NOTE: This 4K release is currently only available as part of Sony’s Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 4. Since each film comes packaged in its own 4K keepcase, we will first review each film separately, followed by an overall review of the collection and its deluxe packaging.
The 1940 screwball comedy His Girl Friday was directed by Howard Hawks, and is based on the hit Broadway play “The Front Page” by Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur.
Walter Burns (Cary Grant) is the charming, fast-talking editor of the Morning Post who will do and say anything to get a story. His desire to always put the headline first is what ultimately led to the demise of his marriage to his ace reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), missing their honeymoon to cover a story about a cave-in. Hildy has just returned to New York City with some news for Walter. She has met insurance salesman Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy), and the two are engaged. She is quitting the newspaper business and will be heading out on a train to Albany in the evening to get married. Walter never stopped loving Hildy, and can’t believe someone like her could ever give up the thrill of chasing headlines to be a housewife. He is determined to get her back (both as a reporter and as his wife), and so he insists on meeting her future husband, and uses his cunning tactics to try to delay their trip.
Meanwhile, Walter plans to show Hildy how much she’d miss the newspaper game by getting her help to write a major news story. The city has a big election coming up, and the Mayor (Clarence Kolb) and Sheriff Hartwell (Gene Lockhart) plan to execute cop killer Earl Williams (John Qualen) as a way to win over the public’s favor. However, Williams claims that he wasn’t in his right mind at the time, and is hoping for another reprieve from the Governor, but the Mayor has already lined up Dr. Egelhoffer (Edwin Maxwell) to provide a statement saying that Williams is sane enough to be hanged. While Hildy eventually agrees to interview Williams and write up the story, that doesn’t change the fact that she still plans to marry Bruce. However, an exciting jailbreak may just be enough to remind her how much she loves this life.
I’m not much of a classic cinema person, watching older movies from decades before I was even born, so I wasn’t even aware of this film before receiving it for review. In fact, I’ve probably only seen 1 or 2 other Cary Grant films besides this one. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. It feels very much like a play, making use of only a few different locations, each serving as the setting for an act of the story. However, there is still a lot going on, and scenes are richly painted in the mind as events are described in great detail by the characters.
The first thing you’ll notice going into this movie is the dialogue, which is not only clever and witty, but also delivered at breakneck speeds, sometimes with characters even talking over one another. And yet this seemingly chaotic cacophony is still very easy to follow and comprehend. The filmmakers have taken a unique approach where its only the newspaper reporters and editors that speak like this. When we meet Hildy’s new beau, Bruce, it’s clear that he’s not part of this world. He has a much slower cadence to his speech, which helps add some humor while also demonstrating that he’s an outsider to this news world. When Hildy first returns to the newsroom, she even tells him to wait for her in the lobby while she reconnects will all her old friends and colleagues, subtlety pointing out that he’s not one of them.
Grant and Russell have excellent chemistry and comedic timing. They play off one another really well, particularly during several high-speed verbal sparring matches. You really feel like these two were a former couple and wonder how they lost that spark because it still seems to be there. There’s also a lot of physical humor, which Cary Grant’s early career as a traveling acrobat no doubt prepared him for. But Russell also holds her own in this regard, such as when Hildy ends up at the press room by the court and there’s this almost dance-like chorography between her and the other press members and the many phones on the table as they report back the events (facts not required) to their editors. There’s also this fun ongoing bit with Walter manipulating things in order to constantly get Bruce thrown in jail in hopes of delaying his train ride long enough until he can win back Hildy.
Sony’s new 4K release includes The new 4K presentation looks great, with a beautiful looking black and white picture, enhanced with Dolby Vision. There is solid level of detail in faces and textures, and a generally pleasing level of film grain throughout. The mono audio track never feels lacking and does an excellent job of capturing all of the fast-paced, overlapping dialogue.
The 4K and Blu-ray discs packed on either side of a standard 4K Keepcase. An insert provides instructions for redeeming a 4K Movies Anywhere digital copy of the film. The 4K disc does not contain any bonus material, but the Blu-ray contains a hols of legacy material from previous Blu-ray releases as well as a pair of new interviews with authors/film historians discussing costume designer Robert Kalloh and the film’s speedy dialogue.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:31:57)
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4K UHD:
- 2160p / Full Frame 1.33:1 / Black & White
- Dolby Vision / HDR10
- English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, German Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Italian Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish (Castilian) Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish (Latin American) Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Subtitles: English, English SDH, Arabic, Chinese Traditional, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin American), Swedish, Thai, Turkish
- 1080p / Full Frame 1.33:1 / Black & White
- English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, German Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Italian Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish (Castilian) Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish (Latin American) Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Subtitles: English, English SDH, Arabic, Chinese Traditional, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin American), Swedish, Thai, Turkish
Blu-ray:
Extras:
All bonus material can only be found on the Blu-ray disc.
- Screwball Style: The Iconic Costumes of Robert Kalloch (16:17)
In this brand new featurette, author/film historian Kimberly Truhler discusses the career of costume designer Robert Kalloh, who became the head of the department at Columbia Pictures. Includes clips and production photos. - Breaking the Speed Barrier: The Dialogue of His Girl Friday (12:39)
In this brand new featurette, author/film historian Jeremy Arnold discusses how the idea for making the character of Hildy into a woman came about, the film’s rapid pace and dialogue, the overlapping dialogue, the lack of music, the physical comedy, casting Rosalind Russell, the use of improv, the challenges for the sound department, and more. - Lighting Up with Hildy Johnson Hosted by Film Scholar David Bordwell (25:04)
In this featurette originally created for Criterion’s 2017 Blu-ray, film scholar David Bordwell talks about director Howard Hawks and his approach to character and dialogue, and demonstrates how His Girl Friday is a prime example of classical filmmaking and editing techniques. - Audio Commentary Featuring Film Critic and Author Todd McCarthy 1:31:57)
Originally recorded for Sony’s 2000 Columbia Classics DVD release, Todd McCarthy, Variety film critic/author (“Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood”), provides an interesting and informative commentary, delving into the history of the film, filmmakers, and industry as a whole. - Ben Hecht (25:43)
In this featurette originally created for Criterion’s 2017 Blu-ray, Ben Hecht expert David Brendel delves into the life of the journalist/writer. - On Assignment: His Girl Friday (8:46)
Author David Thomson (“The Biographical Dictionary of Film”) and film critic/author Molly Haskell, discuss the film and its themes, the director, the cast, the dialogue, and more. Presented in 4:3 format. - Cary Grant: Making Headlines (4:51)
Narrated featurette on the life and career of actor Cary Grant. Presented in 4:3 format. - Rosalind Russell: The Inside Scoop (3:09)
Narrated featurette on the life and career of actress Rosalind Russell. Presented in 4:3 format. - Howard Hawks: Reporter’s Notebook (3:17)
Narrated featurette on the life and career of director Howard Hawks. Also includes interviews with author Todd McCarthy (“Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood”). Presented in 4:3 format. - The Funny Pages (3:23)
Narrated featurette on the origins of the film and its dialogue. Presented in 4:3 format. - Vintage Advertising (:56)
Slideshow of advertising artwork that advances every 5 seconds. - Theatrical Trailer (2:50)
- Re-Release Trailer (1:22)
Final Thoughts:
His Girl Friday is an entertaining film, with a charming cast, and funny/clever dialogue delivered at a rapid pace. Fans of the film will definitely enjoy the new 4K picture which looks fantastic. There is a lot of legacy bonus material that has been carried over from previous releases as well as pair of entertaining new featurettes. Its worth checking out, especially for fans of Grant or classic cinema in general. At the time of this review, this release is currently only available as part of Sony’s Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 4.
Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 4 (His Girl Friday/Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner/Kramer vs. Kramer/Starman/Sleepless in Seattle/Punch-Drunk Love) (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) [4K UHD]
46% Off $215.99 $116.00 (as of November 7, 2024 10:36 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
His Girl Friday
$12.99 (as of November 7, 2024 10:36 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
His Girl Friday Cary Grant Rosalind Russell
$12.99 (as of November 7, 2024 10:36 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
His Girl Friday
(as of November 7, 2024 10:36 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
