Cary and Irene (THE AWFUL TRUTH)

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Cary Grant - The King of Screwball Comedies

My favorite actor of all time is Cary Grant and I think he is the best representation of screwball comedies. Now, he did have range as he ended up playing everything from cat burglars to french officers to wronged men. But his strength was screwball comedies. Just look at the list of comedies that he starred in: Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, Arsenic & Old Lace, The Awful Truth, My Favorite Wife, Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, The Bachelor & The Bobby-Soxer, Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House, Monkey Business, I Was A Male War Bride, and the list goes on and on. His debonair appearance gave the viewers a sense of disbelief. Could this suave guy really be that funny? Why, yes....yes he can. His performances are legendary and a part of classic cinema. And he usually upped his co-stars game to their A level. Great stars like Irene Dunne, Katherine Hepburn, Rosalind Russell, Myrna Loy and Ann Sheridan to name just a few. The first classic movie I ever saw was His Girl Friday when I was about 12 and I was struck on them after that. And immediately began following Cary's career and every time I saw another Grant film, I was always entertained. But I truly believe he was the king of screwball comedies. I'm not knocking the other veterans of this classic genre, but for me it's Cary Grant all the way.

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