Director
Frank Capra
Leading Actors/Actresses
Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, Jameson Thomas, Charles C. Wilson
Genre
Romance/Comedy/Screwball
Language
English
Awards
Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actress (Claudette Colbert), Best Adapted Screenplay (Robert Riskin)
Date of Release
February 22, 1934
Producer
Frank Capra, Harry Cohn
Setting and Context
Miami, all along the Eastern seaboard north to New York
Narrator and Point of View
No narrator, and the point of view is omniscient, although the camera primarily follows Ellie and Peter
Tone and Mood
Light-hearted, positive, sexy, adventurous
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Ellie, Antagonist: Mr. Andrews
Major Conflict
The major conflict is that Mr. Andrews disapproves of Ellie's wedding to King Westley and so is holding her captive. When she escapes and begins making her way back to New York, Mr. Andrews sends out a search party and tries to get her back. The second conflict occurs when Ellie returns home believing that Peter doesn't love her, and almost marries King Westley in a formal ceremony.
Climax
The climax occurs when Ellie flees her wedding to King Westley to go find Peter and profess her love.
Foreshadowing
No real instances of foreshadowing
Understatement
No instances of understatement
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
The film and editing techniques that director Frank Capra used made the film unique for the era. Many film critics still praise the film's crispness and clear storytelling.
Allusions
A brief allusion is made to Gandhi.
Paradox
At the end, both Peter and Ellie believe that the other is not in love with them. If either of them were able to express their feelings, then they would get back together, but because of a misunderstanding, each of them feels abandoned by the other.
