His Girl Friday + The Philadelphia Story (Double Bill)

Described as ‘The fastest, funniest and most frantic comedy ever to come out of Hollywood’.

Newspaper editor Walter Burns (Cary Grant) uses every trick in the book to keep his ace reporter, and ex-wife, Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell) from quitting journalism for married life.

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/4/d/4/600_368645332.jpeg

Directed by Howard Hawks, the film also stars Ralph Bellamy, some 44 years before he appeared as one of the scheming Duke brothers in 80s hit Trading Places.

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/6/1/4/600_368645652.jpeg

“The fastest-talking battle of the sexes in the history of romantic screwball comedy. Grant and Russell engage in dizzying verbal play of machine-gun speed in a plot that reaches farcical heights, with a great character ensemble of gum-chewing, smoke-wreathed, poker-playing hacks acting as their cynical chorus. His Girl Friday is unrivalled for comic timing and snappy repartee” Angie Errigo – 1001 movies to see before you die

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/7/1/8/600_368645912.jpeg

The film currently has a score of 8.1 out of 10 from over 34,500 votes on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032599/)

Also showing is THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

Surprisingly enough this is not a documentary about the rise to prominence of a popular brand of spreadable soft cheese. No, in fact …

… check out the ‘Star wattage’ as Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and James Stewart line up in the tale of an heiress on the brink of her second marriage, the circumstances of which become decidedly more complicated when her ex-husband, a tabloid reporter, appears on the scene.

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/a/2/e/600_368646702.jpeg

“George Cukor’s 1940 adaptation of Philip Barry’s theatrical farce is the uncontested classic of all sophisticated slapstick comedies. An enormous success, with an award-winning screenplay that matched comedy with social commentary. Never more luminous, Hepburn outdoes herself in a role which demands impeccable comic timing as well as true vulnerability” Karen Krizanovich – 1001 movies to see before you die

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/a/f/6/600_368646902.jpeg

The film currently has a score of 8.1 out of 10 from over 42,800 votes on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/?ref_=nv_sr_1)

An approximate schedule is as follows:

18.00 His Girl Friday begins
19.35 His Girl Friday ends
20.00 The Philadelphia Story begins
21.55 The Philadelphia Story ends

Join us for one or both movies! The price for both films is £9.50 (this same price applies if you only wish to watch one film). Tickets can be booked (here) (http://www.riversidestudios.co.uk/cgi-bin/page.pl?l=1398703748)

I’ll send out an e-mail with meeting details to all those who have RSVPed shortly before the event.