Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Ball of Fire (1941) (2nd time)

A group of ivory-tower lexicographers realize they need to hear how real people talk, and end up helping a beautiful singer avoid police and escape from the Mob. [imdb]

Nominated for 4 Oscars:
Best Actress: Barbara Stanwyck
Best Writing, Original Story
Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture
Best Sound

I'm glad I got the chance to see this film again for the other blog, because when I first saw it many years ago (must be about 8-10 years), I gave it a lower rating. And watching it again I found it funny, because if anything the film is well written (a screenplay by none other than Billy Wilder) and I giggled a couple of times.
It has to be one of the last true screwball comedies and it mostly works: the story is silly, but the film never gets too boring and Barbara delivers quite a memorable performance in what seems to have been a great acting year of hers (with other raved performances in The Lady Eve and Meet John Doe).
My rating for the film: 8/10.

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