can someone explain in a non-annoying way why in 1934 it cost $2.60 to send a telegram but only $2 for a night in a hotel?

Didn't realize this was going to be the prototype for every romantic comedy ever

Three people who love this movie...

1. Joseph Stalin
2. Adolph Hitler
3. Me

Unlike those other dudes, I don't have a moustache.

The original rom com. Captivating and witty as ever, and absolutely deserving of all the accolades it received.

The dialogue between them sounds out of a Curb or Seinfeld episode, like the conversations about how to hitchhike or how to dunk your donuts. The chemistry between Gable and Colbert is electric, and Gables natural charm comes across here better than any of his other performances.

Unlike the screwball comedies of the day, this movie is grounded in reality. It’s characters have real struggles, and they have genuine conversations. This is a character driven comedy, more like Preston Sturges and others of the 40s, than it’s peers in the 30s like Trouble in Paradise and Bringing up Baby.

If you’re just getting into classic comedies, this is a great place to start. It’s humor and charm doesn’t seem to dwindle.

Positively delightful in every way, from the witty dialogue to the wonderful performances both big and small, there is a timeless charm that pervades the film, even as so much of it reflects the specific conventions and circumstances of the era. Gable and Colbert have an infectious chemistry that lights up the screen each time they appear together, and the small subplots that the pair encounter are charmingly entertaining. I have never taken a crowded bus across the country, nor have I ever felt the need to eat raw carrots out of the ground, nor do I find it particularly scandalous for a woman to show her calf. In so many ways, this film doesn't merely show its age, but flaunts it as undeniably coming from a period past, not just in the salacious send-up of un-matrimonial customs, but in the depiction of poverty and omnipresent hunger, and its joy in the freedom of creation.

"I proved once and for all that the limb is mightier than the thumb."

it's really special watching this for the 1st time because, at some point, it dawns on you that you're watching the very beginning of nearly every romantic comedy film convention ever

title: it happened one night
author: frank capra

[no archive warnings apply, ellen andrews/peter warne, ellen andrews/king westley, slow burn, enemies to lovers!, dumbasses in love, fake marriage, fake identity, sharing a room but there's two beds, is it possible they will ever share one bed??? (gasp shock), angst and fluff, happy ending (i promise), rich girl, sassy newspaperman, loving but strict father, guy lands at a wedding in an autogyro]

when headstrong ellie runs away from her father and sits next to a mysterious stranger on a bus, who knows what sparks will fly? this is my first fanfic guys, pls be gentle. do not own!!

Director and co-producer Frank Capra accomplishes some outstanding examples of comic timing in It Happened One Night. Based on the short story Night Bus by Samuel Hopkins Adams, it overflows with cultural connections to its era, from portrayals of people travelling the country in hunt for employment to persistent reminders of class division. It's a beautiful movie to look at, and Capra’s inclination for long takes is noticeable throughout; often focused on confined spaces or huge open one's. Neither Claudette Colbert or Clark Gable had indicated any specific humorous aptitude before, but their acting is precisely on point with the tone of the movie.

every single trope from every fic you’ve ever read on AO3 at 2am was stolen from this movie.

it didn’t happen over one night

I liked this, my kind of movie

Great for its time but it was just incredibly slow.

The prototypical romcom, including a lot of the problems inherent to the genre. The third act could have been completely avoided by taking five seconds to scribble a note.

Complete with a racing out of the wedding scene! Who doesn’t love literally the creator of all rom com tropes

The original romantic comedy. Every romantic comedy that comes out today needs to live up to this one in order to be good. It hasn’t happened, and it never will. It was also the first film to win the top five categories at the Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress). A rightful selection indeed.

A surprisingly hilarious Best Picture winner led by the very charming Clark Gable. This is able to progress neatly along while also injecting truly funny moments, pepper in some risqué moments for the 30s and this is quite a piece.

let ‘em topple 🎺 
amazing. best romance movie everrrr

Criterion

very charming, the hitchhiking scene is hilarious.

Nice rom-com but felt kinda cheesy at some points. Still, a very good film that holds up, is entertaining and easy to follow. Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert give great performances and have really good chemistry. 

75/100

this movie is so cute if you tell “shut up!!!” whenever peter says something sexist and verbally abusive :) would recommend!

Really funny first half but third act kinda drags. Some hilarious banter especially the fake fight scene. Laughed out loud.