Rating: 
Summary: A Fun Story!
Review: His Girl Friday is Cary Grant in one of his best roles in a classic film. The story is extremely humorous and well written, and the characters are engaging. This is a real movie, the kind you enjoy simply because of the sensational acting skills of the cast. Add it to your collection.
Rating:
Summary: His Girl Anyday
Review: Based upon the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur play "The Front Page", "His Girl Friday" is one of the most terrific and enjoyable of screwball comedies, as well as a satire of the newspaper business (Which explains it lack of Oscars). Cary Grant is Walter Burns, the chief editor of the Morning Daily newspaper. He runs into trouble with his ex-wife "Hildy" Johnson (Rosalind Russell), who is also the best writer at the paper. Hildy tells Walter that she is moving to Albany and is getting married to an insurance man, Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy). Thus, she's quitting her job. This comes at a bad time, for an innocent man named Earl Williams (John Qualen) has been charged with and will be hanged for murder. Walter seems to still love Hildy, and sure isn't going to loose his best writer. So he has her interview Williams and get a story on him to prove he isn't insane. Walter, however, has a plan behind this. He wants to delay the trip of Hildy and Bruce long enough to allow Hildy to reconsider her decision to leave the paper. Thus, he has Bruce put on the charge of stealing a watch. Hildy becomes so irate that she destroys her story and is about to depart when Earl Williams breaks out, causing a chain reaction of events that'll make Walter and Hildy feel as though they're in a tea kettle. Hildy Johnson's character in the original play was a man. Which might explain some of her not so lady like gestures and actions. There's ink flowing in her blood and Walter knows that. He knows that she was meant to be active and adventurous, not bogged down by figures and facts in an insurance office. But, it is also very likely that some of the things Walter does are out of love. He wants to make up for lost time that he didn't have with Hildy, like how their honeymoon was spoiled because they were trapped in a mine. Grant seems to be perfect for the role. But, though Russell was also a terrific choice, other actresses of the period (Katherine Hepburn, Irene Dunne, Myrna Loy) would have also been good choices. They would have presented the character differently though; they don't have newspaper ink flowing in their blood. Then again, what right do I have to complain? I'm a film buff, yes, but one who still needs more experience in screwball comedies. A fine supporting cast assists Grant and Russell. Bellamy replays a role that's similar to his in "The Awful Truth". Come to think of it, this movie is a lot like "The Awful Truth", at least with the bickering ex-lovers and with Bellamy's Bruce, like his Daniel in "Awful Truth", being loyal to his mother. Gene Lockhart ("Going My Way") has some funny scenes as Sheriff Peter B. 'Pinky', who inadvertently helps Earl Williams escape from prison (Which causes Hildy to say that the B means Brains). The newspaper reporters are all a cruel bunch: They published bad things about Earl Williams and smeared the name of his girlfriend, Molly Malloy (Helen Mack). They only spring into action when they hear a news lead that sounds interesting, such as a background check that shows Earl Williams failed a class in High School. Among this group includes Porter Hall, Cliff Edwards, Roscoe Karns, Frank Jenks, and Regis Toomey (There's also Ernest Truex as Roy Bensinger, a tribune reporter). Also in the supporting cast include Clarence Kold as the mayor who would hang his own mother to be reelected, Abner Biberman as Louis, a hood who seems to be a send up of "Scarface" Al Capone (Or at least as he was played by Paul Muni), Alma Kruger as Bruce's mother, who uncovers the hiding place of Williams, Pat Westas as Warden Cooley, Edwin Maxwell as Psychiatrist Dr. Egelhoffer and Billy Gilber as a messenger with news from the governor. Though it could be another item that makes this show great, the rapid, twisting plot may annoy some. Walter teams with Hildy, only to then double cross her by getting Bruce landed in jail. But not just once, oh no no. The poor guy goes there three times. It's like "Come three times in one day and your next visit is free" (That's right. All this occurs in about 12-18 hours). The ending I'll try not to spoil. But I will say that'll either make sense to you or just seem like another happy Hollywood ending (Or similar to endings of screwball comedies like "It Happened One Night", "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town", "The Awful Truth" and "The Philadelphia Story"). The VHS edition I saw this on was from the Goodtimes Video series "Hollywood Movie Greats" and is erroneously called a "Collector's Edition." Well, I guess if the collector wants a so-so print of the movie. The picture quality is clear for the most part, though some scenes are lighter or darker then others. One such scene is when one reporter asks for more light in the pressroom, saying that he can't see a thing. He must be blind because I could see fine. The sound is clear for the most part, though some scenes suddenly become louder for a few minutes and then tone down. A collector's edition should also have something like a theatrical trailer, or at least an advertisement for others in the collection. Fortunately, the movie has been put on DVD in an edition licensed by Columbia. I don't have it, but it should at least have better audio and video (Not to mention some extras).
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Film (But A Warning For Possible Purchasers)
Review: July 16, 2002 This is a great film, but my object here today isn't
to write about how much smarter this film is than most
contemporaray comedies, or to praise Howards Hawks,
Rosalind Russel or Cary Grant, alas, but to warn anyone
thinking of buying a DVD version of 'His Girl Friday' to AVOID AT ALL COSTS THE VERSION PUT OUT
BY "HOLLYWOOD CLASSICS COLLECTION"
(MADACY ENTERTAINMENT). It is an awful transfer, grainy, worn-out, and
unprofessional. It probably gets a lot of nibbles by
having a low price. Don't be fooled. Pay the extra
ten bucks, or whatever, and get a responsible version
of this knock-out comedy.
Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Comedy!
Review: This is a priceless, brilliant comedy from 1940. Although several movies were made based on the hit play The Front Page, a sarcastic comedy about the newspaper business, none was as successful or is as hilarious as His Girl Friday. Made by expert director Howard Hawks, His Girl Friday is one of the most entertaining and hilarious films ever! The film was the first to use overlapping dialogue, and it is probably the fastest talking film in history! It can be watched again and again, because every time you find new things to laugh about that you missed the last time! The cast is fantastic as well. Cary Grant, especially, though usually very good, gives one of his best performances in His Girl Friday as the amoral and manipulative newpaper editor Walter Burns. He is spectacular! Every scene he is in is hilarious because of his funny expressions and clever way of saying his lines. He also contributes greatly to the film by several "in jokes", such as the Archie Leach line and the part in which he describes Ralph Bellamy's character as looking like "uhh..that fellow in the movies..you know, Ralph Bellamy." Rosalind Russell is excellent as well as Hildy Johnson, the star reporter who wants to quit, and she and Cary make a wonderfully spunky pair! Ralph Bellamy does a good job with his role as Hildy's fiancee, the bumbling insurance guy. The rest of the cast is just as good. Anyhow, this movie is a must have! Make sure to get a good copy of the DVD though - personally, I would recommend the His Girl Friday/Cary Grant on Film version because of its clarity.
Rating:
Summary: Stll among the top ten comedies anywhere ...
Review: 50 reviews? More than enough encouragement ... Still, I'll offer my two cents ... Nevermind this was made in 1939: the above offering with another Cary Grant vehicle, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, another film you'll watch over and over, makes it an excellent bargain. The lines in GIRL FRIDAY could easily put it in many people's list for best comedy ever. The comedy is fast and furious. Screwball 30s, indeed! You haven't lived! ... ... and Rosalind Russell makes it all worth it. One of the top commediennes who ever lived, be then sure to see her in 50s AUNTIE MAME. Cary Grant was never better than in GIRL FRIDAY. With ARSENIC AND OLD LACE,as per the bargain above! ...see also BRINGING UP BABY and Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST, and you have all his funniest and best (ok, add CHARADE, too, if you insist...) ... there ; you can't say you aren't informed. But seen once, you won't be ignoring FRIDAY or ARSENIC AND OLD LACE for at least twenty viewings each, over time, guaranteed!
-moosbrugger
Rating:
Summary: A Hawks comedy masterpiece
Review: Cary Grant plays a newspaper editor and Rosalind Russell plays his ex-wife and fellow reporter who is about to quit her job and remarry. Grant doesn't want to lose one of his star reporters, and he is unscrupulous enough to do just about anything to stop the marriage going ahead, including having her prospective husband framed and thrown in prison- not once, but twice. Russell is desperate to leave journalism behind her and start a family and a home, but her journalistic instincts flair up when she hears of a man about to be unfairly executed and she thinks she can stop it. Watching her facilitate between her desire to be a journalist and a housewife is genuinely funny. The film is gripping and Howard Hawks, one of Hollywood's greatest directors, handles the direction with real flair, never letting the pace slacken. Cary Grant is a master of comic timing and both he and Russell make a great double act. The rest of the cast put in a sterling performance. This is a much better film than the more famous Billy Wilder remake.
Rating:
Summary: Funniest movie ever
Review: First, yes the Columbia Classics is the version to get. Yes, it is more [spendy]. So what? Take your [$$$] version out into the street and drag it along the nearest gravel road. Now watch it. Notice any difference? Didn't think so? Second, I'm sure someone will say that this Marx Bros. movie is funnier or that Billy Wilder movie is funnier, but this is (in my mind) the funniest movie ever. Timing is everything in screwball comedies and this one is nearly perfect in its timing. "How could you break up our home like that?" "What home?" Don't you remember the home I promised you?" all at breakneck speed. And then when Hilde is interviewing Earl Williams it is much slower. His "Oh, I don't smoke" is very pathetic and induces sympathy in the viewer even though its pretty hard to defend his actions. Brilliant! Ralph Bellamy is also good as the sweet, but unexciting Bruce Baldwin. Watch Cary Grant's face as Bellamy delivers the line "So, Mrs. Sweeney didn't have twins?". Its priceless and gives me a laugh every single time I see it. The audio track by Todd McCarthy is fairly insightful. The best stories are those about Rosalind Russell hiring an adman to write better lines for her and the producers wanting to cut Cary Grant's ad-lib "He looks like that fellow from the movies, what's-his-name, Ralph Bellamy." because it was insolent. Thank God better sense prevailed. I think that might be the first movie "in-joke" followed by Grant's "Archie Leach" gag. The documentaries are good, but don't really reveal too much. I was interested to hear that Jean Arthur was originally offered the part but turned it down. I always thought she would be perfect. Oh well, Rosalind Russell is just as good (and that's saying a lot). I don't know how many more ways I can recommend this movie. Put it in your cart!
Rating: 
Summary: D3K version stinks - do not rent or buy
Review: This is one of the most delightful and dizzy romantic comedies ever made. I've watched it on film, on tv, and on DVD. My single star rating refers to the butcher job done by D3K in their remaster. Probably the worst quality DVD I've *ever* rented. It had appalling muddy and hissy sound and looked as if it were filmed through vaseline. If you want a crisp clear DVD, stay away from the D3K version and find the Columbia Classics release.
Rating:
Summary: Witty and entertaining
Review: (Please note that the DVD version I am reviewing is the Laserlight release that features an additional documentary on the life of Cary Grant as well as an introduction by an even-more-confused-than-usual Tony Curtis.) With Laserlight you can never predict from the outside case exactly what the quality of the film itself is going to be in. I've watched good quality prints from them in the past, but I've also seen some truly awful releases that aren't worth the plastic that they're pressed on. Fortunately, their version of HIS GIRL FRIDAY is quite excellent, with a crisp picture and a clear soundtrack. Their budget releases are usually worth the risk, and in this case, you end up with a great movie that's quite well preserved and all for a fairly low price. The movie itself is simply fantastic. The dialogue comes flying at you so fast that'll be afraid to laugh for fear of speaking over the next line. The story itself is also intensely funny, and deceptively dark. What begins as a seemingly light romantic comedy slowly becomes more and more twisted until the final scene, where the reinstatement of the romance subplot reminds us of how far we've come. It's a testament to the skills of the director, Howard Hawks, that the result is not only coherent, but also highly enjoyable. The story flows effortlessly from moment to moment, with each scene being slightly more frantic than the last, yet still together enough to be extremely entertaining. The acting from the two main leads is also a delight. In the past I had thought of Cary Grant as always playing the same sort of character in every film. Although, you'll see some similarity to other roles that he played, he's incredibly amusing in this film and playing a far more manipulative character than I'd seen him perform. It's a nice change to see the usually easily befuddled Cary Grant actually running rings around the rest of the cast. As for the DVD extras, they don't distract from the feature, but they won't be the deciding factor in whether you purchase this DVD or not. The included documentary, CARY GRANT ON FILM: A BIOGRAPHY runs about 28 minutes long and consists mainly of random trailers that span Grant's entire film career. It's fairly interesting, although not terribly riveting. The introductory remarks by Tony Curtis are as bizarrely entertaining as always. The film contains Spanish, Japanese and Chinese subtitles, but does not include an option for English, which is a slightly annoying oversight. In the end, it's not the extras that you should be buying this disc for; it's the wonderful film that's packaged with them. Kick back, relax, and watch the dialog fly across the screen. You'll want to keep the remote control handy so that you can rewind to catch all the great moments that you missed while laughing over them.
Rating:
Summary: ...buy the Columbia Classics version
Review: Memorize this! Not all DVD's are equal, even if they contain the same movie. I bought the d3K version off the shelf...for a Christmas gift and was deeply mortified that the quality was horrendous, with deep lines through the movie in places, no focus (so you could not tell the expression on the actor's face!). I am appalled that any business would put out such low quality at a premium price. However, I am so relieved at the good people who review DVD's on this site for the recommendation of the Columbia Classics version, which was remastered and shows some dignity and respect towards their audience. Evidently, d3k expects to sucker-in one time only buyers, since no one in their right mind would ever buy a DVD from this outfit ever again.
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