channel. Keep up the good work!!!
I grew up watching Old Hollywood films, and I'm so happy you're diving into this genre!! There are truly so many films from the early days of film, and it's wonderful you're helping other people see how great they are! Since you loved Singing in the Rain so much, you should try to watch some Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films. My favorite movie with them is Carefree, but they made almost a dozen movies together, there's quite a selection to choose from.
Same here with growing up on Clsssic Hollywod! I've been teased for loving the old classics, but honestly for me they are so much more fun and adventurous s d creative, all without cussing, gore or sensual stuff. And the creativeness to get certain scenes done and thr amount of extras and research they did was top notch!
Hi Ashleigh, it was great to see you enjoying yourself reacting to another older movie. I hope more young reactors will follow your example. May I suggest the 1936 comedy (My Man Godfrey) starring William Powell & Carole Lombard. As well as being a very funny comedy, it gives you an insight into both ends of society in the U.S., at that time. It would also introduce you to the talented Mr. Powell of the (Thin Man) Series of films.
One of my all time fav movies! Thanks for letting us watch it with you. Someone else may have mentioned this, but when Clark Gable took off his white dress shirt, he wasn't wearing an undershirt. After that, a LOT of men stopped wearing undershirts and sales plummeted. It was wonderful to see actor Alan Hale, too, (the man who offered them a ride and then left them and drove off with the suitcase). He was the father of Alan Hale, Jr., the actor who played "the Skipper" in the TV show Gilligan's Island.
I love this movie, partially because our dad loved it too: especially "Do you love my daughter" scene. In his strong Spanish accent, he would sometimes come out of nowhere with "I'm a little screwy myself". Very happy you liked this one, and so thrilled to listen to you examine how you've come to appreciate things you might not have a while ago. It feels odd and good at the same time!
"My Man Godfrey" starring William Powell and Carole Lombard (married to Clark Gable before her tragic death) is a romantic comedy. Another b&w film to watch is "The Cowboy and the Lady "(1938) starring Gary Cooper and Meryl Oberon, "BringingUpBaby" starring CaryGrantandKatherineHepburn, "Good Man Sam " is another b&w film with Gary Cooper. Also, the "Thin Man" film series about a married couple who solve crimes. It is fun and hilarious. You'll also enjoy their dog Asta, a wire terrier. The dog is famous.
I think that a lot of people who are unfamiliar with this era of films are surprised just how sarcastic a lot of the characters could be. There seems to be a notion that people in the past were, I dunno, prim and proper all the time, or corny and hokey, or whatever misconception some folks might have. But this era is just FULL of sarcastic remarks, witty come-backs, snappy one-liners, all that jazz. Women especially! Maybe because of the "wholesome" 1950s housewife "Leave it to Beaver" type of memories some people have of how women have been portrayed in the past, they don't realize that in the 1930s, women in films were RUTHLESS with their sarcasm! They spoke their mind, and didn't take no crap from nobody! Not all women in every film of course; there are different characters in different stories, but plenty enough! "Pre-Code" films were especially forward-thinking with many of their female characters getting into all kinds of situations. The Hayes Code put a foot down on a lot of the sexual freedom in story-telling, but even for that- if they couldn't show it or talk about it openly, they could innuendo their way around almost anything, and had to be extra clever about it. So fun to see you on this film-appreciation journey over the last several years. Looking forward to seeing you experience more classic films of every era.
OK, now that Ashleigh has been schooled on 'collect calls' - anyone here besides me old enough to remember 'party lines'? It was a cheaper alternative to a regular phone line, but you shared it with several other people, sometimes even a whole neighbourhood. If you wanted to make a call, you'd have to pick up the receiver and listen to see if someone else was already using the line. If not, you could call. If there was someone on there already, you could just sit and listen to their conversation - and if they went on too long, you could butt in and say, "hey, I need the phone! Shut up, will ya?" Of course, if you were talking to someone, anybody on the same party line could listen to your call, too.
Grandpa would sometimes here a ticking noise while talking on the phone. One day he was visiting a neighbor and noticed a loud clock near the phone. After that everytime he heard the ticking he would say hi to that neighbor and the ticking would stop.
A whippoorwill is a type of bird. I’m so glad you watched this. I always enjoy some of these movies, esp the witty banter! Also, please go see the movies with live music. The experience is amazing. I always do what I can to watch silent movies live with an organ or orchestra accompaniments. It really enhances the experience.
This is one of my favorite movies, and I'm happy that you enjoyed it! One thing that might not be apparent almost 90 years later is that much of what is seen was new, transforming the US (and the world) from horse-and-buggy and telegraph to mass transportation and wireless communications. As for sending a photo by wireless, there was a technology pretty much like later fax machines (which might need to be explained to a younger generation, too). Anyway, thanks for reacting to one of the classic comedies.
Probably hundreds of movies and TV shows have done their own versions of The Walls of Jericho since this movie came out, but as the saying goes, Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. One of the all-time greatest. And somebody on Patreon get her to watch Some Like It Hot! I personally have been asking for it for a couple years now. I saw her get at least one copy during an unboxing, so she does have it. She will lose her mind for that one.
I was going to comment this very thing, but you beat me to it. My grandmother told me this because she saw the movie when it came out and remembered it happening. Clark Gable was the man and he could make anything look good!
I came to the comments to see if someone had pointed this out. That "HUGE decline in sales" almost ruined the undershirt industry because wives wanted their husbands to be more like Clark Gable, so they refused to buy them. Definitely shows how big of a star Gable was.
I have always been a film buff, but only really started watching the much older movies (1930s-1960s) within the last couple of years and have absolutely loved discovering the sometimes slower paced but dynamic and witty dialogue and layered storytelling of some of these classics. I honestly don't know how I went so long without seeing Cary Grant's back catalog...can't wait until you start watching more of his stuff...fyi..could absolutely get it
I went to a showing of the original Frankenstein one Halloween, where they had an orchestra playing an original soundtrack done by a local composer. It fit really well with the film, and I'm sad I'll never be able to experience it again
I am so, so happy you watched this film. I love it. I'm sure it has already been mentioned in the comments, but this was the first picture to sweep the top five Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. A true classic. Thank you for your reaction, Ashleigh!
Hey Ashleigh, This, of course was directed by Frank Capra, who also directed the great it’s a wonderful life. This was interesting. I believe they shot the movie in less than 30 days Claudette Colbert. reportedly hated making this movie and didn’t think much of it and by all accounts was a big pain to work with during this film. Funny that it ended up winning best picture, and she won best actress during her acceptance speech she made a special point to thank Frank Capra. realizing how bad she had behaved, have a great one as always🐈🐈🐈👍
yess I think we are startin to get some of these reactors to watch the Golden age films. Chris ( nerdy Guy) has done Some like it hot and Finally ROMAN Holiday was reviewed by Cassie ( popcorn in bed) a few days ago. Lets just say she has another leading man Crush in Gregory Peck and she loved Audrey Hepburn
Bit of Trivia - The driver of the hitch hike car who was singing was Alan Hale, Sr. The father of Alan Hale, Jr. who played the Skipper from Gilligan's Island.
FWIW, "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" was written in 1867, inspired by the hugely successful American tour of the French aerialist Jules Leotard, he after whom the garment is named.
There was a funny movie which played The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze in the credits. It was about an airplane race or something. Edit: I was close! Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes
9:16 - Traditionally, the cost of a phone call is the responsibility of the person making the call. Long distance calls are more expensive than local, so if you were visiting someone else's house or were at a pay phone and didn't have enough change, you could tell the operator to make the call 'collect.' That meant that the person you were calling would pay for the call instead of you. The operator would call the number and ask if they would accept the charges. If they said yes, the call would go through and it would be charged to their phone bill. If they said no, you were S.O.L. 10:08 - The word 'hotel' goes back as far as the 1600s. An autocamp (I looked it up) is basically a motel with individual cabins. 23:20 - Basically a one-to-two-man helicopter. Now that you're getting to enjoy TRUELY Classic movies and not just modern classics, this would be a good time to watch Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and the original King Kong. On a tangent, once you've seen the original King Kong, you should watch the Peter Jackson version shortly after so you can appreciate as many references as possible.
This movie was a massive hit when it came out, so much so that right about that time, Mel Blanc came up with his homage to Clark Gable - giving his new voice character, Bugs Bunny, a carrot to chew on. And thus did one Hollywood legend perpetuate another, and create the myth that rabbits eat those things.
$100,000 back then is equivalent to over $1.7 million today. So glad you watched this, Clark and Claudette were two of the greatest actors ever, you should check out more movies for each of them. Anyway, loved the review, love you and tell Beans hi 👋
One of my favorite classic movies! It is a masterpiece. I have to say however, when you asked what a collect call was, I suddenly felt as old as that film!
Ashleigh, great reaction! I'm so glad you're getting into these wonderful old movies. Now someday you should watch the uncensored version of “Baby Face” from 1933. I promise you, it’s an eye-opener!
Some other black and white movies you may like: The Postman Always Rings Twice - There are a few versions of this. IMO, the best version stars John Garfield and Lana Turner Double Indemnity The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - Humphrey Bogart famously complained that the censors made them remove a scene. I won't spoil it. The Maltese Falcon White Heat
It Happened One Night was the first movie to sweep the Oscars. Granted, there wasn't as many categories back then as there is now, but nonetheless it was a feat. It got Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actresss (Claudette Colbert), Best Director (Frank Capra - who also directed It's A Wonderful Life), Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It would only be 5 years later that another movie would sweep the Oscars: Gone With The Wind. Super-long movie, but seeing you're a Southern girl, it should be a must watch for you.
@@GeminiWolfstarGaming Agreed. Actually, which movies did sweep the Oscars? Not sure how one defines that... taking a third? A half? GWTW, Ben Hur, Titanic, LOTR:ROTK. Star Wars swept the technicals, but not the acting/writing/etc. Silence of the Lambs got the Big Five, but not the technicals. I don't know: what are the movies that swept?
@@mrkelso There are currently 24 categories that the Academy Awards have. Ben-Hur, Return of the King, and Titanic all tied with 11 wins. Here are the others: West Side Story (1961) - 10 wins The English Patient (1996) - 9 wins Gigi (1958) - 9 wins The Last Emperor (1987) - 9 wins Avatar (2009) - 9 wins All at 8 wins: Gone With The Wind (1939) - 8 wins (with 2 extra ones: one was an honorary award to production designer William Cameron Menzies for "outstanding achievement in the use of color for the enhancement of dramatic mood," and the other was for a technical achievement to Don Musgrave and Selznick International Pictures, Inc., for pioneering in the use of coordinated equipment) Amadeus (1984) Cabaret (1972) From Here to Eternity (1953) Gandhi (1982) My Fair Lady (1964) On the Waterfront (1954) Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
@@GeminiWolfstarGaming There's an interesting one, Cabaret (great pic). So it won 8 Oscars, a fully third of the 24, but didn't win best picture. Would you count that as a sweep?
Aside from associating rabbits with carrots via Bugs Bunny and the sale of undershirts, this film also popularized intercity bus travel in America and made Greyhound buses a national icon.
Agree Ashleigh .. their banter kept me entertained. I had to watch this with you bc my Daddy was born in '34. I just lost him 5-1/2 mos ago. Wanted to mention here too that John Wayne was Mr. Western himself. He had his own signature walk & fighting style. He was a huge movie star. One of my fave westerns besides Tombstone is "Open Range" with Robert Duvall & Kevin Costner. It's long but so worth it imo. BTW: You did see a younger Robert Duvall in The Godfather. He was the attorney. Another great actor 👍🏼
If you watch pre-code movies…the code was instituted in 1934…you’d be surprised by them. The movie “Three on a Match”...one of Bette Davis first movies as she was a supporting character…it has the lead character leaving her husband & living in sin with Humphrey Bogart (one of his first roles too) & there is cocaine on the table. They had prostitutes & women sleeping around. There was one where the main character slept her way to the top & they illustrated it by an elevator. The Religious Right had kittens over all this, but what pushed things over the limit was a gangster film where, in the shoot-out, everyone died but two guys. After the code, for the next 20 years, sex was basically taboo. There were directors, like Preston Sturges & Billy Wilder, who pushed the envelope…like Sturges’ comedy “Miracle at Morgan’s Creek.”
The pre-code Barbara Stanwyck in Baby Face would be an eye-opener for Ashleigh, for sure. (They released a post-code version of it as well, but the pre-code version is still available.)
Clark Gable was one of the most dashing actors in the golden age of Hollywood. His relationship with Claudette Colbert was well documented. Watch "Gone With the Wind" next.
That is going to be very difficult for Ashleigh. It's a long and often slow movie. Right now, I want her to stick with of the era, and GWTW may push her away.
I forgot one of the BIG impacts of this movie was that Gable isn't wearing an undershirt beneath his dress shirt. I do believe his doing so made a huge dent in the undershirt industry as men stopped wearing them. (They do serve a purpose, of course, by hiding armpit sweat and protecting the outer shirt from sweat and dirt.) Undershirts survived by screen-printing things on to them and becoming outerwear.
I would love to see you watch any Marx Brothers movie and see how you react to the zany comedy of the time, much of which still holds up today! A Night at the Opera would be a great choice.
Back in the days before cell phones, you paid a monthly fee for your landline phone, which included local calls. If you wanted to call "long distance" (basically any town other than your own), they'd charge extra. Calling 'collect' meant the person you called got billed, not you.
OK this reaction brings me so much joy because a) I never hear people who sound like me (what's up, fellow Southerner!) doing these reactions, and b) I have seen this movie a dozen times at least and I have the exact reaction you do. Her: "aren't you going to give me a little credit?" You: "girl you have accomplished one thing in this whole movie." Me: "THAT'S WHAT I SAID! You finally did something besides be dead weight!"
I strongly recommend watching Bringing Up Baby. It's also a screwball romantic comedy, but with more screwballs per minute. And then, after that, watch What's Up, Doc? which is a more modern screwball comedy, and absolutely hilarious.
Two masterclasses of screwball. Hepburn goes beyond manic-pixie-dream-girl to become a full-blown terrifying military-campaign of zany antics and mind games, and is hilarious doing it. Poor Grant doesn't know what's hit him, and his wisecracks and klutziness are just marvellous. What's Up Doc is amazing too, Kenneth Mars taking the cake.
A whippoorwill is a bird and it makes me sad that you live in the south snd don’t know a whippoorwill 😢 “Hear the lonesome whippoorwill, He sounds to blue to fly . . .”
The weird plane at 24:43 is an autogyro. The top rotor is unpowered. The forward motion of the plane through the air makes it spin like a windmill and produces lift.
Your reaction to the airplane/helicopter mashup was very much on point! I also noticed it in Hitchcock's The Thirty-Nine Steps, which came only a year or two later.
Ashleigh, it is so entertaining to watch you enjoy movies that are even before my time! I'm sure it's been suggested, but let me add my suggestion - "Some Like It Hot" - A must see - for you and for me to watch your reaction!
This is one of my favorite old films. It won the Oscars for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay in 1935, I wish more people had seen it!
An interesting aside, men during this era wore undershirts. When Gable removed his shirt to reveal he wasn't wearing one, men began not wearing them. I don't think undershirts became popular again until teens in the 50s began wearing them... as shirts.
Nice reaction. The world was such a different world in '34 before WW2 drastically altered humanity and history. The world of Motion Pictures was a new and exciting industry. Tons of new ideas on how to make and market movies soon would begin to take root as more and more was learned. Only one year before this film, the earthshattering "King Kong" had hit the theatres, causing a tidal wave of imaginative growth and pushing the limit on what was possible. "It Happened One Night" killed at the academy awards like no film had before and set a high bar of expectation. Some sly and well-intentioned writing is the bedrock for this timeless classic. Clark Gable was a guaranteed cash cow that film makers quarreled over to get him to be part of their films. I look forward to the next upload. Here are three suggestions you maybe could consider: #1 Witness #2 Ever After #3 Midnight Express
These older movies are so fun because the dialogue is so snappy and smart. And the stories are just cute! Like you said - they hint at the sexy, but there's nothing over the top. Re - his daughter is worth 100,000 - in 1934, that was the equivalent of over 2 million! :D Another older movie I know you'd love - Desk Set!
Another great early Capra film is Meet John Doe, one of Barbara Stanwyck's best films, alongside Ball Of Fire (by Billy Wilder), which also stars Gary Cooper.
When Clark Gable took off his shirt and didn't have on an undershirt, sales of undershirts plummetted across the country. I wish you'd watch Bringing Up Baby. I guess I should say I wish your Patreon members would get you to watch Bringing Up Baby. I guarantee you will like it. Another great old movie I'd like you to watch is A Face in the Crowd starring Andy Griffith. It's a very different role for him. Speaking of Andy Griffith, you would love his movie No Time for Sergeants. It's very funny and inspired the TV series Gomer Pyle USMC, which Griffith produced.
Calling long distance cost money. Normally, it would be the person who made the call who would pay. If the person calling couldn't afford to pay, they would ask the operator to ask the person being called if they would be willing to pay. In Britain, this was called "reversing the charges."
The best RomComs ever made are from the '30s &'40s. Favorites are "Bachelor Mother" with Ginger Rogers, "My Favorite Wife" with Cary Grant, "The More the Merrier" and "The Devil and Miss Jones" with Jean Arthur, and "My Man Godfrey" with William Powell. A couple of '60s gems are "Father Goose" with Cary Grant, and "Lover Come Back" with Doris Day and Rock Hudson. .
The first of only three movies to have won the "Top Five" Oscars with Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor, and Actress, the others being One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Silence of the Lambs. Unfortunately, that year's awards were also marred by controversy as WB head Jack Warner stepped in to prevent Bette Davis from being nominated for her universally lauded performance in Of Human Bondage. It was so obviously a deliberate snub that ever since, the law firm Price Waterhouse has overseen the voting process, and Davis was given the award the following year for the film Dangerous in basically an open apology (one contemporary critic said she could have played a germ in the same year's biopic of Louis Pasteur and still won).
15:02 Photos were sent by wire using any one of three wirephoto methods available: telephone, telegraph, or radio. Special dedicated machines were used to transform photographs into electronic signals and transmit those signals to a receiving machine on the other end. The technology was first introduced in the early years of the 20th Century and by the 1920s began growing exponentially in popularity, used extensively by news services in particular. By the 1930s they were fairly commonplace in newsrooms worldwide. The machines were, in some respects, progenitors of the facsimile (or fax) machine.
The 1930's were the heyday of screwball comedies with the snappy dialog. See also The Thin Man, Sullivan's Travels, Philadelphia Story, etc. But there was a great homage to them in the 70's called What's Up Doc starring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal and Madeline Kahn.
In Greece, we have a movie that is considered a classic, called "the lady and the tramp" (yes, really) and it's literally this movie only it adds the elements of her dressing up as a boy to run away and them starting off as two male friends. While watching this video, I was in awe of how similar they are and it's so weird that i've just found out about it
Ashleigh, if you want to give old movies a shot, watch "The General" by Buster Keaton. One of the funniest movie of all time with some crazy stunts and a suspenseful plot to sweeten the deal even more.
This isn’t just some movie. It’s one of the most famous films in cinema history. This film changed cinema in numerous ways. The guy who made it, Frank Capra is a genius. He also made it’s a wonderful life.
Love going further back in time! Always fun to expand horizons. I went through an old movie phase a while ago and this was one i watched. Clark Gable is a legend.
In the history of the Academy Awards, there are only three movies that won all of the top five awards: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. They are: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Silence of the Lambs... and It Happened One Night.
up until today I had only heard of 2 of those films.
@@tric5122 but you have heard of bugs bunny
It happened one night won half the awards. So many awards that they changed the nomination process.
Same thing happened with the Grammys when Roger Miller won every award one year.
.....and I believe she has now seen all three of them!
100,000.00 in 1934 is 2.2 million
Another great movie from 1934 is The Thin Man with William Powell and Myrna Loy!
Love those movies! Hubby and I watch all of them during holidays every year :)
Just don't try and play "Drink along with the Thin Man", that's a big mistake.
I have all of them on dvd. I love William Powell and Myrna Loy with their canine co-star Asta.
The Thin Man movies were great.
My Aunt Pat (03/17/1925 (YUP!!! St. Patrick's Day!!!)-06/20/2018) was big fan of "The Thin Man". When I was at the San Diego Comic-con in '01 (I think) there was a dealer selling autographs. He'd gotten Powell's and Loy's out of some autograph books he'd purchased at estate sales. He'd then gotten his hands on the jacket of the Laser-disc edition of "The Thin Man" and mounted the thing under an art board that was strategically cut and had two windows behind which he fitted the sheets with their autographs. And Powell had clearly signed with a fountain pen. The price was right, so I got it for my aunt. She loved it. We went right out to a framing place and she had it framed. I took it when she died. And it's right next to me as I type this.
A "collect call" is also known as reversing the charges. If you were at a payphone with no coins, or you needed to make an expensive call such as a long distance call, you could call collect. The operator would call up, say "Ashleigh is calling and she wants to reverse the charges. Will you accept?" and when you say yes, the call would begin. And then the person you called gets the bill instead of you paying it. So most often this means someone you know is out of money or in trouble.
I grew up in the pre-cell phone days, and my big sister and I had a code that whenever I needed her to pick me up from someplace, I would let her know by calling home collect on a payphone, she would refuse to accept the charges, and we would both hang up.
@@jculver1674 we used this trick as kids! The recording would ask for a name and instead we’d say “pick me up at ____” then whoever got the call would refuse the charges
"we have a call from a mister "wehadababy itsaboy", will you accept the charges?"
Do you remember the old Phone commercial where the guy calls collect and when the operator asked who was calling the man said "It's 'Phil' Addababyitsaboy." The guy that answered the call said he wouldn't take the call and hung up. After that the wife asked who called and the man said "It was Phil. They Had a baby it's a boy."
@@beefsupereme Heck, I could give a whole pile of information. "I'm going to philly, I'm going to stay at Grandmom's, finals went well, I'll see you on Thursday"
Fun fact, Bugs Bunny's love of carrots and fast talking attitude was based on Clark Gable character in this movie. Inspiration comes from the darndest places.
Oh, and the autogyro is what they had before the helicopter. The helicopter didn't come along until 5 years after this movie came out.
Fun Fact 2: In the 1930s and before, men always wore T-shirts under their shirts. When this movie came out and showed Clark Gable not wearing a T-shirt, T-shirt sales took a major nose-dive.
Both Bugs and Daffy Duck were characters that evolved in their first several appearances. Bugs was kind of dopey and Daffy was nuts. Then the personalities grew. As noted, Bugs added the casual carrot munch and the Gable style from this movie. Daffy was given the speech impediment and the "the world owes me a living" attitude of Leon Schlessinger, the producer of Looney Tunes and suddenly the cartoon worked much better...and then they realized Leon had to watch it and they all prepared their resumes and/or wills, only to find that Leon was clueless about where they "found that funny voithe for Daffy."
What's funny is that Mel Blanc, the original voice of Bugs Bunny was allergic to carrots.
And Bugs Bunny is the main reason people think rabbits love carrots... So basically, rabbits and carrots will forever be connected in people's minds because Clark Gable ate a carrot once.
@@panowa8319 But he chewed carrots anyway for the sound effect. No other vegetable sounds like a carrot. He would bite into it, and then spit it out before saying, "What's up, Doc?"
3 FUN FACTS!
1. Superman was named Clark after Clark Gable.
2. Bugs Bunny’s signature mannerism of chomping away on carrots was based on Clark Gable chomping on the carrot on the side of the road in this movie.
3. This is one of three movies to sweep the “big five Oscars” - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay. The other two are One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Silence of the Lambs.
Bonus Fact: Back then, Claudette Colbert showing leg was a HUGE deal 😂
The whole character feels Bugs Bunnyesque.
Tony Stark was, also, based on Clark Gable.
And the reason she was so resistant about the first motel was because that was pretty scandalous for the time -- i.e., a respectable woman staying in the same room as a single man. This was definitely seen as a very "adult" movie in its time, and in fact the Hays Code would prevent movies from showing certain types of similar scenes in the future.
I think Claudette showing leg is still a big deal!! 😍
The actor Cary Grant went with that stage name because his agent said he should go with a C G name like Clark Gable (Cary Grant's birth name was Archibald Leach, which he mocks in His Girl Friday, using the name Archie Leach for a random character in a brief story he's telling).
Fun Facts:
1. Both Gable and Colbert were 'forced' to star in this movie by their home studios as punishment. Both won Academy Awards!
2. Colbert did not think her performance or the movie was any good. She wasn't even at the AA when her Award was announced. She had to be located and picked up from a train station to rush to the Academy to collect it.
3. Colbert initially did not want to show her leg in the hitchhiking scene (this was 'scandalous' back then). But then when the studio told her they'd bring in a leg double, she demanded to do it herself.
4. In the initial cabin scene where Clark is undressing, he originally had on an undershirt. But the take went on too long, so he decided to do it without an undershirt. After this movie hit it big, sales of men's undershirts declined by 75%.
Memo to Chris: I applaud your decision to have Ashleigh review some black and white films. In making your selections I hope you remember to throw in a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie.
Few things would entertain me as much as seeing Ashleigh get into the "Thin Man" series of films.
Arsenic and Old Lace
For Hallowbeans, of course
Thin man, our man Godfrey, and Bringing up Baby
@@ryanflake3481 My wife and I have a tradition of watching Thin Man movies on New Year's Eve. It works because I believe the first film is at Christmas-ish time in NY and the second film picks up where the first one leaves off so now it's New Year's Eve in San Francisco after they took the train ride across country. All in all great fun! The chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy is terrific!
It's a shame YToob is so tough on copyclaiming musicals. People need to be exposed to Astaire/Rogers and those amazing MGM Technicolor extravaganzas.
An "auto camp" is an earlier name for a "motor hotel" or just simply what we now call a motel. One thing audiences today may not quickly realize is that this film was released right smack in the middle of the Great Depression.
Also known as motor courts.
I think you would absolutely love The Philadelphia Story with Jimmy Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and Cary Grant! Another witty, romantic, funny film that has stood the test of time as well 😍
And then High Society!😁
The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace, Desk Set, How to Marry a Millionaire, That Touch of Mink, Father Goose, Some Like it Hot. All "old" movies you should definitely check out. And one "REALLY old" silent movie, Charlie Chaplin's City Lights
Romantic Comedy = How to Murder Your Wife.
@@mlcsella Or maybe I Love You to Death :)
I’m really glad to see that you enjoyed this movie! Most of the films from the 1930s through the 1960s are really pretty interesting in their own right and can be impressive or funny or moving in unexpected ways. I’m continually surprised by how much variety there is in older films that were made before I was born, and how effective some of them still are today. I’ve never quite understood the mentality some people have where they avoid older movies simply because they’re older movies, made with older technology and acted in older styles. Storytelling is still timeless.
It seems to me that avoiding old movies is like avoiding any other form of old art. The Mona Lisa, the 1812 Overture, Romeo and Juliet are not examples of old art; they are examples of art. Art is ageless.
I find it's the black & white issue. I know younger people, and I'm 70 so that's a lot of people, that hear B&W and automatically say no.
Of course, we tend to only remember and re-watch the gems. There was a lot of garbage out too, just as there is today. And that applies to every genre - painting, sculpture, music, plays, TV.
Let's face it. The truth is that when you are young, myself included, you believe that new is always better and relevant, and old is irrelevant. I hated 50s R & R. As I mellowed with age, I realized that talent is talent, no matter when it arrives. Today's genius is always standing on the shoulders of those that came before. I believe it is part of our
DNA, always searching for the greener grass on the other side of the hill.
Now that you have seen the Oscar winning It Happened One Night, you should also see another film nominated that year--1934's The Thin Man starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. It's a murder mystery but also a fun look at it's main characters--a loving married couple. Their other family member is their adorable dog Asta. It was a novel idea at the time to show a husband and wife who enjoyed being with each other. I think you will really like this one!
I love dialogs in older movies. Smart writing plus people didn't have to get naked and curse in order to "explain a scene". Thank you for watching this movie, Ashleigh!
Pre-code, there was a move toward somewhat more adult movies in the U.S., but due to the introduced Hayes Code and morality board, it would take until the early 60's to get to some of the adult content that Europe always allowed in their films. The writers had to get creative with their innuendo to make certain topics get past the censors.
@@dan_hitchman007, those were definitely the "creative years" for cinema! You could bet that A Clockwork Orange couldn't come out before 1972! Of course, I would bet that Stanley Kubrick was already working on it just about the time the Hays Act was about to die!
Geebus, it's almost as if Prohibition wasn't enough!
I would suggest "Gone with the Wind" and "His Girl Friday". The latter is packed with witty dialog and banter from end to end.
I 100% agree with these two selections. Maybe she will also get to watch Ball of Fire, Lifeboat and Witness for the Prosecution
@@RLucas3000 Ashley, who so dislikes slow movies, will love the wit and speed of His Girl Friday.
She would KILL on "His Girl Friday"! Absolutely KILL on that one.
Would be interesting to see how a millennial reacts to GWTW racial stereotypes
His Girl Friday is fantastic!
So glad you enjoyed one of my favorite movies of all time! Frank Capra is by faaaar my favorite director. His films were always so full of heart-warming scenes they were referred to as "Capra-corn" - but that's why I love them so much! I actually have an autographed picture hanging on my wall of Frank as inspiration. One of my prized possessions! Thanks for sharing your first viewing with us! It was big fun! These black & white classics are much better than anything they're producing today!
If you liked this one, there is a series of what were called "screwball comedies" starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn that were hilarious, with a hefty dose of sexual tension. BRINGING UP BABY, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY come to mind. Very fast moving, very stylish, and Kate Hepburn used to come in the same deli as I did for coffee every day. So there is that.
Just watched Bringing Up Baby again the other night. I laugh every time. Hope she watches that one in the future.
The Philadelphia Story is a good movies but the misogyny kind of ruins it for me.
Bringing up Baby would be perfect. She really needs an introduction to Cary Grant.
@@vapoet Agreed Cary Grant is a must. I really want her to watch Bringing Up Baby & I think she would like Arsenic and Old Lace.
@@marthaajackson While I sympathize with the sentiment, don't you think that the misogyny is part of the point of the story. I thought that the playwright was in the woman's corner and was pointing out the triumph of women in unfair circumstances.
Love that you enjoyed this one.
It's soo funny that you called the knee out, skirt up gag to hitch a ride because this was the first time that was depicted and it was such a popular scene that it was called back to often in movies and shows. You knew it was a gag from other things but those were referencing this movie.
I love that you do older films. Many of them tell far better stories than anything recent.
I worked at a Video rental store through college. To compete against the chains, the owner specialized in classics which in the 80's meant movies from 30's, 40's, 50's. We had a retired man who came in every week, he must have been in his 80's as well, and always had on a suit and tie. He would tell us girls which movies in the Classics section were the best. This was his favorite--his eyes would light up talking about Claudette Colbert.
Claudette Colbert in The Palm Beach Story is absolutely wonderful. But then again, it’s hard to go wrong with Preston Sturges in this cockeyed caravan…
She's one of my favorites! Some acting from this period is stilted and over the top; she was incredibly natural, which is why her films have aged so well. And she had impeccable comedic timing.
An Autogyro is the forerunner to the Helicopter we know today. It's known as a STOL or short Takeoff and Landing aircraft. It uses the rotors as a wing but isn't geared to the motor like a Helicopter. The rotor provides the lift a wing wouldand it's capable of landing short distances. Helicopters can also decouple the rotor from the motor, and it's known as "autorotation'. They can also use this in emergencies when the tail rotor fails, or the motor fails. Helicopter pilots practice this for just this reason. Autogyros weren't fairly common and were pretty much a novelty of the time having only been developed in Spain in the early 1920's. The first real Helicopter that was mass produced was the Sikorsky R-4 developed in the final months of WW II. Sikorsky went on to develop the helicopter into practical machines and is one of the leading builders of them today.
The scene with Clark Gable eating the carrot is what inspired animators to have Bugs Bunny chomp on a carrot. Now people are under the assumption that rabbits are particularly fond of carrots, of which they're not.
If you're up for watching more movies that old, Marx brothers movies would be great! Duck Soup is one of the best comedy movies in history!
A Night At The Opera is my favorite! And I love how Margaret Dumont is in so many of their films as the straight woman who never gets any of their jokes.
@@moeball740 I would love to watch Ashleigh react to Marx brothers bits. I'm curious to know if she'd like the musical numbers from the boat party scene.
@@moeball740 The earlier movies they made at Paramount (like *Duck Soup* and *Animal Crackers* ) are a little bit more chaotic, but are also a little bit more well regarded; however, I also love the MGM stuff (like *A Night at the Opera* ). To my mind, *A Night at the Opera* would be just as good an introduction to the Marx brothers as *Duck Soup* .
Actually, come to think of it, *A Night at the Opera* was my introduction to the Marx brothers.
@moeball740 In real life, she was a seasoned Vaudevillian who knew exactly what she was doing.
Some Like it Hot was my first old B&W movie I saw and I was pleasantly surprised. I was only in highschool at the time so having that movie win a teenager over who was just basically into 80s action/comedy movies at the time shows how quality that movie was.
Auto camp was a motel where you drove up to the room/cabin. The word "motel" means "motor hotel".
There are a lot of good old movies! I love to watch them!
I think a lot of people don’t watch them because they’re not like movies today. But that’s what is so cool about them. They’re like a whole different genre.
Watched this and Casablanca in high school film class. Really opened my mind about older films
Casablanca yes!
I always find it a mystery why folks think that Hollywood only just recently figured out to make a decent movie.
@@t0dd000 Wait, Hollywood made a decent movie recently? lol
Now that you have been introduced to Clark Gable, let me be the first to beg you to watch Gone with the Wind. It was the movie that invented the term epic blockbuster. Yes, it's long, but when you watch it, it doesn't seem long.
No offense intended, but the term "blockbuster" started in WWII in reference to aerial bombs capable of leveling entire blocks of buildings:
"Its first known use in reference to films was in May 1943, when advertisements in Variety and Motion Picture Herald described the RKO film, "Bombardier," as "The block-buster of all action-thrill-service shows!"
Respectfully yours,
Mr. Fussy Pants Film Guy 😸
Total waste of time. Four hours of my life, gone...
His best line in “Gone with the Wind”: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn
Barf-o-rama! No more old ass movies.
I recommend "The Misfits"; Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe in what became the last movie for both of them.
In case you didn't know, Frank Capra directed _It's a Wonderful Life_ and _Mr. Smith Goes to Washington_ .
11:39 The scene with Clark Gable without an undershirt caused a collapse in sales for years.
I LOVE THAT YOU WATCHED THIS!!! I am 41,and my Mom had me watch this when I was probably 9 or 10. She loved old movies and exposed me to them at a young age. I am thankful every day that she did! This is such a classic, it is awesome that you are open to watching old movies. You are right, people should be watching b&w movies more. You are helping to promote that appreciation by having this channel. Keep up the good work!!!
I grew up watching Old Hollywood films, and I'm so happy you're diving into this genre!! There are truly so many films from the early days of film, and it's wonderful you're helping other people see how great they are! Since you loved Singing in the Rain so much, you should try to watch some Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films. My favorite movie with them is Carefree, but they made almost a dozen movies together, there's quite a selection to choose from.
Same here with growing up on Clsssic Hollywod! I've been teased for loving the old classics, but honestly for me they are so much more fun and adventurous s d creative, all without cussing, gore or sensual stuff. And the creativeness to get certain scenes done and thr amount of extras and research they did was top notch!
Another 1934 movie that I think you'll love is "The Thin Man". It is a Comedic Who Done It.
Hi Ashleigh, it was great to see you enjoying yourself reacting to another older movie. I hope more young reactors will follow your example. May I suggest the 1936 comedy (My Man Godfrey) starring William Powell & Carole Lombard. As well as being a very funny comedy, it gives you an insight into both ends of society in the U.S., at that time. It would also introduce you to the talented Mr. Powell of the (Thin Man) Series of films.
One of my all time fav movies! Thanks for letting us watch it with you. Someone else may have mentioned this, but when Clark Gable took off his white dress shirt, he wasn't wearing an undershirt. After that, a LOT of men stopped wearing undershirts and sales plummeted. It was wonderful to see actor Alan Hale, too, (the man who offered them a ride and then left them and drove off with the suitcase). He was the father of Alan Hale, Jr., the actor who played "the Skipper" in the TV show Gilligan's Island.
I love this movie, partially because our dad loved it too: especially "Do you love my daughter" scene. In his strong Spanish accent, he would sometimes come out of nowhere with "I'm a little screwy myself". Very happy you liked this one, and so thrilled to listen to you examine how you've come to appreciate things you might not have a while ago. It feels odd and good at the same time!
"My Man Godfrey" starring William Powell and Carole Lombard (married to Clark Gable before her tragic death) is a romantic comedy. Another b&w film to watch is "The Cowboy and the Lady "(1938) starring Gary Cooper and Meryl Oberon, "BringingUpBaby" starring CaryGrantandKatherineHepburn, "Good Man Sam " is another b&w film with Gary Cooper. Also, the "Thin Man" film series about a married couple who solve crimes. It is fun and hilarious. You'll also enjoy their dog Asta, a wire terrier. The dog is famous.
I think that a lot of people who are unfamiliar with this era of films are surprised just how sarcastic a lot of the characters could be. There seems to be a notion that people in the past were, I dunno, prim and proper all the time, or corny and hokey, or whatever misconception some folks might have. But this era is just FULL of sarcastic remarks, witty come-backs, snappy one-liners, all that jazz. Women especially! Maybe because of the "wholesome" 1950s housewife "Leave it to Beaver" type of memories some people have of how women have been portrayed in the past, they don't realize that in the 1930s, women in films were RUTHLESS with their sarcasm! They spoke their mind, and didn't take no crap from nobody! Not all women in every film of course; there are different characters in different stories, but plenty enough! "Pre-Code" films were especially forward-thinking with many of their female characters getting into all kinds of situations. The Hayes Code put a foot down on a lot of the sexual freedom in story-telling, but even for that- if they couldn't show it or talk about it openly, they could innuendo their way around almost anything, and had to be extra clever about it. So fun to see you on this film-appreciation journey over the last several years. Looking forward to seeing you experience more classic films of every era.
The Women is a prime example of snapping and witty dialog written for women. This comedy is chock full of brilliant, comedic actresses from the 1930s!
OK, now that Ashleigh has been schooled on 'collect calls' - anyone here besides me old enough to remember 'party lines'? It was a cheaper alternative to a regular phone line, but you shared it with several other people, sometimes even a whole neighbourhood. If you wanted to make a call, you'd have to pick up the receiver and listen to see if someone else was already using the line. If not, you could call. If there was someone on there already, you could just sit and listen to their conversation - and if they went on too long, you could butt in and say, "hey, I need the phone! Shut up, will ya?" Of course, if you were talking to someone, anybody on the same party line could listen to your call, too.
We were on one with the whole street when I was a kid.
Grandpa would sometimes here a ticking noise while talking on the phone. One day he was visiting a neighbor and noticed a loud clock near the phone. After that everytime he heard the ticking he would say hi to that neighbor and the ticking would stop.
A whippoorwill is a type of bird. I’m so glad you watched this. I always enjoy some of these movies, esp the witty banter! Also, please go see the movies with live music. The experience is amazing. I always do what I can to watch silent movies live with an organ or orchestra accompaniments. It really enhances the experience.
This is one of my favorite movies, and I'm happy that you enjoyed it! One thing that might not be apparent almost 90 years later is that much of what is seen was new, transforming the US (and the world) from horse-and-buggy and telegraph to mass transportation and wireless communications. As for sending a photo by wireless, there was a technology pretty much like later fax machines (which might need to be explained to a younger generation, too). Anyway, thanks for reacting to one of the classic comedies.
Probably hundreds of movies and TV shows have done their own versions of The Walls of Jericho since this movie came out, but as the saying goes, Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. One of the all-time greatest. And somebody on Patreon get her to watch Some Like It Hot! I personally have been asking for it for a couple years now. I saw her get at least one copy during an unboxing, so she does have it. She will lose her mind for that one.
Fun fact the guy who picked them up was Alan Hale father of Alan Hale Jr who played the skipper on Gilligan's Island.
Clarks shirtless scene was a big deal, there was a HUGE decline in the sale of undershirts that year after this movie came out.
I was going to comment this very thing, but you beat me to it. My grandmother told me this because she saw the movie when it came out and remembered it happening. Clark Gable was the man and he could make anything look good!
I came to the comments to see if someone had pointed this out. That "HUGE decline in sales" almost ruined the undershirt industry because wives wanted their husbands to be more like Clark Gable, so they refused to buy them. Definitely shows how big of a star Gable was.
I have always been a film buff, but only really started watching the much older movies (1930s-1960s) within the last couple of years and have absolutely loved discovering the sometimes slower paced but dynamic and witty dialogue and layered storytelling of some of these classics. I honestly don't know how I went so long without seeing Cary Grant's back catalog...can't wait until you start watching more of his stuff...fyi..could absolutely get it
I went to a showing of the original Frankenstein one Halloween, where they had an orchestra playing an original soundtrack done by a local composer. It fit really well with the film, and I'm sad I'll never be able to experience it again
I am so, so happy you watched this film. I love it. I'm sure it has already been mentioned in the comments, but this was the first picture to sweep the top five Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. A true classic. Thank you for your reaction, Ashleigh!
Hey Ashleigh, This, of course was directed by Frank Capra, who also directed the great it’s a wonderful life. This was interesting. I believe they shot the movie in less than 30 days Claudette Colbert. reportedly hated making this movie and didn’t think much of it and by all accounts was a big pain to work with during this film. Funny that it ended up winning best picture, and she won best actress during her acceptance speech she made a special point to thank Frank Capra. realizing how bad she had behaved, have a great one as always🐈🐈🐈👍
yess I think we are startin to get some of these reactors to watch the Golden age films. Chris ( nerdy Guy) has done Some like it hot and Finally ROMAN Holiday was reviewed by Cassie ( popcorn in bed) a few days ago. Lets just say she has another leading man Crush in Gregory Peck and she loved Audrey Hepburn
In other words, she won best actress by not acting.
@@weirdbeard2244 yes, she just played herself. Maybe that’s why she was cast in the first place🙂
The Oh Yeah bus driver is Ward Bond. He was Bert the cop in It's a Wonderful Life. He's also in Gone With The Wind and many westerns with John Wayne.
@@wendywoodruff2871 did not know that, but now I do🙂
Bit of Trivia - The driver of the hitch hike car who was singing was Alan Hale, Sr. The father of Alan Hale, Jr. who played the Skipper from Gilligan's Island.
FWIW, "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" was written in 1867, inspired by the hugely successful American tour of the French aerialist Jules Leotard, he after whom the garment is named.
There was a funny movie which played The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze in the credits. It was about an airplane race or something.
Edit: I was close! Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes
Very true. Even today when I'm out practicing my Rhythmic Gymnastics I always wear a 'Jules' 😊
9:16 - Traditionally, the cost of a phone call is the responsibility of the person making the call. Long distance calls are more expensive than local, so if you were visiting someone else's house or were at a pay phone and didn't have enough change, you could tell the operator to make the call 'collect.' That meant that the person you were calling would pay for the call instead of you. The operator would call the number and ask if they would accept the charges. If they said yes, the call would go through and it would be charged to their phone bill. If they said no, you were S.O.L.
10:08 - The word 'hotel' goes back as far as the 1600s. An autocamp (I looked it up) is basically a motel with individual cabins.
23:20 - Basically a one-to-two-man helicopter.
Now that you're getting to enjoy TRUELY Classic movies and not just modern classics, this would be a good time to watch Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and the original King Kong. On a tangent, once you've seen the original King Kong, you should watch the Peter Jackson version shortly after so you can appreciate as many references as possible.
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Fun fact, Clark Gable, served during WWII with the Army Air Corp.
This movie was a massive hit when it came out, so much so that right about that time, Mel Blanc came up with his homage to Clark Gable - giving his new voice character, Bugs Bunny, a carrot to chew on. And thus did one Hollywood legend perpetuate another, and create the myth that rabbits eat those things.
$100,000 back then is equivalent to over $1.7 million today. So glad you watched this, Clark and Claudette were two of the greatest actors ever, you should check out more movies for each of them. Anyway, loved the review, love you and tell Beans hi 👋
One of my favorite classic movies! It is a masterpiece. I have to say however, when you asked what a collect call was, I suddenly felt as old as that film!
Ashleigh, great reaction! I'm so glad you're getting into these wonderful old movies. Now someday you should watch the uncensored version of “Baby Face” from 1933. I promise you, it’s an eye-opener!
Some other black and white movies you may like:
The Postman Always Rings Twice - There are a few versions of this. IMO, the best version stars John Garfield and Lana Turner
Double Indemnity
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - Humphrey Bogart famously complained that the censors made them remove a scene. I won't spoil it.
The Maltese Falcon
White Heat
It Happened One Night was the first movie to sweep the Oscars. Granted, there wasn't as many categories back then as there is now, but nonetheless it was a feat. It got Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actresss (Claudette Colbert), Best Director (Frank Capra - who also directed It's A Wonderful Life), Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It would only be 5 years later that another movie would sweep the Oscars: Gone With The Wind. Super-long movie, but seeing you're a Southern girl, it should be a must watch for you.
Gone With The Wind won a load of Oscars, but it didn't sweep the Big Five.
@@mrkelso Right. I'm just saying that it was the next movie to sweep the Oscars. The Big Five doesn't have to be included.
@@GeminiWolfstarGaming Agreed. Actually, which movies did sweep the Oscars? Not sure how one defines that... taking a third? A half? GWTW, Ben Hur, Titanic, LOTR:ROTK. Star Wars swept the technicals, but not the acting/writing/etc. Silence of the Lambs got the Big Five, but not the technicals. I don't know: what are the movies that swept?
@@mrkelso There are currently 24 categories that the Academy Awards have. Ben-Hur, Return of the King, and Titanic all tied with 11 wins. Here are the others:
West Side Story (1961) - 10 wins
The English Patient (1996) - 9 wins
Gigi (1958) - 9 wins
The Last Emperor (1987) - 9 wins
Avatar (2009) - 9 wins
All at 8 wins:
Gone With The Wind (1939) - 8 wins (with 2 extra ones: one was an honorary award to production designer William Cameron Menzies for "outstanding achievement in the use of color for the enhancement of dramatic mood," and the other was for a technical achievement to Don Musgrave and Selznick International Pictures, Inc., for pioneering in the use of coordinated equipment)
Amadeus (1984)
Cabaret (1972)
From Here to Eternity (1953)
Gandhi (1982)
My Fair Lady (1964)
On the Waterfront (1954)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
@@GeminiWolfstarGaming There's an interesting one, Cabaret (great pic). So it won 8 Oscars, a fully third of the 24, but didn't win best picture. Would you count that as a sweep?
Oohhhh....I LOVE this movie. I'm so glad to see it get a reaction!! Thank you 😊
Aside from associating rabbits with carrots via Bugs Bunny and the sale of undershirts, this film also popularized intercity bus travel in America and made Greyhound buses a national icon.
Agree Ashleigh .. their banter kept me entertained. I had to watch this with you bc my Daddy was born in '34. I just lost him 5-1/2 mos ago.
Wanted to mention here too that John Wayne was Mr. Western himself. He had his own signature walk & fighting style. He was a huge movie star.
One of my fave westerns besides Tombstone is "Open Range" with Robert Duvall & Kevin Costner. It's long but so worth it imo. BTW: You did see a younger Robert Duvall in The Godfather. He was the attorney. Another great actor 👍🏼
If you watch pre-code movies…the code was instituted in 1934…you’d be surprised by them. The movie “Three on a Match”...one of Bette Davis first movies as she was a supporting character…it has the lead character leaving her husband & living in sin with Humphrey Bogart (one of his first roles too) & there is cocaine on the table. They had prostitutes & women sleeping around. There was one where the main character slept her way to the top & they illustrated it by an elevator. The Religious Right had kittens over all this, but what pushed things over the limit was a gangster film where, in the shoot-out, everyone died but two guys. After the code, for the next 20 years, sex was basically taboo. There were directors, like Preston Sturges & Billy Wilder, who pushed the envelope…like Sturges’ comedy “Miracle at Morgan’s Creek.”
The pre-code Barbara Stanwyck in Baby Face would be an eye-opener for Ashleigh, for sure. (They released a post-code version of it as well, but the pre-code version is still available.)
And Wilder's "Some Like It Hot".
Clark Gable was one of the most dashing actors in the golden age of Hollywood. His relationship with Claudette Colbert was well documented. Watch "Gone With the Wind" next.
Yes, but be warned, folks: there is an actual Intermission involved. Because it's something like 3.5 hours long...
@@HeatherDeweyPettet b. She could watch it 2 days in a row, the intermission is a great stopping point
@@RLucas3000 That's what I was going to say... she could watch one half, review that, then do the same with the second half.
That is going to be very difficult for Ashleigh. It's a long and often slow movie. Right now, I want her to stick with of the era, and GWTW may push her away.
I forgot one of the BIG impacts of this movie was that Gable isn't wearing an undershirt beneath his dress shirt. I do believe his doing so made a huge dent in the undershirt industry as men stopped wearing them. (They do serve a purpose, of course, by hiding armpit sweat and protecting the outer shirt from sweat and dirt.) Undershirts survived by screen-printing things on to them and becoming outerwear.
So glad that you enjoyed it!!! I love to see young people appreciating classic B&W movies!!!
@Ashleigh Burton Frank Capra also directed : It's a Wonderful Life, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, Mr Deeds Goes To Town and more
00:24:34 THAT is an Autogyro. The "helicopter blades" on the top are for the lift and the plane propeller for the push.
I'm so glad you liked this! It's one of my favorite movies and a truly fantastic romantic comedy.
Really glad you're watching old movies. Some are the absolute BEST
I would love to see you watch any Marx Brothers movie and see how you react to the zany comedy of the time, much of which still holds up today! A Night at the Opera would be a great choice.
Marx brother's movies have the greatest word play. And fun music too.
She could watch A Night at the Opera at Christmas time! Oh, wait, that's right, I forgotta everybody knows there'sa no sucha thing as a Sanity Clause!
@moeball740 sorry I don't have a baboon in my pocket...🤣🤣
I love old movies and this was one I hadn't seen. Thanks, Chris for having Ashleigh (and me) watch it.🎺
Back in the days before cell phones, you paid a monthly fee for your landline phone, which included local calls. If you wanted to call "long distance" (basically any town other than your own), they'd charge extra. Calling 'collect' meant the person you called got billed, not you.
You could get cheaper calls by specifying "station to station", instead of person to person
Who else feels sooo old?
OK this reaction brings me so much joy because a) I never hear people who sound like me (what's up, fellow Southerner!) doing these reactions, and b) I have seen this movie a dozen times at least and I have the exact reaction you do. Her: "aren't you going to give me a little credit?" You: "girl you have accomplished one thing in this whole movie." Me: "THAT'S WHAT I SAID! You finally did something besides be dead weight!"
I strongly recommend watching Bringing Up Baby. It's also a screwball romantic comedy, but with more screwballs per minute. And then, after that, watch What's Up, Doc? which is a more modern screwball comedy, and absolutely hilarious.
Two masterclasses of screwball. Hepburn goes beyond manic-pixie-dream-girl to become a full-blown terrifying military-campaign of zany antics and mind games, and is hilarious doing it. Poor Grant doesn't know what's hit him, and his wisecracks and klutziness are just marvellous. What's Up Doc is amazing too, Kenneth Mars taking the cake.
@@PeterEvansPeteTakesPictures All the performances in both films are great. But yeah, Kenneth Mars outdoes himself. "I am Hugh."
I ❤️ What's Up Doc. Barbara Streisand, Ryan O'Neal and Madeline Kahn. So much fun.
@@wendywoodruff2871 I actually love Austin Pendleton's performance. It's not a lot of screen time, but it's subtle and spot-on.
the best part of this was hearing how you've grown to be able to appreciate classic cinema
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A whippoorwill is a bird and it makes me sad that you live in the south snd don’t know a whippoorwill 😢
“Hear the lonesome whippoorwill,
He sounds to blue to fly . . .”
The weird plane at 24:43 is an autogyro. The top rotor is unpowered. The forward motion of the plane through the air makes it spin like a windmill and produces lift.
this is one of my favorite rom-coms of all time! black and white or otherwise. I’m so glad you enjoyed it Ashleigh ❤
Your reaction to the airplane/helicopter mashup was very much on point! I also noticed it in Hitchcock's The Thirty-Nine Steps, which came only a year or two later.
Ashleigh, it is so entertaining to watch you enjoy movies that are even before my time! I'm sure it's been suggested, but let me add my suggestion - "Some Like It Hot" - A must see - for you and for me to watch your reaction!
This is one of my favorite old films. It won the Oscars for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay in 1935, I wish more people had seen it!
An interesting aside, men during this era wore undershirts. When Gable removed his shirt to reveal he wasn't wearing one, men began not wearing them. I don't think undershirts became popular again until teens in the 50s began wearing them... as shirts.
Nice reaction. The world was such a different world in '34 before WW2 drastically altered humanity and history. The world of Motion Pictures was a new and exciting industry. Tons of new ideas on how to make and market movies soon would begin to take root as more and more was learned. Only one year before this film, the earthshattering "King Kong" had hit the theatres, causing a tidal wave of imaginative growth and pushing the limit on what was possible. "It Happened One Night" killed at the academy awards like no film had before and set a high bar of expectation. Some sly and well-intentioned writing is the bedrock for this timeless classic. Clark Gable was a guaranteed cash cow that film makers quarreled over to get him to be part of their films. I look forward to the next upload. Here are three suggestions you maybe could consider: #1 Witness #2 Ever After #3 Midnight Express
These older movies are so fun because the dialogue is so snappy and smart. And the stories are just cute! Like you said - they hint at the sexy, but there's nothing over the top. Re - his daughter is worth 100,000 - in 1934, that was the equivalent of over 2 million! :D
Another older movie I know you'd love - Desk Set!
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Another great early Capra film is Meet John Doe, one of Barbara Stanwyck's best films, alongside Ball Of Fire (by Billy Wilder), which also stars Gary Cooper.
When Clark Gable took off his shirt and didn't have on an undershirt, sales of undershirts plummetted across the country.
I wish you'd watch Bringing Up Baby. I guess I should say I wish your Patreon members would get you to watch Bringing Up Baby. I guarantee you will like it. Another great old movie I'd like you to watch is A Face in the Crowd starring Andy Griffith. It's a very different role for him. Speaking of Andy Griffith, you would love his movie No Time for Sergeants. It's very funny and inspired the TV series Gomer Pyle USMC, which Griffith produced.
Calling long distance cost money. Normally, it would be the person who made the call who would pay. If the person calling couldn't afford to pay, they would ask the operator to ask the person being called if they would be willing to pay. In Britain, this was called "reversing the charges."
Another old movies that’s good is “arsenic and old lace”
The best RomComs ever made are from the '30s &'40s. Favorites are "Bachelor Mother" with Ginger Rogers, "My Favorite Wife" with Cary Grant, "The More the Merrier" and "The Devil and Miss Jones" with Jean Arthur, and "My Man Godfrey" with William Powell. A couple of '60s gems are "Father Goose" with Cary Grant, and "Lover Come Back" with Doris Day and Rock Hudson.
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The first of only three movies to have won the "Top Five" Oscars with Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor, and Actress, the others being One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Silence of the Lambs. Unfortunately, that year's awards were also marred by controversy as WB head Jack Warner stepped in to prevent Bette Davis from being nominated for her universally lauded performance in Of Human Bondage. It was so obviously a deliberate snub that ever since, the law firm Price Waterhouse has overseen the voting process, and Davis was given the award the following year for the film Dangerous in basically an open apology (one contemporary critic said she could have played a germ in the same year's biopic of Louis Pasteur and still won).
15:02 Photos were sent by wire using any one of three wirephoto methods available: telephone, telegraph, or radio. Special dedicated machines were used to transform photographs into electronic signals and transmit those signals to a receiving machine on the other end. The technology was first introduced in the early years of the 20th Century and by the 1920s began growing exponentially in popularity, used extensively by news services in particular. By the 1930s they were fairly commonplace in newsrooms worldwide.
The machines were, in some respects, progenitors of the facsimile (or fax) machine.
This a great movie, so glad you are watching older movies.
The 1930's were the heyday of screwball comedies with the snappy dialog. See also The Thin Man, Sullivan's Travels, Philadelphia Story, etc. But there was a great homage to them in the 70's called What's Up Doc starring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal and Madeline Kahn.
In Greece, we have a movie that is considered a classic, called "the lady and the tramp" (yes, really) and it's literally this movie only it adds the elements of her dressing up as a boy to run away and them starting off as two male friends. While watching this video, I was in awe of how similar they are and it's so weird that i've just found out about it
When they were singing on the bus the young man in the suit who got up to sing was Frank Capra
There is a Hollywood legend that sales of men's undershirts declined sharply after this movie came out because Clark Gable appeared without one.
Michael Curtiz is Casablanca. You saw a Frank Capra movie when you watched It's a Wonderful Life.
Ashleigh, if you want to give old movies a shot, watch "The General" by Buster Keaton. One of the funniest movie of all time with some crazy stunts and a suspenseful plot to sweeten the deal even more.
I think Ashleigh would like The Cameraman better.
@@itzakpoelzig330 Possibly yes. Any Buster Keaton would do honestly. The man was a comedic genius.
That's an all time classic
This isn’t just some movie. It’s one of the most famous films in cinema history. This film changed cinema in numerous ways. The guy who made it, Frank Capra is a genius. He also made it’s a wonderful life.
Clark Gable's bare chest devastated undershirt sales the year this movie came out.
Yep the film was blamed for causing a crash in sales.
Love going further back in time! Always fun to expand horizons. I went through an old movie phase a while ago and this was one i watched. Clark Gable is a legend.