Screwball Comedy
- Geri Cheng
- Feb 29, 2016
- 2 min read
Screwball Comedy
American genre of comedy film that became popular during the Great Depression
Orginate in the early 1930s; thriving until early 1940s
Have charateristics similar to film noir
Female usually dominates the relationship with male central character; the male's masculinity is thus challenged
Humourous battle of the sexes and subverts the common metanarrative of females during that time
Other elements are fast-paced repartee (wit), farcical (humourous, weird) situations, escapist themes
Plot lines usually involve courtship and marriage (romance, basically)
Often depict social classes in conflict
Often involve mistaken identities or other situations where a character tries to keep some important fact a secret
The film critic Andrew Sarris has defined the screwball comedy as "a sex comedy without the sex."
Every line, every dialogue is humourous and entertaining – fast pace
Parody of romantic comedy – romance is subject to satirical rebuke
It Happened One Night (1934)
Example (Humourous) Dialogue:
Alexander Andrews: Oh, er, do you mind if I ask you a question, frankly? Do you love my daughter?
Peter Warne: Any guy that'd fall in love with your daughter ought to have his head examined.
Ellie Andrews: You've got a name, haven't you?
Peter Warne: Yeah, I got a name. Peter Warne.
Ellie Andrews: Peter Warne. I don't like it.
Peter Warne: Don't let it bother you. You're giving it back to me in the morning.
Ellie Andrews: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Warne.
Peter Warne: The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Warne.
Alexander Andrews: I thought so. I knew there was something on your mind. There, there, there now. What's the matter? You haven't fallen in love with someone else, have you? Have you?
[Ellie continues crying]
Alexander Andrews: I haven't seen you cry since you were a baby. This must be serious. Where'd you meet him?
Ellie Andrews: On the road.
Alexander Andrews: Now, don't tell me you've fallen in love with a bus driver.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Example (Humourous) Dialogue:
Godfrey: May I be frank?
Molly: Is that your name?
Godfrey: No, my name is Godfrey.
Molly: All right, be frank.
Godfrey: The only difference between a derelict and a man is a job.
Irene: Godfrey loves me! He put me in the shower!
Godfrey: Prosperity is just around the corner.
Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner.
Friends (1994 - 2004)
Funny Lines:
Ross: Wow, you guys sure have a lot of books about being a lesbian. Susan: Well, you know, you have to take a course. Otherwise they don’t let you do it.
Phoebe: Yeah, I definitely don’t like the name Ross Ross: What a weird way to kick me when I’m down.
Ross: So, uh, what did the insurance company say? Chandler: Oh, they said uh, “You don’t have insurance here so stop calling us.”
Overall
After watching several screwball comedy films such as It Happened One Night by Frank Capra, I am inspired by its witty, humourous, and fast dialogue, where almost every line delivered by the character is comedic and filled with sarcasm. I am also drawn to the farcical situations characters in screwball comedy often face; these situations are usually exaggeration of reality, which adds to the humour the film is trying to convey.
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