Tag Archives: screwball comedy

2024 Year in Review

Here’s a roundup of most of the things I’ve written this year: here on my site, for Rogerebert.com, for my newsletter, and for my new column at Liberties Journal. Every year it’s the same thing. I spend so much time … Continue reading

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“I never made a message picture, and I hope I never do.” — Howard Hawks

It’s his birthday today. My favorite director. I’ve written so much about his movies, here and elsewhere, it’d be too much to link to all of it. I’ve seen it all. Only Angels Have Wings is my favorite movie ever … Continue reading

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For Liberties: on Carole Lombard

My second article for my Liberties column is now live: Lombard: Queen of Screwball. The column has a Lombard-inspired name and logo – Movies Before Breakfast – which we chose before I even knew I’d write about her. And the … Continue reading

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March 2024 Viewing Diary

Conspiracy (2001; d. Frank Pierson) I went down a little Wannsee Conference rabbit hole so figured I’d re-watch this chilling nasty little movie. Lured (1947; d. Douglas Sirk) I had never seen this. I love discovering new Douglas Sirks! This … Continue reading

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“Personally, I resent being tagged ‘glamour girl’. It’s such an absurd, extravagant label. It implies so much that I’m not.” — Carole Lombard

It’s her birthday today! Carole Lombard played ditzy and impulsive, but she didn’t play dumb. One of her greatest gifts as a comedienne is her craftiness, how well she creates cunning and sometimes selfish women, women who are heedless, sometimes … Continue reading

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December 2022 Viewing Diary

The Whale (2022; d. Darren Aronofsky) I thought it was appalling, and not for the obvious reasons. His body is viewed as literally a movie monster, with all these horror-movie shots of his gigantic ankles, etc.) It felt tired and … Continue reading

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Falling in love in itty-bitty cars

Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche, Midnight (1939; d. Mitchell Leisen) Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicki Krieps, Phantom Thread (2017; d. Paul Thomas Anderson)

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August 2022 Viewing Diary

It took me a while to get this up. Shit’s BUSY. Here’s what I watched and saw in August. What Josiah Saw (2022; d. Vincent Grashaw) Pretty grim watch. I reviewed for Ebert. Married at First Sight, Seasons 10 and … Continue reading

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Ringing in the new year like …

… Phyllis Brooks in Shanghai Express. It’s such a great character because Shanghai Express is a super weird very dark noir … but SHE thinks she’s in a screwball comedy. … Which is a pretty healthy attitude, if you think … Continue reading

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October 2021 Viewing Diary

I really didn’t watch all that much, numerically, during October, for various reasons. 1. I was on the move. I think I spent, all told, about 7 days at home over the course of the month. Including one unexpected stay … Continue reading

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