Screwball Comedies: A Primer

The period of time when screwball comedies reigned in Hollywood was relatively short, but a great number of classic comedies were produced. Though many films in the past seventy years have attempted to recreate the feel of a true screwball comedy, most have fallen short. So what exactly is a screwball comedy?

Here's a brief primer to the screwball comedy genre:

Screwball Comedies: Time Frame & History

The first screwball comedies ("It Happened One Night," "Twentieth Century," and to a lesser extent "The Thin Man," which has elements of a screwball comedy, even if it doesn't fit the mold exactly) were produced in 1934. Screwball comedy enjoyed immense popularity until the early 1940's. Though some more modern films bring to mind screwball comedies (and have been labeled as such), very few true screwball comedies have been made since the early part of the 1940's.

Screwball comedies came about almost as a rebellion against the strict Hays Code, which censored what could be produced on film for American audiences.

Screwball Comedies: Characteristics

Screwball comedies can be thought of as resembling farce comedies. There are normally odd or unexpected circumstances, which tend to force characters with wildly different personalities, social status, or viewpoints together. Most screwball comedies are also comedies of error, which involve ongoing mix-ups or cases of mistaken identity. The word most often used to describe screwball comedies is "madcap."

Perhaps the most notable characteristics of screwball comedies are the fast-paced dialog (which often involves characters talking over one another) and the reversal of traditional gender roles. In screwball comedies, it was often the women who moved the action forward, while the men remained in more passive roles "Bringing up Baby" is perhaps the most quintessential example of this particular element.

Screwball Comedies: Influences

The influence of screwball comedies can be seen in many films today. There are several critics who argue that the classic screwball comedies are the precursor to the modern day "romcom," or romantic comedy. There are some similarities, to be sure (the "meet-cute" was an element of many screwball comedies"), but today's romantic comedies tend to lack the active female characters and break-neck pacing of these classic comedies.

Essential Screwball Comedies

It Happened One Night (1934): Perhaps the first real screwball comedy, this Frank Capra film starred Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable. This film has nearly all the classic elements: class conflict, forced togetherness, fast-paced dialog, and a flighty female lead who propels the action of the plot.

His Girl Friday (1940): His Girl Friday stars Cary Grant (the male lead most known for screwball comedies) and Rosalind Russell as newspaper reporters. Again, the classic elements are all here.

Bringing Up Baby (1938): Another great Cary Grant comedy, this film, which also stars Katharine Hepburn (who would also costar with Grant in 1940's "The Philadelphia Story"), is perhaps the most well-known screwball comedy, and is an exemplar of the genre.

The Lady Eve (1941): "The Lady Eve" (which stars Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck) plays up the traditional sex-role reversal of this genre, and was one of the last true screwball comedies to be made.

My Man Godfrey (1936): "My Man Godfrey" is another great example of a screwball comedy that contains all the essential elements. Carole Lombard stars as an heiress and William Powell a hobo she hires as her butler.

Source:
Screwball Comedy. Green Cine.