Running Time: 92 minutes

If you dislike films about fast-talking, fast-paced films about journalism, ethics, and work-life balance, then this film isn’t for you. His Girl Friday however, was definitely for me. I think it just ranked as one of my favorite movies of all time.

The plot follows Hildy Johnson, star reporter of The Morning Post, as she tries to leave behind her career (and ex-husband/editor-in-chief Walter Burns) in favor of a quiet, homemaking life in Albany with (boring) fiancé Bruce Baldwin. Poor Hildy is tired of chasing down stories, and claims she wants to “live like a human being”.

Walter, of course, isn’t having it. He convinces (and I use this word lightly) Hildy to cover one last major scoop before she leaves, and half of the movie follows Hildy’s attempts to finish the story and leave for Albany. The other half is dedicated to the shennanigans Walter plots to win Hildy back. Boring Bruce spends most of the movie wrongfully arrested and confused. It is delightful, exciting, and rapid – truly a screwball comedy worthy of its ranking in the genre.

Hildy, I think, is a remarkable character. What she learns (and what I was reminded of through her) is that there isn’t anything quite like writing a story. No matter how stressful, how desperate you get while collecting information and writing, it gives you a high? satisfaction? fulfillment? like nothing else, and you’ll find you’ll miss it once you give it up. And though she is a respected female journalist in a largely male scene, she doesn’t give up that femininity either. She still wants a home life and a husband that will actually care for her and everything.

There’s much left to be desired from Walter (and really, the ethics of 1940s journalism as a whole) but Cary Grant plays him with such charisma that you kind of forget he’s actually a jerk. I really liked the chemistry between the main leads though, because the film showed that these two had long been partners before they were lovers, and you just can’t kick the habit of knowing the other person. I also liked the fact that their eventual reconciliation (don’t whine to me about spoilers from a 40s film) was devoid of physical affection or boring sentiment. They just get along with their life as usual, arguing with each other.

It’s rare that I enjoy a movie so much without a costume change or two, but here we have it. Hildy Johnson had only one outfit, but seeing her embody the madness of writing down a news story and struggle to live the life she wants was really a warm cup of tea for me. It’s always nice to be reminded of why we chose the kind of life we want, and His Girl Friday delivered exactly that.