Ball of Fire (1941)

A group of professors working on a new encyclopedia encounter a mouthy nightclub singer who is wanted by the police to help bring down her mob boss lover.

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Charles Brackett (screen play), Billy Wilder (screen play)

Stars:

Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Oskar Homolka

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Cooper	...	Prof. Bertram Potts
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Sugarpuss O'Shea
Oskar Homolka	...	Prof. Gurkakoff (as Oscar Homolka)
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

Storyline

Sexy, wisecracking nightclub singer Sugarpuss O'Shea is a hot tomato who needs to be kept on ice: mobster boyfriend Joe Lilac is suspected of murder and Sugarpuss' testimony could put him away. Naive Professor Bertram Potts meets Miss O'Shea while researching an article on slang and in true romantic comedy fashion the two worlds collide. When Miss O'Shea hides out with Potts and his fellow professors, everyone learns something new: the professors how to cha-cha and Potts the meaning of "yum-yum"!

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | deception | screwball comedy | professor | slang | 

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Taglines:

"I LOVE HIM because he doesn't know how to kiss -- THE JERK!"

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Barbara Stanwyck's Best Actress Oscar nomination was the only one in the category that was not in a Best Picture nominee that year.

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Goofs

When Professor Oddly is reminiscing about his honeymoon. He refers to the Anemone Nemorosa plant that he saw in the Catskills. As a botanist, Professor Oddly should have been aware that the Anemone Nemorosa is a plant indigenous to Europe and the British Isles in particular.

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Quotes

Joe Lilac: Having some trouble, Mr. D.A.?
District Attorney: Oh, don't worry, Joe. And don't underestimate this office or the State of New York. I've got some boys that can find a needle in a haystack.
Joe Lilac: Oh, that's a cinch. All you have to do is get a horse to eat the hay and then x-ray the horse.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: Once upon a time - in 1941 to be exact - there lived in a great, tall forest - called New York - eight men who were writing an encyclopedia.

They were so wise they knew everything: the depth of the oceans, and what makes a glowworm glow, and what tune Nero fiddles while Rome was burning.

But there was one thing about which they knew very little - as you will see . . .

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Connections

Referenced in The 55th Annual Academy Awards (1983)

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Soundtracks

Sweet Genevieve
(1869) (uncredited)
Music by Henry Tucker
Lyrics by George Cooper
Performed a cappella by the professors

User Reviews

Barbara and the Seven Dwarfs...Wilder style...

Billy Wilder seems to have written this vehicle especially tailored to the talents of BARBARA STANWYCK and GARY COOPER because they never had roles in romantic comedies that suited them as well.

Babs is a sassy stripper on the lam from the law and sheltered by seven old men (and one young professor) assigned to work on a dictionary of slang. She teaches them a thing or two with her own street talk and soon insinuates herself into their affections, much the way Snow White did with the Seven Dwarfs.

It's farce all the way, broadly played by the delightful cast of men, including S.Z. SAKALL, OSKAR HOMOLKA, RICHARD HAYDYN, HENRY TRAVERS, and DANA ANDREWS as her henchman lover.

But it's her chemistry with Cooper that practically glows on screen, giving her character the softer touch and taking the brassiness out of her "Sugarpuss" characterization.

Although the material is strictly "cornball" by today's standards, it's still a lot of fun to watch Cooper fall under her spell--and to watch Dana Andrews (in a good early role) getting his comeuppance.

"Sugarpuss" and "Potsie" are quite a pair!! Howard Hawks' direction makes the most out of a witty, gag-filled script.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 January 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ball of Fire

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1