Ball of Fire (1941)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Charles Brackett (screenplay) &
Billy Wilder (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 December 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The New Year's red-hot comedy!

Plot:

A group of ivory-tower lexicographers realize they need to hear how real people talk, and end up helping a beautiful singer escape from the Mob.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Slang | Nightclub | Singer | Gangster

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Prof. Bertram Potts
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Sugarpuss O'Shea
Oskar Homolka	...	Prof. Gurkakoff
Henry Travers	...	Prof. Jerome
S.Z. Sakall	...	Prof. Magenbruch
Tully Marshall	...	Prof. Robinson
Leonid Kinskey	...	Prof. Quintana
Richard Haydn	...	Prof. Oddly
Aubrey Mather	...	Prof. Peagram
Allen Jenkins	...	Garbage Man
Dana Andrews	...	Joe Lilac
Dan Duryea	...	Duke Pastrami
Ralph Peters	...	Asthma Anderson
Kathleen Howard	...	Miss Bragg
Mary Field	...	Miss Totten

Also Known As:

The Professor and the Burlesque Queen

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7847)

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

Billy Wilder had already written the story in Germany, then brought it to the USA when he emigrated and sold it to MGM.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the walk through central park, the camera shadow is visible on Professor Gurkakoff's torso.

Quotes:

Prof. Oddly: This is what you would call an "up-stick".

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)

Great Cast, Dated-But-Fun Dialog

Wow, what a cast! Let's see, there's Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Haydn, Oscar Homolka, Henry Travers, S.Z. Sakall, Tully Marshall, Dana Andrews, Allen Jenkins and more! Classic film fans know all these names.

What's more, it's a fun movie, fun to see and especially fun to hear. Stanwyck is her usual fascinating self, but in this movie it's the men - the seven old bachelors and the younger Cooper in the "club" - that are the most entertaining.

When you have directors and writers such as Howard Hawks and Billy Wilder behind the film, you know it's a winner.

Because the story dealt with a bunch of encyclopedia writers trying to find out the latest slang words, the dialog in here is really funny. The expressions of the day are dated and humorous and there are so many you can't count them all. Some are stupid; some are hilarious...which is what you get with most comedies anyway. Not every line hits the mark, but a lot do in this one.

Tack on some action and some romance and it's corny-but-cute film , entertaining all the way.