Socialite Ellie Andrews (Colbert) has made a marriage her father does not approve of and which he intends to have annulled. Accustomed to controlling Ellie's life, the wealthy Mr. Andrews has taken his daughter aboard his yacht, where he is trying to talk some sense into her. Ellie, though, will not back down, and before anyone can stop her, she has jumped overboard and made the short swim to the Miami shore, where she purchases a bus ticket to New York.
On the same New York-bound bus as Ellie is New York newspaper reporter, Peter Warne (Clark Gable), who has just been fired from his job. Vowing to prove to his employer just what a fine newspaperman he is, Peter intends to "wow" his editor with the story of all stories...although just what that is, Peter doesn't know yet.
The first meeting between Peter and Ellie is anything but pleasant, as Ellie takes the seat Peter had intended for himself. Although they bicker with one another for many miles, eventually things calm down between them; when the bus makes a rest stop and Peter obtains a newspaper, which has a headline story of the missing heiress, Ellie begs him not to get in touch with her father. Realizing he has come upon that story of all stories, Peter agrees to keep Ellie's secret and help her get to New York (and husband King Westley) in exchange for an exclusive. Ellie agrees, and the two of them, with little money in hand, continue to make their way north, trying, all the while, to evade the detectives who are now searching for the missing woman. Posing as a married couple, they take a room at a motor lodge one evening, a blanket strung across the room serving as "the walls of Jericho" between them.
The closer they get to their destination, the more things change between them, until finally, Ellie doesn't want to reach her husband at all. She would rather stay with Peter.
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What are Peter's feelings, though? Is he interested in Ellie for more than a story? Or maybe he has his eye on the reward money her father has offered for information about Ellie's whereabouts? How it all plays out is the balance of the film.
It Happened One Night is a completely adorable, totally delightful film. Both Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert were wonderful in their roles, and the chemistry between them was fabulous. Really, they ought to have made more films together. (To my knowledge, they only made two...this one and Boom Town.) There are several very comical scenes, especially the one in which they are being questioned by some detectives. With Clark screaming "Quit bawlin'!" at her, Claudette is brushing her hair down over her face to avoid detection, all the while the police are looking on in confusion. I get a huge kick out of the very dashing Mr. Gable in that scene. Also hilarious is the hitch-hiking scene, as the know-it-all Mr. Warne demonstrates the different ways of flagging down a ride. In the end, his thumb isn't nearly as successful as the shapely leg of his companion.
This film is a joy from beginning to end, and I highly recommend it. Since it's out on DVD, it should be very easy to track down. Additionally, it is available in its entirely on YouTube.
Happy viewing!!