His Girl Friday

Rating:
Summary: Bad transfer ruins good movie
Review: This transfer suffers from the same problems reported by other Amazon shoppers for the D3K edition of "Charade". It seems like D3K masters their discs from broadcasts by Encore or AMC. Unless you've got to have it, wait for some else to do a better job or buy the VHS.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic Screwball Comedy
Review: The wisecracks are fast and furious in this vintage comedy, which is probably the main reason that it is fun to watch over and over again. Forget the fact that it's in black and white and that it's over 50 years old. The humor and pace are better than what you see in most movies today. Grant, as a relentless newspaperman, and Russell as his divorcee looking to get out of the business, are perfectly matched, and rarely will you see the chemistry and sparks that these two produce in this movie. Watch it when the kids are in bed and with the phone off the hook. There is so much going on, that you can't afford to miss a single exchange of dialogue. One of the best comedies ever to come out of Hollywood. Grant and Russell are glamour personified--they don't make movie stars like these anymore.

Rating:
Summary: Shamefully Poor Quality Ruins Great Movie
Review: A long-time favorite movie of mine, "His Girl Friday" is overdue for a thorough restoration. With its release on DVD, I hoped I'd see Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell looking crisp and sharp and hear their crackling dialogue with new clarity. Alas! This DVD appears to be a pirated copy made from a defective video tape. I was unable to tolerate more than five minutes of the fuzzy, ghostly spectres that flickered across the screen or the hisses and burbles that issued from the apparitions in place of dialogue. I seriously question the honesty of the manufacturer. An outrage.

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Rating:
Summary: DO NOT PURCHASE THIS DVD VERSION!
Review: You get what you pay for. This recording is worse than mediocre in terms of sound and picture quality.

Rating:
Summary: Technical/quality issues
Review: I'm sure you know that this classic movie is great. The DVD itself, on the other hand, is not what I've come to expect regarding restoration and remastering and whatnot. Bottom line is, the quality was as bad as the "bargain bin" VHS tapes of old movies that I quickly learned to avoid. In particular the sound was badly degraded, with a hiss that made it difficult to understand the dialog towards the beginning (that improved somewhat, but it was still bad). That's particularly annoying because I could clean it up better than that myself, with a trivial application of "Cool Edit" shareware! Clearly, this is a direct scan of poor quality original and zero work went into presenting it. The picture, too, is full of flickering spots and the whole thing has a soft out-of-focus look to it. If you just have to have this film in your collection, be resigned to the poor quality. If you're just looking, ask yourself if it's cheap enough for the lousy job.

Rating:
Summary: ZESTY SPONTANEITY
Review: One of my very favourites. Howard Hawk's masterpiece is a culmination of the "screwball" comedy tradition of the thirties. Here, it's the dialogue rather than the plot which gives this gem its distinction. Roz Russell as Hildy turns the newsroom upside down as she throws her well-padded shoulders around. She's a fast-talking dame who's accepted by the newsmen as "one of the boys"; she's a fast talker with a quick retort for each and every wisecrack. The character of Walter Burns is made-to-order for Grant. Here, his stunts are verbal; his insults fly like daggers; the pace is somewhat frenzied, yet the film doesn't suffer from its weak thread of a plot. Time dances frantically by; the comedy is copious and varied; the gags are rapid-fire. The sarcastic banter between Hildy and Burns is the soul of the film. and it is this clever repartee that captures the audience. HIS GIRL FRIDAY is a fast, furious classic version of the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur 1928 hit play "The Front Page". This movie is a unique example of Hollywood's golden years of film-making. The dialogue is delivered at breakneck speed with overlapping and clever inside jokes throughout. Rosalind Russell is a most inspired choice for Hildy Johnson (originally the character was a man) and she makes the best of her new-found niche in films; she's irreplaceable. Cary Grant has never been better and he even got to use his real name (Archie Leach) in one of his lines. Ralph Bellamy, an actor I usually don't care much for, fits right in here and the chemistry between the three is nothing less than exciting. There are serious undertones and John Qualen gives his most famous performance; he and the hysterical Helen Mack are chilling in their portrayals. Must be seen!

Rating:
Summary: Sharp,Fast,Funny!
Review: This is without a doubt one the best screwball comedies ever made. It has great story, great acting, and careful direction. Extremely funny, a real must-see for comedy lovers.

Rating:
Summary: The best movie made about newspapers ever...
Review: This movie is the best movie in the world. I saw this movie when I was about 17, when my mom bought it for me after I fell in love with Cary Grant during a festival of his films on AMC. This movie is the reason I love journalism. I now work in the newspaper in my hometown and I love it. I feel like I am Hildy. The best thing about this movie is that because it is so fast talking and funny, it is one of those you can watch over and over because you always catch something new every time. Cary Grant is wonderful as Mr. Burns and Rosalind Russell is just incredible. I can't say enough about this movie. And take it from a newspaper person, it really is like the movie in real life. Believe me. This movie is based on a play, which is one reason why it is probably so wonderful, but Grant and Russell have a chemistry that is such a pleasure to watch it makes you glad that they put a woman in it.

Rating:
Summary: A Must See Comedy Classic
Review: If you liked Bringing Up Baby, you will love His Girl Friday. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Grant and Russell play off each other perfectly. Superb performances coupled with an excellent screenplay adaptation make for a wonderful comedy classi.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous screwball comedy!
Review: Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell are at their best in this fast-paced comedy. You'll never stop laughing!