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IMDbPro

Ball of Fire

  • 1941
  • Approved
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
13K
YOUR RATING
Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in 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.
Play trailer2:09
1 Video
63 Photos
ComedyRomance

A group of professors working on a new encyclopedia while living in a Manhattan mansion take in a mouthy nightclub singer who is wanted by the police to help bring down her mob boss lover.A group of professors working on a new encyclopedia while living in a Manhattan mansion take in a mouthy nightclub singer who is wanted by the police to help bring down her mob boss lover.A group of professors working on a new encyclopedia while living in a Manhattan mansion take in a mouthy nightclub singer who is wanted by the police to help bring down her mob boss lover.

  • Director
    • Howard Hawks
  • Writers
    • Charles Brackett
    • Billy Wilder
    • Thomas Monroe
  • Stars
    • Gary Cooper
    • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Oscar Homolka
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    13K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Howard Hawks
    • Writers
      • Charles Brackett
      • Billy Wilder
      • Thomas Monroe
    • Stars
      • Gary Cooper
      • Barbara Stanwyck
      • Oscar Homolka
    • 115User reviews
    • 58Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:09
    Watch Trailer

    Photos63

    Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Ball of Fire (1941)
    Dana Andrews in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Gary Cooper and Kathleen Howard in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
    Gary Cooper and Kathleen Howard in Ball of Fire (1941)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gary Cooper
    Gary Cooper
    • Prof. Bertram Potts
    Barbara Stanwyck
    Barbara Stanwyck
    • Sugarpuss O'Shea
    Oscar Homolka
    Oscar Homolka
    • Prof. Gurkakoff
    Henry Travers
    Henry Travers
    • Prof. Jerome
    S.Z. Sakall
    S.Z. Sakall
    • Prof. Magenbruch
    Tully Marshall
    Tully Marshall
    • Prof. Robinson
    Leonid Kinskey
    Leonid Kinskey
    • Prof. Quintana
    Richard Haydn
    Richard Haydn
    • Prof. Oddly
    Aubrey Mather
    Aubrey Mather
    • Prof. Peagram
    Allen Jenkins
    Allen Jenkins
    • Garbage Man
    Dana Andrews
    Dana Andrews
    • Joe Lilac
    Dan Duryea
    Dan Duryea
    • Duke Pastrami
    Ralph Peters
    Ralph Peters
    • Asthma Anderson
    Kathleen Howard
    Kathleen Howard
    • Miss Bragg
    Mary Field
    Mary Field
    • Miss Totten
    Charles Lane
    Charles Lane
    • Larsen
    Charles Arnt
    Charles Arnt
    • McNeary
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    • Waiter
    • (as Elisha Cook)
    • Director
      • Howard Hawks
    • Writers
      • Charles Brackett
      • Billy Wilder
      • Thomas Monroe
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kathleen Howard was left with a fractured jaw when the punch that Barbara Stanwyck threw accidentally made contact. Stanwyck was reportedly mortified by the incident.
    • Goofs
      During the walk through central park, the camera shadow is visible on Professor Gurkakoff's torso.
    • Quotes

      [Professor Magenbrush says Sugarpuss has a slight rosiness at the back of her throat]

      Sugarpuss O'Shea: SLIGHT rosiness? It's as red as The Daily Worker and just as sore!

    • 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 . . .
    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une histoire seule (1989)
    • Soundtracks
      Sweet Genevieve
      (1869) (uncredited)

      Music by Henry Tucker

      Lyrics by George Cooper

      Performed a cappella by the professors

    User reviews115

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    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.
    helpful•54
    9
    • ccthemovieman-1
    • Nov 14, 2005

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    FAQ1

    • What was the title of Howard Hawks' musical remake of this film?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 9, 1942 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Wirbelwind der Liebe
    • Filming locations
      • Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • The Samuel Goldwyn Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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