I liked this movie a lot, but I think I would've liked it more if I hadn't seen His Girl Friday first. It seems to me that His Girl Friday is a lot better executed as a whole and in its parts than Bringing Up Baby. I understand that this one is the film people bring up when talking about Howard Hawks's screwball comedies, and rightfully so. But when you stand this up next to His Girl Friday, it doesn't read as well, simply because from the very beginning of His Girl Friday we know who the characters are and what their motives will be as the story progresses, but at the beginning of Bringing Up Baby the characters are muddled and confusing. In His Girl Friday, the actions of the main characters are hilarious and the motives behind those actions are complicated and human, and we understand that. Here the actions are also funny, but the motives are simpler. His Girl Friday is more realistic and human, and in my opinion that makes it the better movie.
Even so, there is a lot in this movie to love. That's one of the movie's charms- the way that the characters develop from simple caricatures into people we can't help but loving. That must have been one of Hawks's gifts- providing us with characters that are just strange at the start and slowly develop into real people. Sure, Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn are as funny as can be, as expected, and the supporting cast is great. Some of the slapstick gags are a little stale, but there are enough priceless bits to make up for the not-so-priceless ones, especially near the end.
I suppose I'll end up in IMDb hell for saying His Girl Friday is better than this movie, but I can't help it. It's intriguing to me that Bringing Up Baby is only 10 above His Girl Friday on the Top 250. Maybe I'll appreciate Bringing Up Baby more after a second viewing, but for now, I have to say that it's good, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
Even so, there is a lot in this movie to love. That's one of the movie's charms- the way that the characters develop from simple caricatures into people we can't help but loving. That must have been one of Hawks's gifts- providing us with characters that are just strange at the start and slowly develop into real people. Sure, Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn are as funny as can be, as expected, and the supporting cast is great. Some of the slapstick gags are a little stale, but there are enough priceless bits to make up for the not-so-priceless ones, especially near the end.
I suppose I'll end up in IMDb hell for saying His Girl Friday is better than this movie, but I can't help it. It's intriguing to me that Bringing Up Baby is only 10 above His Girl Friday on the Top 250. Maybe I'll appreciate Bringing Up Baby more after a second viewing, but for now, I have to say that it's good, but it didn't live up to my expectations.