If I remember correctly, the introduction was put in there as a way to appease the Hays Office. The film states that the story is set in the dark ages and none of the characters resemble real reporters, so once upon time …. Right there a certain tone is set. That the scene opens up at the paper tells you the world we’re inhabiting with deadlines and a sense of urgency because of it. All of this in under a minute and without dialogue.
Rosalind Russell appears soon enough as Hildy Johnson, and right by her side is Ralph Bellamy as her fiancé Bruce Baldwin. Like I’ve said, this film has great dialogue with so much subtext. What I love is how much is revealed without blatantly pointing it out to you. When Bruce tells Hildy ten minutes is a long time to be away from her, Hildy is shocked and asks him to repeat it. This is a woman who isn’t used to getting regular affection from a man. Now, she is used to compliments on her work. She struts down the newsroom like she’s the queen in her court, saluting her people as she makes it down to the king of the universe.
It’s great when both leads are introduced right away, and especially in the way that Russell and Cary Grant handle each other. But before the two are left alone to talk, the driving force that moves the characters into motion is set in place. There’s a death town inmate who hasn’t been given a reprieve, and The Morning Post is pushing that he gets it before the inmate is executed later on. This is talked about quickly, almost as an aside sort of way, but its implications affect the storyline further on down.
When Grant an Russell finally have alone time, you get to see the two in one of the funniest exchanges ever filmed. Grant as Walter Burns is obviously a man driven by story. He doesn’t care how but he has to get the story. And in his treatment of Hildy is when you finally see why she was shocked at hearing Bruce tell her ten minutes is a long time to wait. Walter lights up a cigarette without offering her one or even a match. When they talk about their marriage and subsequent divorce he puts all the blame on her, as in it’s her fault that she made googly eyes at him that forced him to propose and when he did she should’ve been the better man and not have kept Walter to his word. When she filed for divorce, he blamed her for making it so permanent and leaving him feeling unwanted. All of this and all the while you’re laughing, you’re truly entertained. So much backstory is established here and you forgive the exposition because it’s so well written and executed, but mostly, you’re simply enjoying yourself.
When Hildy finally gets around to tell Walter she’s getting married, things quiet down. But the pace never slows down because all the while Walter is thinking. You can see the wheels running in his head. But here, the stakes are raised. Hildy tells Walter not only that she's getting married but that it'll be tomorrow. This makes Walter take a further step back. More wheels turning. I think narrowing the timeframe brings further urgency to the story and makes it quicker, and that it's done within the first fifteen minutes is great.
Rounding up the scene, Walter tells Hildy he wishes her the best, but before things get too sappy he's back to his old self, insisting to meet him and wondering why this paragon would want anything to do with Hildy. His confusing encounter with Bruce adds to the tension while at the same time setting up Bruce to be quite a simpleton. There are some more laughs and then they're off to have lunch at his insistence, to which Hildy says through gritted teeth that whatever it is, it won't work.
It's always great to look back at a film carefully and see what makes it great. This opening scene is flawless and without effort it seems. I think that's what makes it perfect, how natural it comes off. But of course, I admire most the writing, and not so much the dialogue, of which overall throughout the film I believe a fair amount was improvised, but the set up, the outlining of how the plot would develop; it's quite admirable. It's part of why His Girl Friday is so memorable.
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