It Happened One Night

1. 1934's It happened one night. Directed by Frank Capra staring Clark Gable as Peter and Claudette Colbert as Ellie. The film won an academy award for Best director ,and Academy awards for Best actor in a leading role (Clark Gable) and Best actress in a leading role (Claudette Colbert), Best Writing Adaptation (Robert Riskin) and Best Picture Columbia . Frank Capra born May 18th 1907 in Italy, he was the son of illiterate Sicilian peasants who came to America when he was 6. Capra was one of Hollywood's pre-eminent directors in the 1930's and 40's, One of the first whose name appeared on marquees and above the title in film credits. He was the first to win three directorial Oscars  for "It Happened One Night" (1934), "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (1936) and "You Can't Take It With You" (1938). Capra movies were idealistic, sentimental and patriotic. His major films showed his art of improvisation as well as showing sympathy and humor during the 1930's.

http://jacksonville.typepad.com/patum_peperium/2009/04/it-happened-.html

2) The article opens up with the author stating that It happened one night would have been nothing without the casting of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, and how it was impossible to imagine anyone else in those roles, although Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert weren’t the first choices for the movie . Director Capra's first choice for the male lead role was Robert Montgomery who was refused to be loaned out to Columbia by Louis B. Mayer . Clark Gable was then chosen for the lead male role, but according to the article Clark Gable was chosen to teach him a lesson by Louis B. Mayer since his career had been fadeing, and Gable was asking for extravagant money demands . Columbia only paid him $10,000. Clark Gable’s character Peter was originally suppose to be a college educated chemist who goes through a number of odd jobs and frequent unemployment but after several actresses turned down the  role of Ellie ,Capra changed Peters character role, after Myles Connolly a former newspaper reporter suggested to Capra to have peters character be a hard but idealistic reporter determined to win his job back .
       For the leading female role when MGM Actress Myrna Loy rejected the leading female role along with Miriam Hopkins and Margaret Sullavan. Claudette Colbert soon was in the talks for the leading female role. Colbert turned up her nose at Columbia's offer due to prier engagements, and the fact that she had no liking towards the script , as well as her being used to Paramount’s glamorous setting's and costumes . After Colbert’s dislikes were heard she was then offered $50,000 for the film whose total production cost was $325,000. Colbert contract also called for additional payments if the film went into overtime. In the end Colbert took the part because she mostly wanted to work with Clark Gable . It was said that Gable complained about Colbert making more in overtime then he made for the picture.
      The author stated that it was all worth it because Clark and Colbert made such a good team in the movie. The author continues by stating that the audience who viewed the film in 1934 liked that leading man Clark Gable, because he humbling, educated and in the end was finally able to win the spoiled brat heiress . Since the movie was made around the depression the audience thought more importantly that it represented a level of class barriers in the depression ;especially how Clarks character peter was able to stretch a dollar which struck a level of sympathy with the Depression audience. Capra and Riskin also portrayed Elle’s rich girl character more sympathetically as well, but he did see Colbert’s character as the epitome of all the rich and classy stuck up women who ever denied him. Capra also thought Colbert had a great figure and for the wall’s of Jericho scene Capra though Colbert was perfect for that scene. Colbert was even hesitant about flashing her leg in the hitch hiking scene ,Capra had to ease her into that. Although there was a lot of joking around from Gable during the Wall’s of Jericho scene one in particularly that had to do with a prop potato

3) The article definitely gave me insight on the film, especially on how the leading characters were chosen, I felt that the long process of finally choosing the leading characters was all worth it in the end. Even though Capra didn’t want Gable as the leading man at first, I felt that Capra’s opinion changed at the end when he received an academy award for Best Director . From reading the article I also felt that Colbert’s character in the movie as a spoiled heiress was exactly how she was acting in real life when it came to taken the leading female role. Especially in her contract having her being paid extra if the film went into overtime, and Columbia paying her $50,000 from the $325,000 budget just for her to play the leading lady. As well as Gables character originally being written as a college educated chemist who goes through a number of odd jobs,and frequent unemployment I found that to be quit interesting. I as well didn’t know that the film was filmed during the time of the great depression ,and Gable’s character was appreciated by the depression audience; since he new how to stretch a dollar out, and how he won the rich girl at the end. Gable’s character didn’t even want the $10,000 reward in the end for returning Ellie to her father. He just gave Ellie’s father a $39.60 bill for the bus ticket from Miami to New York that him and Ellie took ,which was very humbling of Gable’s character showing that he wasn’t in it for the big reward or the story but in the end he was in it for Ellie’s love . In the end the article was informative and will written, and gave me a better view of the movie and the thoughts of Director Capra.

　

4)   It happened one night was a classic black and white film. The chemistry between Ellie and Peter was wonderful. I thought that Capra did a good job at casting these leading Characters. Even though he didn’t want Gable at first, and getting Colbert cost the Company some extra money in the end it was all worth it. Director Capra showed the trails and tribulations of a run away rich girl, who ends up meeting a decent man who is nice enough to take care of her throughout there wild journey, and even when Gable’s character find’s out that Colbert’s Character was a run away, and there was a $10,000 reward if she was returned to her father . Gable’s character still didn’t send her on the next bus running to Miami .He stuck by Ellie’s side and even ended up saving her from a man who wanted to sell her out for the $10,000 reward .