There's fewer better scripts than this. The delivery by Cary Grant - for my money the most charismatic actor of all time - and Rosalind Russell is just fantastic.

It'll take your brain a little moment to tune in as the delivery is so rapid. (Did they speed up the projection as it doesn't feel humanly possible to deliver at that rate for a sustained period...?)

I've never seen 'The Front Page' from which this is derived. I've not seen the clones that followed this either. But I'm willing to say that the only thing wrong with 'His Girl Friday' is the title.

The character of Hildy is (for 98% of the film) the smartest person in the room, and Walter is (for 98% of the time) the second smartest person in the room. Everyone else is a distant third.

The bouncing back and forth between the two of them is an hilarious and captivating escapade. That Cary Grant can disappear for a third of the movie and not be missed just shows the investment and aptitude of Rosalind as an actress.

The film 'The Holiday' beautifully mentions the portrayal of "gumption" in a female lead. The character of Hildy is the personification of it. Outside of Katharine Hepburn, I can think of few competitors. Just wonderful.

The 2% deductions... Well, there's a little back-peddling at the close of the film where Cary Grant has to "win". The complete control that Hildy has is revoked for a closing sequence and it's sad to see that - for all the brilliantly portrayed alpha female strengths - a man just had to come out smelling the roses...

They don't make them like this anymore and they bloody well should. What a fantastic film - I had a smile on my face for 90 minutes. I'd watch this 3 times rather than another Avengers smashathon.


9/10 (Have the balls to follow through and let the woman suceed!)