When Bringing Up Baby premiered in 1938, the film seemed to break all the rules. It combined Katherine Hepburn, who had never done an out and out comedy before, with Cary Grant, who was known for his debonair leading man roles. But director Howard Hawks struck casting gold in Hepburn and Grant, and set out to make Bringing Up Baby the screwiest comedy ever. The stars barely had time to catch their breath as they raced from wild situation to another.
When production was finished, RKO felt the film was too frenetic for audiences. In fact, the studio considered shelving it altogether. When RKO finally released Bringing Up Baby into theaters, the film lost over $300,000. Hawks was fired from his next scheduled film, Gunga Din and Hepburn bought out her RKO contract and returned to Broadway.
However, with the coming of television in the 1960's and VCR in the 1980's, Bringing Up Baby finally found its audience. The film quickly won a reputation as one of the funniest movies ever made and became known as the quintessential screwball comedy. In 1990, Bringing Up Baby was selected for the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as one of the most important films in American cinema history.
I could never understand what was so great about this film. I think that the acting is poor and the storyline is quite weak, if not believable. What is the big deal with this film? Maybe I just need to see it more...or maybe I've seen it enough. Who knows?
My rating: 1 and a half stars
When production was finished, RKO felt the film was too frenetic for audiences. In fact, the studio considered shelving it altogether. When RKO finally released Bringing Up Baby into theaters, the film lost over $300,000. Hawks was fired from his next scheduled film, Gunga Din and Hepburn bought out her RKO contract and returned to Broadway.
However, with the coming of television in the 1960's and VCR in the 1980's, Bringing Up Baby finally found its audience. The film quickly won a reputation as one of the funniest movies ever made and became known as the quintessential screwball comedy. In 1990, Bringing Up Baby was selected for the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as one of the most important films in American cinema history.
I could never understand what was so great about this film. I think that the acting is poor and the storyline is quite weak, if not believable. What is the big deal with this film? Maybe I just need to see it more...or maybe I've seen it enough. Who knows?
My rating: 1 and a half stars
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