IMDb > It Happened One Night (1934)
It Happened One Night
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It Happened One Night (1934) More at IMDbPro »

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It Happened One Night -- A spoiled heiress, running away from her family, is helped by a man who's actually a reporter looking for a story. But then he falls for her...

Overview

User Rating:
Top 250: #136  (login to vote)
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Up 12% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Frank Capra
Writers:
Robert Riskin (screenplay)
Samuel Hopkins Adams (short story)
Contact:
View company contact information for It Happened One Night on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 February 1934 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Comedy | Romance See more »
Tagline:
Two great lovers of the screen in the grandest of romantic comedies ! See more »
Plot:
A spoiled heiress, running away from her family, is helped by a man who's actually a reporter looking for a story. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Won 5 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination See more »
NewsDesk:
(163 articles)
Leonard Maltin and 'Lady For a Day' at the Paramount
 (From Slackerwood. 15 May 2013, 8:00 AM, PDT)
Cast Your Vote for the Top 10 Wedding-Run-Amok Rom-Coms
 (From ReelzChannel. 23 April 2013, 9:03 AM, PDT)
Quiz: Can you guess the film based on the tagline?
 (From Cineplex. 22 April 2013, 8:35 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
One of the funniest movies in history See more (190 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Clark Gable ... Peter Warne

Claudette Colbert ... Ellie

Walter Connolly ... Andrews

Roscoe Karns ... Shapeley
Jameson Thomas ... Westley

Alan Hale ... Danker
Arthur Hoyt ... Zeke
Blanche Friderici ... Zeke's Wife
Charles C. Wilson ... Gordon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Adams ... The Bag Thief (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold ... Woman at Auto Camp (uncredited)
Irving Bacon ... Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
William Bailey ... Clark (uncredited)

Ward Bond ... Bus Driver #1 (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley ... Henderson (uncredited)
George P. Breakston ... Boy Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Charles A. Browne ... Reporter (uncredited)
James Burke ... Detective (uncredited)
Edmund Burns ... Best Man at Wedding (uncredited)
Ken Carson ... Guitar Player on Bus (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler ... Bus Driver #2 (uncredited)
Wallis Clark ... Lovington (uncredited)
Ray Cooke ... Drunk Reporter (uncredited)
Joseph Crehan ... Detective (uncredited)
Ray Creighton ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Jack Curtis ... Policeman (uncredited)

Mickey Daniels ... Vendor on Bus (uncredited)
Eva Dennison ... Society Woman (uncredited)
Neal Dodd ... Minister at Wedding (uncredited)
Oliver Eckhardt ... Mr. Dykes - Auto Camp Owner (uncredited)
Billy Engle ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Jack Evans ... Man Saying 'Your Bus Leaves in 5 Minutes' (uncredited)
Bess Flowers ... Agnes - Gordon's Secretary (uncredited)
Allen Fox ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Dolores Fuller ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Joaquin Garay ... Mexican Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Carlton Griffin ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Kit Guard ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Sherry Hall ... Drunk Reporter (uncredited)
A.R. Haysel ... Bus Dispatcher (uncredited)
Frank Holliday ... Detective (uncredited)
Harry Holman ... Last Auto Camp Manager (uncredited)
Harry Hume ... Policeman (uncredited)
William Irving ... Passenger on Second Bus (uncredited)
Sam Josephson ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee ... Drunk Reporter (uncredited)
Mimi Lindell ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Marvin Loback ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Rose May ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
William McCall ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Claire McDowell ... Mother on Bus (uncredited)
Kate Morgan ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Patsy O'Byrne ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Earl Pingree ... Policeman (uncredited)
Hal Price ... Reporter (uncredited)
Margaret Reid ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Ky Robinson ... Detective (uncredited)
Blanche Rose ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Rita Ross ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Matty Roubert ... Newsboy (uncredited)
Marvin Schecter ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Harry Schultz ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Bert Scott ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Harry Semels ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
S.S. Simon ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Linda Lee Solomon ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Bert Starkey ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Ethel Sykes ... Maid of Honor (uncredited)
Jane Talent ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Emma Tansey ... Ticket Buyer (uncredited)
Harry Todd ... Flagman at Railroad Crossing (uncredited)
Maidel Turner ... Last Motel Manager's Wife (uncredited)
William Wagner ... Waiter at Wedding (uncredited)
John Wallace ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Fred Walton ... Butler (uncredited)
Dave Wengren ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Billy West ... Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Wilroy ... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Buck Woods ... Cook Serving Food to Passengers (uncredited)
Frank Yaconelli ... Tony (uncredited)
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Directed by
Frank Capra 
 
Writing credits
Robert Riskin (screenplay)

Samuel Hopkins Adams (short story)

Produced by
Frank Capra .... producer (uncredited)
Harry Cohn .... executive producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Howard Jackson (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Joseph Walker (photography)
 
Film Editing by
Gene Havlick 
 
Art Direction by
Stephen Goosson (uncredited)
 
Costume Design by
Robert Kalloch (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Edward Bernds .... sound engineer (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Mary Wiggins .... stunt double: Claudette Colbert's dive off ship (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser .... assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff .... costume jeweller (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Louis Silvers .... musical director
Louis Silvers .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Harry Cohn .... president: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Samuel J. Briskin .... executive assistant: Mr. Cohn (uncredited)
George Brown .... general press agent (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
105 min | West Germany:65 min (cut TV version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)
Certification:
Argentina:Atp | Germany:o.Al. | Sweden:15 | UK:U (video rating) (1986) | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Norway:16 (1934) | Brazil:Livre | USA:Approved (PCA #4311-R: 11 May 1938 for re-release) | UK:A (original rating) | Netherlands:AL (original rating) (1934) | UK:U (tv rating) | USA:Unrated
Filming Locations:
Busch Gardens - S. Grove Avenue, Pasadena, California, USASee more »
Company:
Columbia Pictures CorporationSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Constance Bennett and Myrna Loy, among others, turned the script down. Claudette Colbert only accepted because Capra promised he would double her salary and she would be done in four weeks. She disliked the film so much she didn't even attend the Oscars; when she won for Best Actress she was found about to leave on a trip and was rushed to the ceremony, where she made her acceptance speech in a traveling suit.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: In the exterior view of the bus running off the road (after the "flying trapeze" song), the driver is a different person and the curtain that is behind him in the interior view is missing.See more »
Quotes:
[as he walks Ellie down the aisle, Mr. Andrews talks to her]
Alexander Andrews:You're a sucker to go through with this. That guy Warne is OK. He didn't want the reward. All he asked for was $39.60, what he spent on you. Said it was a matter of principle. You took him for a ride. He loves you, Ellie. He told me so. You don't want to be married to a mug like Westley; I can buy him off for a pot of gold. And you can make an old man happy and you won't do so bad for yourself. If you change your mind, your car's waiting at the back gate.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in A-Haunting We Will Go (1942)See more »
Soundtrack:
Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)See more »

FAQ

What is the song everyone was singing on the bus?
What did Ellie mean when she said, 'Very clever, these Armenians'?
How could Ellie run away with Peter at the end of the movie if she was already married to King?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
41 out of 60 people found the following review useful.
One of the funniest movies in history, 12 August 2004
Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois

In my college film class we had begun watching "It happened one night". I was laughing my head off. But of course my professor stops the movie right when it was getting good. After that, I wanted to see this movie so badly. My father lucky enough had the movie. I watched it and it is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Clark Gable is histerical. He really does a great job in the film. I always did prefer the old comedies to today. Do you blame me? If you watch the flick, you will enjoy it. This is one of the first romantic comedies. It'll send all the others to the back of the bus. I would higly recommend this movie. It's a classic.

10/10

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for It Happened One Night (1934)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Why did Gable and Colbert hate this film? IkuharaKunihiko
It DIDN'T happen one night. devilsavocado
can they ever remake this? holybuckeye
were they waiting for an annulment? skiddoo
Road movie and pouring rain peterduray-bito
All those license plates! JackBluegrass
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