To Be or Not to Be

directed by Ernst Lubitsch, 1942

This is a bright comedy set in one of history’s darkest periods: World War II. A troupe of Polish actors are about to put on a play about Hitler invading Poland. Hitler does invade Poland and the play is abruptly cancelled. A performance of Hamlet is hastily staged instead. The vanity of the play’s main […]

His Girl Friday

directed by Howard Hawks, 1940

Tough newspaper editor Walter Burns (played by Cary Grant) tries to break up his top reporter’s plans to leave the paper, get married, and settle down in the country. The reporter, Hildy Johnson (played by Rosalind Russell), finds it hard to resist covering one last big scoop before she retires. Dialogue flies fast and furious […]