Top 10 BEST Classic Screwball Comedies
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- Bringing Up Baby, It Happened One Night, and more! Screwball Comedies were hugely popular in Hollywood from about 1934 to the early 1940's. Today I'm counting down my 10 favorites. What are yours?
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bringing up baby review - Розваги
Barbara Stanwyck shines in everything she does.
Absolutely!
I've seen all of them, except Bachelor Mother. Ginger Rogers is amazing in everything and it will be treat to watch another movie with her. :)
My favorite comedy ever It Happened One Night, And my Favorite atress the beautiful Claudette Colbert.
She’s great!! Also in It’s a Wonderful World. 😂
I met her a few years before she passed away. She was my patient at Palm Desert Hospital in Palm springs. I had no idea who she was back then
Love the Lady Eve. Theodora Goes Wild, Christmas in Connecticut and Remember the Night are great examples
I've loved Ginger Rogers and her talent for comedy for decades. Bachelor Mother is fantastic. As are many more of her films.
How do you only have 400 subs. It's surprising how good those old films are and still hold up
haha Thank you! I'm fairly new, so I'm working on it. And you're right, so many of these old films really do.
Can't believe "Arsenic and old Lace" didn't make your list. Also everyone should check out "Miracle at Morgan's Creek" if they haven't already
Father Goose, with Carey Grant, is one of my favorites.
My Top 10 Best Screwball Comedies:
(What I considered to be screwball anyways LOL)
1) Easy Living [1937]
2) Bringing Up Baby [1938]
3) My Man Godfrey [1936]
4) Theodora Goes Wild [1936]
5) The Philadelphia Story [1940]
6) Midnight [1939]
7) I Married a Witch [1942]
8) Unfaithfully Yours [1948]
9) Roman Scandals [1933]
10) Twentieth Century [1934]
Awesome, thanks for sharing! I actually recently saw Theodora Goes Wild and really enjoyed it. I think that's my favorite Irene Dunne performance I've seen yet.
Of the screwballs that I've seen, my favorite is definitely Bringing Up Baby, followed by It Happened One Night, and Christmas in Connecticut and well I can't leave out My Favorite Wife. I'm excited to check out some of the others you named!
Christmas in Connecticut is a great choice! That’s one of my favorite movies for the holiday season.
Barbara Stanwyk in Christmas in Connecticut and Ball of Fire are also excellent screwball comedies.
I also love these silly movies! Great dialogue and generally hilarious!
Fab list and picks;o) Helps my media literacy knowwing that both What's up Doc and Will & Grace referenced Bringing up baby with the Ripping coat and Walking behind to cover, thx. My imidiate picks wouldn't fit either timeperiode or were screwbally enough: Bell, Book and Candle '58, Hocus-pocus or: How do I make my husband disappear...? '66 (gorgeous and hilarious, but more of a farce) and Straight Jacket '03 (Day&Hudson, but even gayer).
But I'd suggest A slight case of Murder '38, Victor&Victoria '33 (remade with Dame Julie Andrews) and Arsenic and old Lace '44 (which I used to think was a novel by Agatha Christie). Like my comedies a little gay and dark. And the Hais Code seemed to have inspired a certain creativity in hidden language, subtext, inuendo I very much enjoy;o) Cheers
Love this list! Also It’s A Wonderful World, Jimmy Stewart & Claudette Colbert.
My Man Godfrey is such a better William Powell movie than The Thin Man! Screwball but with real depth!
Some not on your list: 1. My Favorite Wife, 2. Mr. and Mrs. Smith (dir. Hitchcock), 3. The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, 4. The Major and the Minor, 5. Ball of Fire, 6. Come Blow Your Horn, 7. Some Like it Hot, 8. Susan Slept Here
Ah, I’ve been meaning to see that Hitchcock comedy. Fascinating that it exists.
You can't get much better than this list! I tend to prefer Lubitsch comedies (To Be or Not to Be, The Shop Around the Corner, Ninotchka) and The Philadelphia Story over the quintessential screwball comedies. But The Lady Eve, Vivacious Lady, It Happened One Night, and The More the Merrier are some of my absolute favorites, as well. And when a zany mood catches me, My Man Godfrey, His Girl Friday, The Palm Beach Story, The Libeled Lady, Bringing Up Baby, The Awful Truth, Twentieth Century, Nothing Sacred, and The Major and the Minor can't be beat. Preston Sturges's more satirical comedies, Hail the Conquering Hero, The Great McGinty, and Sullivan's Travels are gems, as well.
I’m a huge Lubitsch fan! I don’t really consider his stuff “screwball”, but it’s all fine lines. His movies are amazing. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for highlighting some excellent examples of the genre. I've seen many of the titles, and will seek out those that I have missed. I am particularly grateful for your brief mention of "What's Up, Doc?" an absurdly hysterical gem. The film has always been a favorite, but I thought I was alone in my appreciation for that delightfully twisted story of four identical plaid cases (identical on the exterior, anyway😊).
Thank you for watching! Oh I LOVE What’s Up Doc, it’s hysterical!
Thank you for giving Ginger her do. And you rightly noted that this is too often the case. Even the famous line "Ginger Rogers did everything [Fred Astaire] did, backwards … and in high heels." does a disservice to the scope of her talent. She might be my favorite actress after Bette Davis.
As for me, my favorite screwball comedy will always be "The Major and the Minor". Ginger is of courses, perfect. I also love Ray Milland in the movie, and Lucy's character is remarkable (a teenage girl who's a budding scientist and the only person in the film who knows what's going on).
Glad to meet another fan of Ginger! And that's a good choice. I haven't seen that movie in many years, which is the main reason it didn't make the list. But I'm planning a Billy Wilder focused video soon, so I'll definitely rewatch it before that.
Just loved your presentation. Thank you!
Thank you!
I absolutely love The More The Merrier and I really hope it eventually gets a Blu-ray release.
Me too!
I just ordered the movie in DVD format after watching this video.
Darn good list. I kind of expected more Preston Sturges, like THE PALM BEACH STORY, possibly. Another great one. You have a great movie collection too. I see a lot that I have as well, and you have your Criterions grouped together. Nice!
Thank you! Palm Beach didn’t quite make the cut for me, but I do really like it. Such a wild movie. haha
Thank you for reminding your followers about Irene Dunne, I love her also in My Favourite Wife, Penny Serenade, Magnificent Obsession, Love Affair…and exquisite singer creating the song Smoke Gets in Your Eyes in Roberta… and so many other films.
Bachelor Mother is a pure delight, Ginger Rogers and David Niven are excellent but also Charles Coburn so eager to be a grandfather !
I was surprised you did not mention a film I would give an ex æquo first place with Bringing Up Baby, maybe you haven’t seen it because it is underrated : hilarious Merrily We Live.
Also a special mention for Easy Living (Jean Arthur, Ray Milland and Edward Arnold).
Maybe it’s not really a screwball comedy : You Can’t Take It With You, but Misha Auer surely is worth it.
Salute from France 🇫🇷
PS : Couldn’t Blake Edward’s The Party be considered a screwball comedy, even if it is late ?
I actually love Merrily We Live! Couldn't quite fit it on the list, but it's a blast of a movie.
great category! No Astaire and Rogers entry? They created a whole screwball comedy sub-genre at RKO by adding music and dancing dimensions without sacrificing the battle of the sexes, and battle of the Hayes code comedy we all love. I particularly like that they used the same supporting players in most of their movies - Helen Broderick, Eric Blore, Erik Rhodes and the great Edward Everett Horton. I smile just thinking about that cast! So I nominate Top Hat to add to your list somewhere near the top to represent the whole body of wonderful screwball comedies Astaire and Rogers created together!
I love those movies! But like I said in the video, I wasn’t counting musicals. But if I did, one of those would surely make it. Thanks for watching!
@@cobwebschannel ha! musta missed that!
Just seen "Bachelor Mother" and it's now my favorite Ginger Rogers film!!! 🥳
Heeeey, that's awesome!! The fan club is growing! haha
My number one choice would be my girl Friday! Number two it happened one night! Off subject I just saw a video on TCM with Alexander Payne, regarding Penny Serenade and Cary Grant’s incredible performance and acting skills not really appreciated by many in the scene before the judge! Another one of my favorite vintage movies
I still haven’t seen Penny Serenade! I’ve heard it’s great, but very sad.
My Favorite Wife (1940), No Time For Love (1943), Ball of Fire (1941), and The Doctor Takes A Wife (1940) are Favorite screwballs of mine. I've always said Bringing Up Baby is the screwiest of the screwballs! Great video! Thanks for shedding light on a lesser known genre
A good little clip this!
Its good to see My Man Godfrey on your list and Powell was awesome in it. Good call on the Niven and Rogers pairing too. Its been a while since I saw It happened One Night but Gable and Colbert sparkled in the film. Anything with Cary Grant was good from His Girl Friday to Bringing up Baby to Father goose and The Philadelphia Story. Hepburn was supposed to be difficult and a raging Lesbian so had the knives out for her which was why Baby failed even though Hepburn was good in it as well as a lot of the rubbish she was given to start in. I believe she should have won more Oscars than she did.,
I'm uncertain how to classify Blake Edwards' 1965, I guess, epic comedy, "The Great Race", in which Jack Lemmon's performances as Professor Fate and Crown Prince Frederick along with Peter Falk's portrayal of Fate's bumbling and inept sidekick Max are two of the finest comedic turns in film history. Add to that the jaw-droppingly gorgeous Natalie Wood and what is the biggest pie fight ever put to film and one has one of the best films, IMHO, ever made. It certainly seems to have screwball elements.
My favorite Screwball comedy of all time is... Miracle At morgan's Creek. So incredibly sunversive.
Hey, great choice! That is a really cool movie, and so bold for the time. Love that run of Preston Sturges movies.
Super list. I'm getting into these. I wonder if you would do a follow-up with some modern screwball comedy films, or neo-screwballs? I'm thinking of things like - "true screwball or not" - Romancing the Stone, Moonlighting, Six Days and Seven Nights, Game Night, Murder Mystery.
Thanks for the vid. now i have a new watch list
Awesome!
I need to mention Ball of Fire with Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. She stole the show in that one.
She was the whole show! I don’t love that entire movie, but I do love her in it.
Glad I found your channel. Makes me happy to see younger gen appreciate and enjoy the classics (you get extra points for loving Hammer Films lol). Its a hard watch tho with you showcasing BRINGING UP BABY. My late hubby and I loved and laughed with this great flick. It was in the first year of our marriage way back in 89. Whew am I tearing up writing this. Lost him in 2014. Henry was a good guy and even tho he looked mean in a good looking way lol he loved the old movies as much as I. Sorry for the side note but thx for listening and especially for your content.
I’m sorry for your loss, and thank you for writing such a beautiful comment. Really appreciate the kind words.
Great channel! I have a couple recommendations which you may have seen. Thanks to the Criterion Channel, I recently watched “The Mad Miss Manton,” which was Stanwyck and Fonda’s first film together. Another great surprise was “Fifth Avenue Girl” with Ginger Rogers. Also, “True Confession” with Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray is one of my favorite discoveries from a couple years ago.
Newcomer to your channel, a very happy landing! (Love that you have your collection organized by label.) A few faves that on any given movie night might crack my Top 10: Twentieth Century, You Can't Take It With You, To Be Or Not To Be, Palm Beach Story, Unfaithfully Yours, and I have a soft spot for the 1945 Brewster's Millions (why wasn't Helen Walker a major star?). As per your love of Howard Hawks & the great Barbara Stanwyck, where would you put Ball of Fire and A Song For You? Shrewd move btw excluding musicals, as several Fred & Ginger outings, aside from the music and dancing, reach sublime heights of screwball.
Tons of amazing movies in there. Thank you for watching!
@@cobwebschannel Do you know Ball of Fire & A Song for You?
How could you not have You Can’t Take It With You?
I really enjoy You Can’t Take it With You, especially Lionel Barrymore’s performance in it. But I don’t like it as much as these 10, so it doesn’t quite make my list. Totally respect that it would for you though. Thanks for watching!
Great video, thanks
Thank you!
Great list. However, I would substitute "Libeled Lady" with Frank Capra's "You Can't Take it With You" from 1938 with James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, & Jean Arthur. This is an all-star cast and I don't think you could get any more screwball than this movie.
It’s a good one!
One if the more entertaining videos I have seen. I have most of the movies you listed. But now I have to find and watch Lady Eve.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy that one when you get it!
I love screwball comedies! I'm a sucker for fast-talking, witty banter. If you want to check out a really good Gregory La Cava movie, Stage Door stars Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers and has a great role for a very young Lucille Ball. The humor is great and the dramatic elements are really strong as well.
I'm a big Preston Sturges fan as well.
I do need to check that out!
Totally agree about The Lady Eve - Barbara Stanwyck owns every film I've seen her in. I also agree about The Awful Truth - I actually didn't like it much at all. I'd probably have The Philadelphia Story on here quite high - drunk Jimmy Stewart has definitely stuck with me!
Nice! If I counted The Philadelphia Story (which I know many people would), it would be 1 or 2. That's one of my all-time favorites.
Also one of my favourites, I’d like to mention two supporting characters : Roland Young (delightful in Ruggles of Red Gap) and Virginia Weidler, the little sister (Peter Ibbetson, Maids of Salem, All This and Heaven Too, The women… etc) one of my favourite young actresses, love Margaret O’Brien too !)
Check out Holiday: 1938, Hepburn and Grant. One of my go-to New Year's Eve rituals. With the ever-excellent Edward Everett Horton in a supporting role.
Love that movie! Grant is having so much goofy fun in it, and Hepburn is adorable.
Miracle at Morgan Creek , You Can't Take it with You.
Great list! Great work! Totally agree with your #1! Unfortunately, I’m one of the few who don’t really like your #2
That’s really cool that we have the same #1!
Just found your channel! Subscribed!
Thank you!
Good choices but I would like to add "The Devil and Miss Jones" and "The Palm Beach Story"
Palm Beach Story is so wild. haha
You know I am a fan of your channel! And in that spirit, a note of constructive, fan-based criticism: the background music competes with your content in a way that distracts from the user experience. Otherwise, I look forward to seeing some of these movies--many of which are new to me.
No worries man, and thanks for the feedback!
@@cobwebschannel I hope that it is clear that I mention this with nothing but goodwill for your efforts. It is a lot of work to put videos together with this kind of clarity of thought. We are the beneficiaries--thank you!
My favourite is "Mr and mrs smith" directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I can´t find a streaming site where I can see all these old movies. Does anyone knows where?🙏
I’m also a big fan of the kind of supernatural/spooky screwball comedies that came out around this time. I Married a Witch and the Topper trilogy being the most notable, but you can’t forget Arsenic and Old Lace (one of my all time favorite films), along with some lesser known ones like The Boogie Man Will Get You. Blithe Spirit might also count. One could argue some of the “old dark house” mystery comedies from the era could fit into the screwball genre, but I wouldn’t necessarily.
Good call! I love that subgenre too. Blithe Spirit is so much fun.
I would say the Thin Man sequels get more into the screwball territory. After the Thin definitely fits the genre in my opinion, and is one of my favorite screwball comedies. Another honorable mention I’d say is Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House with Cary Grant. I LOVE that one.
Dream House is a fun movie!
You Can't Take it with You
I haven't watched it yet, but my ClassicFlix copy of HI DIDDLE DIDDLE arrived today. Have you seen that? Did you order it?
I haven’t! I’ll look into it, though.
@@cobwebschannel I watched it tonight. It's a fun comedy of errors. There are some bits of slight zaniness, but not as fast-paced or madcap as some of Sturges's or Hawks's zaniest.
And "Philadelphia Story"?
Love that movie! But I consider it a normal romantic comedy, and not a screwball comedy. Thanks for watching!
What about Born Yesterday
Haven’t seen it! You’re a big fan, I’m guessing?
Stage Door and The Women not in the genre but fast funny banter for sure.
What about Front Page
Oops I meant His Girl Friday
@@marktracy1721 haha You won’t be disappointed with the list!
I’m an outlier in that I really don’t like Bringing Up Baby. I find it relies solely on misunderstandings… The whole plot seems to be misunderstandings. I just think it gets old fast. I know I’m in the minority here.
Totally respect that. I think Roger Ebert referred to movies based on misunderstandings as having “idiot plots”. But I think he was talking about Meet the Parents.
It's hard for me to accept "It Happened One Night" is rated so low on your list.😔