December 2021 Film Club Pick
The holiday season is upon us, and that means binge watching all of our favorite holiday films, right? Well, we, the team at The Film Rewind, just couldn’t quite land on a singular ‘holiday’ film, so we decided to go in a different direction entirely. (Never fear, there will be holiday themed films discussed in the not-too-distant future!) Instead, for our December Film Club Pick, we have selected the 1941 screwball comedy Ball of Fire, directed by Howard Hawks. This romantic comedy film stars the incomparable Barbara Stanwyck, along with a rather bumbling and (if you can believe it) nerdy Gary Cooper, and just happens to be celebrating the 80th anniversary of its release this month!
Now, if you begin watching Ball of Fire, and suddenly have a strong sense of déjà vu, chances are you may have seen the remake of this film, called A Song is Born, which is a technicolor musical that was released in 1948, starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo, and also just happens to be directed by Howard Hawks! Yes, you read that correctly, Howard Hawks recycled the story of Ball of Fire and turned it into A Song is Born, with just under seven years between both films. This is just one of several remakes that Hawks did throughout his career, but none of the others are quite so blatant as the plot featured in both of these films… (Check out my “Bring on the Remakes and Sequels…” post for a look into some other Hawks remakes.)
Speaking of plot, it is worth noting that Ball of Fire relies heavily upon fairy tale and screwball romantic comedy tropes, and is a rather loose “Snow White” adaptation. Be sure to pay attention to the witty dialogue and playful use of language, courtesy of the screenplay by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder. So, if you need a break from all the holiday films that you are sure to be marathoning this month, and need a healthy dose of screwball heroine “gumption,” be sure to snuggle up with some cocoa and queue up Ball of Fire! You can even watch the film for free on Pluto TV!
What do you think of our Film Club Pick this month? Isn’t Barbara Stanwyck one of the best ‘screwball’ heroines of classic Hollywood cinema? Share your thoughts in the comments below and check back soon for more posts!
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Crane
