Don't Make a Scene: It Happened One Night

The Story: Both Gable and Colbert hated the script and didn't want to do it. Colbert hadn't liked working with Frank Capra on their first picture together, and their relationship didn't improve much on this one. When she finished filming, she was complaining "I just finished the worst picture in the world!"

But, It Happened One Night earned her a Best Actress Oscar—and Gable, Best Actor—plus it was the first movie to win "The Big Five": Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Writing and Best Director—a feat that wasn't matched until One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest did it in 1975.

Like William Goldman said "Nobody knows anything."

That line's certainly true of this scene between two men of different classes both arguing over the same woman. Gable's rapscallion reporter thinks millionaire Alexander Andrews is a rich nincompoop, who spoiled his daughter rotten and he's paying the price for it. Andrews thinks Peter Warne is an opportunist and fortune hunter who wants to bleed every cent for his encounters with his daughter. They know nothing. The thing is Warne's an honest man (or at least a deep-down-inside principled one) and Andrews has probably never dealt with a person like that in his line of business. It's no wonder he's impressed.

 

It's a funny scene in a very funny film.

It Happened One Night was voted into the National Film Registry in 1993, the same year as One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest, in fact.

 

The Set-Up: From the Premiere Magazine introduction: "The at-odds relationship between Clark Gable's tough-guy reporter, Peter Warne, and Claudette Colbert's madcap heiress, Ellie Andrews, gives this screwball its spin. Andrews links up with god digger King Westley (Jameson Thomas), but after she argues with her father (Walter Connolly), she runs away, and the millionaire posts a reward. Warne stumbles upon her and tags along, smelling a great story. After numerous mishaps on the road, she returns home, and the two men meet later to settle accounts."

 

Action!

 

 

The scene DISSOLVES TO ANDREWS' STUDY, where a butler stands in front of Andrews who is seated at his desk. 

ANDREWS Show him in. 

The Butler leaving, a CLOSE VIEW shows ANDREWS reaching over and snapping on a dictograph concealed somewhere on his desk. 

The OFFICE coming into VIEW again, we SEE Andrews rising and awaiting Peter's entrance. 

After a moment Peter comes in, removes his soft felt hat, and tucks it under his arm. 

ANDREWS Mr. Warne? 

PETER Yeah. 

ANDREWS Come in. Sit down. 

Peter advances into the room, looking around curiously. His air is frigid, contemptuous as Andrews studies him, and he makes no move to sit. 

PETER Thanks.

Andrews waves to a chair and sits down himself. Peter flops into the nearest chair. 

ANDREWS (seen CLOSE with Peter; after a pause) I was surprised to get your note. 

ANDREWS My daughter hadn't told me anything about you. About your helping her. 

PETER That's typical of your daughter. Takes those things for granted. 

(too restless to sit, he jumps up) 

PETER Why does she think I lugged her all the way from Miami— (vehemently) for the love of it? 

ANDREWS Please understand me. When I say she didn't tell me anything about it, I mean not until a little while ago. She thinks you're entitled to anything you can get. 

PETER (bitterly) Oh, she does, huh? Now isn't that sweet of her! You don't, I suppose. 

ANDREWS (shrugging) I don't know. I'd have to see on what you base your claim. I presume you feel you're justified in— 

PETER (seen CLOSE now) If I didn't I wouldn't be here! 

(he reaches into his pocket) 

PETER I've got it all itemized. 

(And he throws the paper on Andrews' desk) 

ANDREWS picks up the paper and glances at it. 

After a moment, he looks at Peter, studying him interestedly; then he returns to the paper, and reads its contents: 

ANDREWS "Cash outlay-$8.60. TOPCOAT-$15.00 Suitcase-$7.50. HAT-$4.00  3 shirts-$4.50"

ANDREWS "TOTAL 39.60. All the above items had to be sold to buy gasoline."

Andrews looks up from the paper. This is a twist he hadn't anticipated, and he doesn't quite know how to handle it. 

PETER (now seen closer with Andrews) And  I sold some drawers shorts and socks, too; I'm throwing those...

PETER ...in. 

ANDREWS And this is what you want—thirty- nine dollars and sixty cents? 

PETER Why not? I'm not charging you for the time I wasted. 

ANDREWS Yes, I know—but— 

PETER What's the matter? Isn't it cheap enough? A trip like that would cost you a thousand dollars! Maybe more!

ANDREWS Let me get this straight. 

ANDREWS You want this thirty-nine sixty in addition to the ten thousand dollars? 

PETER What ten thousand? 

ANDREWS The reward. 

PETER (sharply) Who said anything about a reward! 

ANDREWS (smiling) I'm afraid I'm a little confused.  

ANDREWS You see, I assumed you (were coming here for)— 

PETER (impatiently) Look, look, look. All I want is thirty-nine sixty. If you'll give me a check I'll get out of this place joint. 

PETER It gives me the jitters. 

ANDREWS You're a peculiar chap. 

PETER (irritably) Yeah, we'll go into that some other time. 

ANDREWS The average man would go after the reward. All you seem to— 

PETER Listen, did anybody ever make a sucker out of you? 

PETER This is a matter of principle. Something you probably wouldn't understand. 

(he burns at the thought) 

PETER  When somebody takes me for a buggy ride I don't like the idea of having to pay for the privilege. 

ANDREWS You were taken for a buggy ride? 

PETER Yeah—with all the trimmings. Now, how about the check. Do I get it? 

A CLOSE-UP indicates that ANDREWS has been studying Peter throughout the scene. He is now completely won over. 

ANDREWS (smiling) Certainly. 

(he opens a checkbook and writes it out)

PETER Thanks.

While Andrews writes, Peter wanders around the room in an attitude of bitter contempt. 

Andrews rises and goes to him. 

ANDREWS Here you are. (as Peter takes the check)

PETER Thank you.

ANDREWS Oh. uh..

ANDREWS Do you mind if I ask you something a question frankly? 

(Peter just looks at him without responding) 

ANDREWS Do you love my daughter? 

PETER (evasively, while folding the check) Any guy that'd fall in love with your daughter should have his head examined. 

ANDREWS That's an evasion. 

PETER (putting the check into a wallet) She grabbed herself a perfect running mate. King Westley! The pill of the century! (pocketing wallet) 

PETER What she needs is a guy that'd take a sock at her every day—whether it's coming to her or not. 

A CLOSE VIEW of the TWO shows Andrews smiling: Here is a man! 

PETER If you had half the brains you're supposed to have, you'd have done it yourself—long ago. 

ANDREWS Do you love her? 

PETER (going for his hat as he replies) A normal human being couldn't live under the same roof with her, without going nuts. 

(going to the door) 

PETER  She's my idea of nothing! 

ANDREWS I asked you a question. Do you love her? 

PETER (snapping it out) Yes! 

(as Andrews smiles) 

PETER But don't hold that against me. I'm a little screwy myself. 

He snaps the door open and goes out, following which ANDREWS is seen watching the door, his eyes twinkling, and the scene...

CUTS TO the DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY as Peter comes through, moving on to the front door.

 

It Happened One Night

 

Words by Robert Riskin

 

Pictures by Joseph Walker and Frank Capra

 

It Happened One Night is available on DVD from Sony Home Video.