Ball of Fire (1941)

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) | Australia:G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7847)

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

To pick up authentic slang for the film script, screenwriters Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett visited the drugstore across the street from Hollywood High School, a burlesque house and the Hollywood Park racetrack.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Professor Bertram Potts: Sugarpuss, would you... yum me one more time?

Movie Connections:

References Sergeant York (1941)

Soundtrack:

Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)

Stanwyck is the Devil

A mixture of innocence and passion make up what Ball of Fire is about. At times, this is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with a giant ball of fire. Even for 1941, there are moments of sexy conduct that would make a modern day priest blush. Gry Cooper is the book worm as well as the snow white character. A 30 year old virgin professor, Cooper plays the role like he should, soft and quiet. Barbara Stanwyck, on the other hand, is as sexy as ever. Stanwyck had the reputation as the bad girl or the girl you do not bring home to mom. The two actors are exact opposite but in some way they fall for one another as the fairy tale has a happy ending. For the time period of World War 2, this is as good as it gets.