Another one of director Frank Capra’s classics. This one stars the great Clark Gable opposite Claudette Colbert. Although neither of them might be considered superstars, this film was revolutionary as one of the earliest romantic comedies, setting the formula for all future romantic comedies in Hollywood, Bollywood, and beyond. Despite being filmed 90 years ago, “It Happened…” absolutely stands the test of time. Gable plays a renegade journalist, Peter, and Colbert plays Ellie, a runaway heiress to a wealthy father. Against her father’s wishes, she runs away to elope with some pilot she thought she loved. Peter and Ellie meet as strangers on a bus to New York. Ellie’s father sends detectives on her trail and a $10,000 reward ($233,000 today) for anyone with information about her. Issues along the way, such as a flooded bridge and the bus breaking down, cause them to share a hotel room and hitchhike. Both despised each other for different reasons - he saw her as a cowering, spoiled brat, and she saw him as an obnoxious, egoistic jerk. They soon realize in their conversations they have shared dreams of life. Through the journey, they mature by being around one another and fall in love. The chemistry is apparent between the two leads. Charming, charming, charming through and through.

The technicals are on point. Acting, directing, cinematography, editing, pacing, and timing on witty quips are sensational. At the 7th Oscar in 1935, “It Happened...” became the first of only three films in history to do a clean sweep - winning every major category. Best picture, best actor, best actress, best director, and best screenplay. No film replicated that until 1976 with “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and 1992 with “The Silence of the Lambs.” Gable gave away the Oscar he won for this film (the only one he ever won) to a kid he met. The kid returned the Oscar years later after Gable died young in 1960 (another actor to die in his prime).

Some other tidbits. During the 1930s and 40s, actors were known for doing multiple films in a single year. Studios had high demands, and the pay was much lower. For instance, Gable did 40 films across the 1930s, and Colbert did 36. That’s about 4 movies per year (some years, 5-6 films in a single year). No other actor does that today. Studios also employed actors with exclusive rights - MGM employed Gable. For his scandalous affair with another MGM actress, Gable was loaned to Columbia Studio to do this film as punishment. The legendary Bugs Bunny was inspired by Gable in this film. One comedic scene has Gable removing his shirt. Undershirts dropped in popularity among men when they saw Gable didn’t wear one.

Would I recommend this? I believe this is a must-watch movie before you die. I rarely watch romantic comedies, but I pleasantly enjoyed it. It’s hard to not like. Like most old movies, the ending felt a bit rushed. Overall, the film is everlasting and a joy to watch.

8.5/10