In 1934, Hollywood was busy churning out movies that showcased glamorous aristocratic lifestyles that felt far removed from the struggles of Americans living through the Great Depression. But director Frank Capra decided to flip the script. He created a story that involves actors Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert—the protagonists whose adventures begin when a spoiled heiress meets a cynical reporter who does not care for money. These two main characters set off traveling from one night bus to another, hitchhiking, and even driving a car to escape the police and the press. As a result, this low-budget production caught Hollywood by storm and received a lot of awards for its success.
The director managed to merge the harsh realities of the Great Depression with sarcastic and witty humor in the movie. Thus, ‘It Happened One Night‘ can be seen as an embodiment of screwball comedy, which became the prototype of all such films in the future. The movie was quite successful since it won five Academy Awards and showed that audiences need realistic romantic stories with elements of sarcasm and cynicism. In general, ‘It Happened One Night’ changed the course of the romantic comedy genre forever and made it possible to develop new trends.
The Great Depression’s Influence Inside It Happened One Night
When ‘It Happened One Night’ hit the big screens, millions of American people found themselves in a desperate position, struggling with unemployment and poverty.
Most people were frustrated with their situation as well as disappointed in the society that failed them. This atmosphere explains why most Hollywood productions were trying to divert viewers from harsh reality, offering them escapist stories based on fantasy and imagination.
But it seems that Frank Capra understood that viewers needed something else—a combination of reality and hope.
Related: 10 Romance Movies With Weird but Brilliant Concepts
Thus, the film features a backdrop typical of the Depression era. On the one hand, it focuses on hard realities that involve crowded buses, cheap motels, poor people, and their everyday life problems, and on the other hand, the romance of the two main characters appears to be a source of great pleasure and hope in a time of despair.
In general, viewers loved this movie because it was very honest and did not try to hide harsh realities from its audience.
The Unexpected Hit That Transformed Hollywood Romance
Initially, the production team did not consider this film something special. For instance, Clark Gable only agreed to play the role because Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had loaned him out to Columbia Pictures, a minor studio at the time, after the actor clashed with MGM executives.
According to reports, actress Claudette Colbert also had little confidence in the project’s success and complained about the work throughout the entire shooting process. Nevertheless, this unlikely movie became a definitive turning point in Hollywood history.
In Case You Missed It: Top 10 Love-At-First-Sight Romance Movies
First of all, it showed that romance did not always require melodrama and exaggerated passion; instead, it included arguments, sarcastic phrases, and emotional honesty that touched the hearts of the viewers.
The director used the technique of verbal irony successfully, so that it became clear that Peter and Ellie really fell in love. Such a unique approach to romantic plots resulted in the creation of the screwball comedy genre.
Later, Hollywood started to produce similar films featuring witty conversations between lovers.
Furthermore, ‘It Happened One Night‘ became the first movie ever to get five major Oscars—the Golden Statuettes for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay.
Consequently, comedies stopped being considered less important than dramas and were regarded as equally important. After seeing the film, Hollywood movie producers realized the power of witty and sarcastic romance, and they tried to recreate it.
Have you watched ‘It Happened One Night’? Let us know in the comments section below.
You Might Also Like To Read: Top 20 Feel-Good Summer Romance Movies To Beat The Heat
