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IMDbPro

Ball of Fire

  • 19411941
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 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
61 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.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
13K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Howard Hawks
  • Writers
    • Charles Brackett(screen play)
    • Billy Wilder(screen play)
    • Thomas Monroe(from an original story by)
  • Stars
    • Gary Cooper
    • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Oskar Homolka
  • Director
    • Howard Hawks
  • Writers
    • Charles Brackett(screen play)
    • Billy Wilder(screen play)
    • Thomas Monroe(from an original story by)
  • Stars
    • Gary Cooper
    • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Oskar Homolka
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 114User reviews
    • 58Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:09
    Watch Trailer

    Photos61

    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
    Oskar Homolka
    Oskar Homolka
    • Prof. Gurkakoff
    • (as Oscar Homolka)
    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(screen play)
      • Billy Wilder(screen play) (from an original story by)
      • Thomas Monroe(from an original story by)
    • 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

      Sugarpuss O'Shea: [needing help with a stubborn zipper] You know, I had this happen one night in the middle of my act. I couldn't get a thing off. Was I embarrassed!

    • 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 reviews114

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Ball of fun.
    Basically, this is a gangster version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" Here "Snow White" is a night club singer faultlessly played by Barbara Stanwyck. The "evil witch" is the local police, out to haul her in because of tie-in to a gangster (Dana Andrews) The magic forest of course, is New York. The seven dwarfs are a group of introverted professors led by bookworm Gary Cooper.

    The film ahs a wonderful screenplay by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett. (Sample dialog COP: How do you find a needle in a haystack? GANGSTER: Simple. Feed the hay to a horse, and X-Ray the horse.) Directed with zip by the great Howard Hawks.
    helpful•23
    6
    • boris-26
    • Nov 29, 2001

    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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