Screwball comedies, popular in the 1930s and 1940s, feature fast-talking, witty dialogue, farcical situations, and often a battle of the sexes.
1. His Girl Friday (1940)
A newspaper editor uses every trick in the book to keep his ace reporter ex-wife from remarrying.
Why it’s great:
- Rapid-fire dialogue and screwball comedy pacing
- Chemistry between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell
- Clever blend of romance and newspaper world satire
2. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
A paleontologist gets mixed up with a scatterbrained heiress and her pet leopard.
Why it’s great:
- Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant’s comedic chemistry
- Farcical plot with escalating complications
- Perfect example of screwball comedy style
3. The Lady Eve (1941)
A con artist falls for the wealthy man she’s trying to swindle.
Why it’s great:
- Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda’s performances
- Preston Sturges’ clever screenplay and direction
- Blend of romance, comedy, and con artist plot
4. It Happened One Night (1934)
A spoiled heiress and a roguish reporter fall in love while traveling across the country.
Why it’s great:
- Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert’s sparkling chemistry
- Pioneering road trip romantic comedy
- Influential on subsequent screwball comedies
5. The Awful Truth (1937)
A divorcing couple interferes in each other’s romances as they await their divorce to become final.
Why it’s great:
- Irene Dunne and Cary Grant’s comedic chemistry
- Sophisticated humor and witty banter
- Influential on subsequent screwball comedies.
