Hawks' "Friday" Hits Screwball Homerun

Films after the Great Depression saw a number of changes both technologically and aesthetically.  By this time sound and the 'talkie' had completely eliminated the silent film era.  The advancement in audio recording paved the way for a different kind of actor, screenwriter and director. These new era contributors forged new approaches to the craft of filmaking which were not possible prior to the invention of sound.

Scripts and screenwriting became much more important along with the dialogue that was written.  The actors performance switched focus from physical gags and facial expressions to strong delivery of the written words with interpretation playing a greater role in how the film is received by the audience.  These developments in sound paved the way for a new style of scripting now known as 'Screwball'.

Notable for its overlapping, fast-paced, sequencing and quick witted repartee- Screwball comedies became very popular during the mid 30's and often incorporated larger social issues within the comedic story lines. Directors of this genre such as Cupra and Cukor drafted the format that Howard Hawks would seemingly perfect in his 1940 classic His Girl Friday.

The basic premise behind His Girl Friday was love; in that the main charecter played by Cary Grant attempts to derail a former lovers plans to settle down and marry.  His opposite played by Rosalind Russell is determined to leave the fast paced life of news reporting in order to marry her current boyfriend who lives an unextraordinary life in the suburbs of upstate New York.  Grant entices her to get one more scoop that leads them through a series of comical situations.

The dynamic between the actors is tense at times but the dialogue leaves the impression that there is still some degree of attraction between them.  The overlap was purposefully used as a technique to mimick the natural rhythm and pace at which normal conversation takes place.  Hawks noted that often people speak over on another during conversation and he took great pains to recreate that condition.

The drawback to this "overlap" style of scripting was limited by the technology.  Because microphone techniques were not mobile and most of the action needed to be stationed around the mic is caused stale moments in the pace.  The quality of the audio was also an issue since there was very little ability to separate the sound the dialogue has confusing moments that are unclear.  Though the ambitiousness of Hawks reigns, it is still a difficult task to handle.

Overall, His Girl Friday was a fun movie.  The pace was quick and the material was light and witty.  Hawks insistence to keep the flow of the dialogue natural was noted and his use of improvisation enriched the performances. The pinnacle that Hawks achieved during this film became the template for many modern directors like Woody Allen and for many projects like Moonlighting and Married with Children.

source-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Girl_Friday