Pop quiz.
What three movies over the years have won the top five Oscars: Best Movie, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay?
Hint: One of them was a romantic comedy, sometimes referred to (especially in this case, as a screwball comedy). Answers at bottom.
I want to talk about Romantic Comedies. They aren't usually nominated in any of those catagories. Take Sleepless In Seattle. It was nominated (did not win) for "best writing, screenplay written directly for the screen" & "best music, original song."
You've Got Mail - nada, but more about this some other time.
I've said this before (Aristotle turn over in your grave). Comedies are considered weak sisters to tragedies these days. Happily ever afters are not tragic, their life affiriming. What does that say about our society? Is the business male dominated? Is the more blood spilled the better? From one guy's prospective, it should be the other way around.
The only romantic comedy and the one of three films to win the top five Oscars: It Happened One Night, 1934, Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Frank Capra (director), Robert Riskin (Best Writing, Adaptation).
I recently revisited this great movie and loved it once again. The U.S. National Film Registry selected the film for preservation by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." You don't have to know American history to appreciate this. My wife, from the Philippines loved it (even if it was in black and white). Like our writing, black type on a white page.
Here's a famous scene from the movie:
The ladies' POV: a scene known as the Walls of Jericho from It Happened One Night
The other two movies which won Best Movie/Actor/Actress/Director/Screenplay are:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
What three movies over the years have won the top five Oscars: Best Movie, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay?
Hint: One of them was a romantic comedy, sometimes referred to (especially in this case, as a screwball comedy). Answers at bottom.
I want to talk about Romantic Comedies. They aren't usually nominated in any of those catagories. Take Sleepless In Seattle. It was nominated (did not win) for "best writing, screenplay written directly for the screen" & "best music, original song."
You've Got Mail - nada, but more about this some other time.
I've said this before (Aristotle turn over in your grave). Comedies are considered weak sisters to tragedies these days. Happily ever afters are not tragic, their life affiriming. What does that say about our society? Is the business male dominated? Is the more blood spilled the better? From one guy's prospective, it should be the other way around.
The only romantic comedy and the one of three films to win the top five Oscars: It Happened One Night, 1934, Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Frank Capra (director), Robert Riskin (Best Writing, Adaptation).
I recently revisited this great movie and loved it once again. The U.S. National Film Registry selected the film for preservation by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." You don't have to know American history to appreciate this. My wife, from the Philippines loved it (even if it was in black and white). Like our writing, black type on a white page.
Here's a famous scene from the movie:
The ladies' POV: a scene known as the Walls of Jericho from It Happened One Night
The other two movies which won Best Movie/Actor/Actress/Director/Screenplay are:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
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