Another one of director Frank Capra’s classics. This one stars the great Clark Gable opposite Claudette Colbert. Although neither of them might be considered superstars, this film was revolutionary as one of the earliest romantic comedies, setting the formula for all future romantic comedies in Hollywood, Bollywood, and beyond. Despite being filmed 90 years ago, “It Happened…” absolutely stands the test of time. Gable plays a renegade journalist, Peter, and Colbert plays Ellie, a runaway heiress to a wealthy father. Against her father’s wishes, she runs away to elope with some pilot she thought she loved. Peter and Ellie meet as strangers on a bus to New York. Ellie’s father sends detectives on her trail and a $10,000 reward ($233,000 today) for anyone with information about her. Issues along the way, such as a flooded bridge and the bus breaking down, cause them to share a hotel room and hitchhike. Both despised each other for different reasons - he saw her as a cowering, spoiled brat, and she saw him as an obnoxious, egoistic jerk. They soon realize in their conversations they have shared dreams of life. Through the journey, they mature by being around one another and fall in love. The chemistry is apparent between the two leads. Charming, charming, charming through and through.

The technicals are on point. Acting, directing, cinematography, editing, pacing, and timing on witty quips are sensational. At the 7th Oscar in 1935, “It Happened...” became the first of only three films in history to do a clean sweep - winning every major category. Best picture, best actor, best actress, best director, and best screenplay. No film replicated that until 1976 with “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and 1992 with “The Silence of the Lambs.” Gable gave away the Oscar he won for this film (the only one he ever won) to a kid he met. The kid returned the Oscar years later after Gable died young in 1960 (another actor to die in his prime).

Some other tidbits. During the 1930s and 40s, actors were known for doing multiple films in a single year. Studios had high demands, and the pay was much lower. For instance, Gable did 40 films across the 1930s, and Colbert did 36. That’s about 4 movies per year (some years, 5-6 films in a single year). No other actor does that today. Studios also employed actors with exclusive rights - MGM employed Gable. For his scandalous affair with another MGM actress, Gable was loaned to Columbia Studio to do this film as punishment. The legendary Bugs Bunny was inspired by Gable in this film. One comedic scene has Gable removing his shirt. Undershirts dropped in popularity among men when they saw Gable didn’t wear one.

Would I recommend this? I believe this is a must-watch movie before you die. I rarely watch romantic comedies, but I pleasantly enjoyed it. It’s hard to not like. Like most old movies, the ending felt a bit rushed. Overall, the film is everlasting and a joy to watch.

8.5/10

Claudette Colbert is great as the independently-minded heiress "Ellie" who jumps from her father's yacht and finds herself, nigh-on penniless, on a bus to New York. Also angling for that last seat on the bus is the roguish "Warne" (Clark Gable) - a journalist with a nose for a good story. Determined to track her down, her father uses his media empire and soon her photo is all over the press. This doesn't go unnoticed by the shrewd "Warne", who soon reckons her story is worth a load of cash to his editor. What neither reckon on though, is that their initial hostility/indifference to each other gradually morphs into something - well, yes, you can guess that bit. Indeed, the story itself has a degree of predictability to it - but that doesn't matter here. This is a quickly paced, well written comedy drama that utilises the intimacy of the bus (or the motels) to provide an excellent vehicle for two actors who just exude a joyous chemistry - never a romantic, or sentimental one - as they try to stay one step ahead of the blokes sent by her father to return her to safety and to her affianced "King Wesley" (Jameson Thomas) who is the latest cause of the familial discord (her father loathes this opportunist fellow). Tables are turned and turned again as each try to outmanoeuvre the other - with Walter Connolly turning in quite an engaging performance as the dad who also knows there is more than one way to skin a cat. This might be my favourite Gable outing - he had a lovely smile and glint in his eye for comedy parts when he was enjoying himself and Colbert is also at the top of her game for a thoroughly enjoyable and spirited look at human nature and bloody-mindedness.

Made nearly 90 years ago and still fun to watch. Sarcastic, witty, and entertaining. "Mind if I tried? ... You? Don't make me laugh."