Screwball Film Tourney Day 2 Update

A lot of the matches which were blow-outs haven't changed much as the leaders have increased their lead to even bigger amounts. But there are some matches that are back and forth that will probably go down to the wire on Friday. Ball of Fire leads Sullivan's Travels 19-17 and it has been a back and forth match since day one. I don't know how it will turn out. An even closer match is taking place between The Palm Beach Story and Libeled Lady. Currently Beach leads by the score of 15-14. Can't get much closer than that. And there is one match which started out as a massacre has suddenly became more interesting. Case in point, one of the top 4 seeds, Trouble in Paradise was getting trounced by My Favorite Wife after day one to the tune of 14-2. The score now is 18-11, still in Wife's favor but Paradise has made it a match now. Another interesting match is going on between The Lady Eve and Ninotchka with Eve up 17-12. Very close. Here are the complete scores of all the matches through day 2:

The women of Trouble in Paradise made a big move

on day 2 to make it a match with My Favorite Wife

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT 31
THE MORE THE MERRIER 7

MERRILY WE LIVE 20
THE GILDED LILY 6

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 23
TWENTIETH CENTURY 14

HIS GIRL FRIDAY 33
THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR 7

MY MAN GODFREY 29
EASY LIVING 7

THE AWFUL TRUTH 23
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 14

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU 21
BLUEBEARD'S EIGHT WIFE 11

BALL OF FIRE 19
SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 17

MY FAVORITE WIFE 18
TROUBLE IN PARADISE 11

THE LADY EVE 17
NINOTCHKA 12

THE PALM BEACH STORY 15
LIBELED LADY 14

THE THIN MAN 21
HOLIDAY 6

BRINGING UP BABY 24
BOMBSHELL 4

MIDNIGHT 20
THE GOOD FAIRY 7

TO BE OR NOT TO BE 22
THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES 4

THEODORA GOES WILD 17
TOPPER 9

And we're off and running...

The favorite screwball film tourney is underway. I got the matches up and running here and over at my other blog, All Good Things. Here's the link to make things convenient:  poohtiger-allgoodthings.blogspot.com

Matches will run through Friday evening. One vote per match per person. This should be fun.

You see if we win, we will be praised as the favorite

screwball film ever. Understand comrade?

By the numbers...

In preparation of the upcoming screwball comedy tourney, I thought I would share some stats about some of the stars and directors competing.

Cary has the most films in competition by far...

Most films by an actor competing in tourney: Cary Grant (8) - Bringing Up Baby, Topper, The Philadelphia Story, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Awful Truth, My Favorite Wife, His Girl Friday and Holiday.

Stick with me Coop and I'll teach you everything about

screwball comedies....

Most films by an actress: Claudette Colbert (5) - It Happened One Night, The Gilded Lily, Midnight, Bluebeard's Eighth Wife, and The Palm Beach Story.

Mr. Lubitsch with his customary cigar....

Most films by a director: Ernst Lubitsch (4) - Ninotchka, Trouble in Paradise, Bluebeard's Eighth Wife, and To Be Or Not To Be.

Kate and Cary..what a pair

Most films by a pair: Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn (3) - Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, and Holiday.

Side note:

I could have easily expanded this tourney to 64 films but I knew I would not have sufficient time what with the holidays and work. So a lot of notable films did not make the cut: such as Nothing Sacred, Vivacious Lady, No Time For Comedy and Design For Living among others. Maybe for my next tourney, I will make it much more bigger to include a lot more films. Anyway, the fun begins in two more days.

Brackets for Favorite Screwball Comedy Film Tourney

I have made the selections for the 32 films that will be competing in my Favorite Screwball Tourney. I have four brackets which I have named in honor of four of the most honored directors of the genre: Preston Sturges, Frank Capra, Ernst Lubitsch, and Howard Hawks. Two of the brackets action will take place here on Screwball Cinema while the other two will take place on my other blog, All Good Things. I already had posted about what films would be the top four seeds in each respective bracket, so now comes the other 28 films. And I used my cards in a basket trick to pull out titles randomly to see where each film would land, bracket wise. And looking at some of the matches, we will have some barn burners.The Sturges and Lubitsch brackets will be held here while All Good Things will host Capra and Hawks. So here are the match-ups which are scheduled to begin Sunday.

PRESTON STURGES BRACKET

1 BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

VS

8 BOMBSHELL (1933)

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4 MIDNIGHT (1939)

VS

5 THE GOOD FAIRY (1935)

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2 TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942)

VS

7 THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (1941)

--------------------------------------------------------

3 THEODORA GOES WILD (1936)

VS

6 TOPPER (1937)

-----------------------------------------------------------

ERNST LUBITSCH BRACKET

1 TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932)

VS

8 MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940)

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4 THE LADY EVE (1941)

VS

5 NINOTCHKA (1939)

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3 LIBELED LADY (1936)

VS

6 THE PALM BEACH STORY (1942)

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2 THE THIN MAN (1934)

VS

7 HOLIDAY (1938)

The Favorite Screwball Comedy Tourney Top 4 Seeds

I am still working on the details of Screwball Cinema's favorite screwball comedy tourney, whittling down the list of films to 32 that will be competing. But I have figured out the top four films of each respective bracket and wanted to share that with everyone now. I will have four brackets with 8 films in each one and I named the brackets after a famous writer/director of screwball comedies. They are Ernst Lubitsch, Preston Sturges, Frank Capra and Howard Hawks. Here are the four films that will be the top four seeds in the tourney:

BRINGING UP BABY (1938) - You can't think screwball comedies and not think of Baby. It's just not possible.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) - The biggest Oscar winning screwball film of all time..nabbing 5 Oscars. So it brings some prestige to this event.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932) - One of the earliest of the screwball comedies and it deserves it's top ranking.

MY MAN GODREY (1936) - Kind of a template for all those society type screwball films that was all the rage during this time period.

The one thing I noticed that the films are separated by two years. Which I thought was kind of cool. I will post the total list of films by the end of the week and kick off the tourney on Sunday, December 2nd. It will be a fun way to spend the holidays with the best screwball comedies of all time.

The Favorite Screwball Comedy Tourney begins next month

Odds are good that perennial screwball star Cary Grant

will have a few films competing....

I have been back and forth about whether to do a tourney to decide the favorite screwball comedy here on Screwball Cinema. I finally decided to do one and what better time than during this holiday season. I am still working on the particulars, as it looks like it will involved the top 32 screwball comedies of all time. I have done some research to select those 32 based on recognition, popularity, awards won, etc. I will focus on the peak period of screwball comedies, which ran from the mid 30's to the early 40's. So this tourney will be very specific. So if the film is not regarded as a true screwball comedy, say for instance, Some Like It Hot or  Pillow Talk, they won't be in the mix. Maybe next year I can hold a tourney focusing on all classic comedies. But for now this is it. I will hold the tourney here and it's sister blog, All Good Things. Two brackets here and two brackets over there. I will be posting the list of films that made the cut within a few days. This sure be so much fun.

HOT IN CLEVELAND is one funny show!

I've been watching Hot In Cleveland ever since it's debut back in 2010 on TV Land network. The series wraps up it's third season tonight and has just been renewed for a 4th one. And I have to say it is one of my favorite shows. Nothing like seeing veteran sitcom stars like Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White work their magic. I know some may write this off as a throw-away series, but I happen to find it very funny. The general plot started back in 2010 when three girlfriends from LA take a plane trip to Paris and wind up in Cleveland due to an emergency landing. Melanie, the writer (Bertinelli); soap diva Victoria Chase (Malick) and make-up artist Joy (Leeves) make a decision to abandon the fast paced life of California where they each have some issues to make a new start in Cleveland. They end up buying a home there, which comes with a caretaker named Elka (our girl Betty White). And it's hate at first sight as Elka wisecracks on the three women constantly, especially Joy. But over time the four women bond and became good friends.

Ever the star, Victoria Chase turns on the charm at a super-market...

 

The chemistry between the four women is terrific. I especially like Leeve's character of Joy, who British accent always get ridiculed but she really has the strongest back story of all the women. What with being left at the altar, giving up her long lost son, green card troubles, and so on. Malick's Victoria Chase is a hoot and a half. As the one time soap queen who finds trying to get steady work very difficult. And it's great when her much talked about nemesis Susan Lucci pops up from time to time to cause her trouble. Bertinelli as Melanie sometimes gets overshadowed by these two and by White but her presence is always comforting and she gets in some good zingers every now and then. Of course Betty White gets the majority of the funny one liners and at age 90, proves she still has it.

The girls just hanging out on their front porch...

If you have never seen Hot In Cleveland, check it out. I love it. And guest stars galore have paraded through on the series so far. Such as John Mahoney (Frasier), Rhea Perlman (Cheers), John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard, Smallville), Wayne Knight (Seinfeld), Tim Conway (The Carol Burnett Show) and tons more.

Here's a little taste of some funny bits...

Who wants a screwball comedy tournament?

Perennial favorite Bringing Up Baby is sure to be one of the top seeds...

So everyone knows my love of tournaments. My favorite classic movie actress tourney just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Well I've been thinking of doing one for screwball comedies, which is my favorite genre. So I'm writing this post to see if the reaction warrants one. I have no problem doing one and since I have been slack here on this blog, I figure a tourney would fire things up. If I decide to do one, it probably won't be until the fall when things start to slow down. Unlike the actress tourney, this one will take place solely on here. And will either encompass 32 or 64 films. Need to do research to see how many films we're looking at. I do know that since screwball comedies were at their most prolific during the 30's and petered out in the mid-40's, I won't follow the format of four decades. Most likely I will still have four brackets just not relegated to a time period. So I will start mulling over the films and all, but any feedback will be most appreciated. Thanks everyone!

Together Again wins favorite Irene Dunne comedy film in recent poll

It was close but Together Again won favorite Irene Dunne comedy in last month's poll with 15 votes. Edging out perennial favorite The Awful Truth by 2 votes. Together Again is the comedy that paired Irene with Charles Boyer and co-starred Charles Coburn, Mona Freeman and Adele Jergens. It's one of the few Irene films I have yet to see, but obviously it is fondly remembered. My fave Irene film, My favorite Wife logged 9 votes. Surprisingly Theodora Goes Wild only got 2 votes. Joy Of Living received 1 vote and Lady In A Jam received none. Thanks to everyone that stopped by and voted. I know Irene appreciates it.

Jean Arthur and Ray Milland say Good Morning while having a little snack...

Jean and Ray let everyone know to have something to eat this morning before starting your day...

New poll..Favorite Irene Dunne screwball comedy

In honor of Irene Dunne being the star of the month, I thought a poll would be a good thing to do. The question I pose is...which screwball film of Irene do you like the most? The choices are Theodora Goes Wild, My Favorite Wife, The Awful Truth, Joy Of Living, Together Again and Lady In a Jam. I know she did more comedies but these are her most well known. The poll will be up through the end of the month.

Hail The Conquering Hero is another winner from Preston Sturges

My favorite Preston Sturges of all time is The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek. I have seen it like 20 times. Well last night I watched his other masterpiece from that same year of 1944, Hail The Conquering Hero, for the first time. And it's just as great. Close to matching Morgan's Creek. All so close. It helps that Sturges brought a lot of the same actors from Morgan to Hero. Such as Eddie Bracken, William Demarest and Franklin Pangborn.

Woodrow doesn't know if he can go through with

the charade now as he arrives in his hometown

Bracken stars as Woodrow Truesmith, as a likable fellow who was discharged from the Marines due to chronic hay fever. He struggles on returning to home because he thinks he is a failure. Well while drowning his sorrows at a bar, he meets up with six Marines, led by Sgt. Heppelfinger (the always dependable William Demarest). After hearing of his story they convinced Woodrow to return home as a Marine with stories of heroic battles and such.

Woodrow getting in deep...

The trouble is once the town hears that he is coming home, they stage a big production with a big homecoming rally and parade. And he also gets to see his one true love Libby (the underrated Ella Raines), who is now engaged to the mayor's son. Woodrow had wrote her letters telling her to move on and not wait for him. But once seeing him, Libby falls in love all over again.

Woodrow getting a nice welcome from his girl Libby on his return home

And the townsfolk rally behind Woodrow, electing him to run for mayor. So things snowball really fast and the situations Woodrow get in are truly hilarious.The dialogue is crisp and fast. Reminds me of His Girl Friday quite a lot. The setting of the small town looks great and the whole cast just sparkles. Bracken is fall down funny and even touching towards the end when the truth finally comes out. Demarest is in his usual great form. And Ella Rains is very good as Libby. She says what's her on mind without hesitation. It shocked me when she said ass a few times in the context of the way she said it. And she wears some of the best dresses of this time period of any film I have seen.

Libby in her cute dress, with Woodrow in a quiet moment

Hail The Conquering Hero is close to being a masterpiece. I loved it immediately from the opening credits.
B+

The beautiful Libby

Here are some choice quotes from this hilarious film:

Sgt. Heppelfinger: These flapjacks might taste better with a little butter on 'em Mrs. T.

         Mrs. Truesmith: Maybe you haven't heard Sgt. but there's a war on.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sgt. Heppelfinger: I tell you it'll all blow over. Everything is perfect - except for a couple of details.


Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith: They hang people for a couple of details!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Libby's Aunt: [comforting Libby, who's crying about Woodrow's return] Well, that's the war for you. It's always hard on women. Either they take your men away and never send them back at all; or they send them back unexpectedly just to embarrass you. No consideration at all.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Libby: [mad at Mayor Noble for criticizing Woodrow] That ass of a father of yours! Going around talking about people he doesn't know anything about.


Forrest Noble: You're still talking about your children's grandfather.


Libby: What are you trying to do? Depress me? If I thought they'd look anything like him...


Forrest Noble: Well, I don't look anything like him.


Libby: I've noticed that. I've pinned my hopes on it

Star of the month: IRENE DUNNE

Irene Dunne has been a frequent topic of conversation on my blogs. She had one heck of a year in 2011 on my other blog, All Good Things. First she won the Favorite Classic Actress tournament, beating the likes of Carole Lombard, Barbara Stanwyck, Grace Kelly and Vivien Leigh. Then she was the top ranked star for the year as well. Ahead of Cary Grant even. Wow! Impressive indeed! And now she is Screwball Cinema's first star of the month. I will share all my thoughts on why Irene is my 2nd most favorite actress ever. She sits right behind my girl Carole. You know Irene seems to be getting the best of Carole lately. After defeating her in the tourney last year, she also beat Carole in a poll I did her on Screwball Cinema asking for the favorite screwball comedy queen. Yep, Irene won that too. So please stop by to check out all what I will be doing for the amazing Ms. Dunne!

Man's Favorite Sport (1964) is an entertaining comedy

Directed by ace Howard Hawks, Man's Favorite Sport is a wonderful comedy that uses Bringing Up Baby as a template and then manages to create it's own cool story. Rock Hudson is in great form as Roger Willoughby, who has written books on how to be a great fisherman. And he works in the sporting department of Abercrombie and Finch. Trouble is Roger has never fished a day in his life. Which is not really a problem until one Abby Page (a game Paula Prentiss) enters him into a fishing contest. Along with her sidekick Easy (wonderfully played by Maria Perschy) they now have to teach Roger how to fish in 3 days.

Roger meets Abby

The dialogue between these three characters are fast and loose. And very entertaining. Hudson is hilarious as he gets the majority of the laughs. Closely resembling Cary Grant's character of David from Bringing Up Baby, Rock manages to make Roger just as fun to watch. Paula Prentiss is ok as Abby. Sometimes she gets annoying. A few times though she gets off a few good zingers. Particulary when she tries to mimic Roger's girlfriend Tex (Charlene Holt). She nails it then. I actually liked Perschy more as Easy, her sidekick. Who keeps getting into compromising situations with Roger involving zippers. They pull off the classic double walk that Cary and Kate did in Baby when Kate's dressed got ripped and Cary had to walk step by step with her. Well Rock and Maria do the same thing and it's just a good the original version.

Having a good laugh at their current situation

There is also the very cool music score by Henry Mancini which is jazzy and upbeat. Throw in some wonderful supporting characters like Roscoe Karns and Regis Toomey, and you have a pretty good comedy. And the opening credit scenes are pretty amazing too. Definitely pleasing to the male eye.

One of the aforementioned zipper scenes between Roger and Easy,

as Tex walks in

I have to give thanks to my great friend Irene Palfy for stoking my interest in this film as she told me all about it. Thanks Irene.

Roger showing off his newly acquired fishing skills

And to those who have never seen it, please watch it. It makes for a wonderful two hours.
B

Screwball Cinema welcomes Irina Garbo

February marks the first time I will have a guest here on Screwball Cinema. I usually have guests all the time on my other blog, All Good Things and still do. But I wanted to start having guests here as well. Guests that will focus mainly on their love of screwball films and stars. Up first will be Irina Garbo, a friend who I met on Facebook. She has been a great friend and I invited her to be my first guest since our shared friends of Renata, Desiree and Janine had already done so on All Good Things. So she quickly accepted and the rest is history. Some of the questions I will ask Irina will be similar to the ones I asked on AGT, but some will be modified to fit here on screwball cinema. So everyone please do stop by from time to time to meet the wonderful Irina Garbo.

Irina

Screwball Stars are just like us...

Here are some photos showing stars of screwball comedies doing regular folk stuff...just like us

WASHING DISHES

KNITTING

TRYING ON SHOES

EATING BREAKFAST

LISTENING TO RECORDS

TAKING PICTURES

READING MAPS

TRAVELING BY TRAIN

WALKING THE DOG

AND A LITTLE TARGET PRACTICE