What makes this something special is the Technicolor. To see a 1930s film, 1930s actors and 1930s New York in proper colour is fantastic. The film is pretty good too.
Being the first three-strip Technicolor comedy makes it stand out from the crowd and like say 1928's BROADWAY MELODY, the first proper sound picture, this film attracts a greater amount of criticism than it would have done were it made in black and white. In some ways, because it now looks like a modern film, its judged against modern standards but it's not, it's a 1930s film, in fact a very typical 1930s film - and made just a decade after they figured out how to make pictures talk. This has got all the classic must-haves of an 1930s talking picture: a sassy and sexy dame, a fast talking smart guy hero, a pompous sap of a boss along with some vicious, dark almost pre-code humour (in fact this does have a pre-code feel about it). If you like the films from the 1930s, for example TOPPER which was made this same year, you will like this one - it's got a similar kind of gentle humour. With a script from Ben Hecht, you know you're going to be entertained, and you're not disappointed with this.
Because this is relatively well-known, a lot of people have spent too much time over-thinking what it all means. Personally I just thought it was a funny comedy with three fabulous and thoroughly engaging actors: March, Lombard and Connolly but if I wanted to be critical I can see why some people think that Ben Hecht could have done a bit better. One issue is: if Hecht is highlighting the hypocrisy of his old profession, the newspaper business, why does the theme of this seem to suggest that deception in some cases is a good thing? Maybe there are layers of irony hidden behind those newspaper sheets of cynicism or maybe it's just what made Mr Hecht laugh when he was writing it? There's far too much selfishness, emotion, deception, regret and ambition going on in this to figure it all out and what would be the point anyway - the characters are believable enough for you to like them and it's funny - that's all that matters. If you do want something much more biting and judgmental about newspaper men there's the very non-funny but jaw-droppingly emotive FIVE STAR FINAL from 1931 with Edward G Robinson. Watch that and you'll be campaigning to have all journalists sent down the river immediately. Watch this however and you'll be smiling.
Being the first three-strip Technicolor comedy makes it stand out from the crowd and like say 1928's BROADWAY MELODY, the first proper sound picture, this film attracts a greater amount of criticism than it would have done were it made in black and white. In some ways, because it now looks like a modern film, its judged against modern standards but it's not, it's a 1930s film, in fact a very typical 1930s film - and made just a decade after they figured out how to make pictures talk. This has got all the classic must-haves of an 1930s talking picture: a sassy and sexy dame, a fast talking smart guy hero, a pompous sap of a boss along with some vicious, dark almost pre-code humour (in fact this does have a pre-code feel about it). If you like the films from the 1930s, for example TOPPER which was made this same year, you will like this one - it's got a similar kind of gentle humour. With a script from Ben Hecht, you know you're going to be entertained, and you're not disappointed with this.
Because this is relatively well-known, a lot of people have spent too much time over-thinking what it all means. Personally I just thought it was a funny comedy with three fabulous and thoroughly engaging actors: March, Lombard and Connolly but if I wanted to be critical I can see why some people think that Ben Hecht could have done a bit better. One issue is: if Hecht is highlighting the hypocrisy of his old profession, the newspaper business, why does the theme of this seem to suggest that deception in some cases is a good thing? Maybe there are layers of irony hidden behind those newspaper sheets of cynicism or maybe it's just what made Mr Hecht laugh when he was writing it? There's far too much selfishness, emotion, deception, regret and ambition going on in this to figure it all out and what would be the point anyway - the characters are believable enough for you to like them and it's funny - that's all that matters. If you do want something much more biting and judgmental about newspaper men there's the very non-funny but jaw-droppingly emotive FIVE STAR FINAL from 1931 with Edward G Robinson. Watch that and you'll be campaigning to have all journalists sent down the river immediately. Watch this however and you'll be smiling.