"The Walls of Jericho!" - It Happened One Night

It's Claudette Colbert's birthday today! She would've been 117 today, and likely just as chic and glamorous as ever.

via wifflegif

In honour of her birthday, today I'd like to take a deep dive into one of my top three favourite movies: the screwball classic It Happened One Night. 

The first time I saw It Happened One Night was in a film class on narrative structures and it was used as the example for the screwball comedy, and comedy, in a larger sense It quickly became a favourite, and was, I'm pretty sure, the first movie I ever bought at the TCM Shop. It's the definition of a comfort film to me: I know that if I'm feeling blue or need a pick-me-up, I can pop in this movie and I'll have a great time. 

Meet Mr. Andrews. When the movie starts, he's on a boat in Florida listening to how his daughter has barricaded herself in her bedroom and is refusing to eat. He says he'll go down and talk to her; we'll find out why she's being so dramatic in a second. 

Nosy!

Hello Claudette Colbert!

I love sassy Claudette Colbert, and the number one thing you need to know about her, in the context of this film, is that she absolutely hated everything about It Happened One Night. She didn't want to make it (a litany of actresses had also turned down the role before it came to Claudette), was cool and aloof throughout filming, and after it wrapped, told her friends that she'd just finished making the worst movie of her career. 

Anyways, in It Happened One Night, Claudette plays spoiled heiress Ellen "Ellie" Andrews. She eloped before the movie began with some cad named King Wesley (yes, that's his name), and her father (played by one of my favourite character actors, Walter Connolly), has her locked in a cabin on their boat trying to talk sense into her. She's on a hunger strike and everything, so you know she's committed to it. 

But he pushes her too far, and she smacks the fork right out of his hand. His overreaction is to slap her clear across the face. 

So Ellie does what every person should do when they're smacked in the face; get out of the situation. 

And not only does she leap into the water in her night coat...

...she ends up out-swimming the dinghy her father sends after her. 

The rest of the movie is Ellie's journey back to New York (she'd been in Florida) and King Wesley. And in those days, you took the bus if you couldn't take a car or the train. 

Of course Mr. Andrews has men everywhere looking for Ellie, including the bus station. 

But Ellie's continually smarter than they give her credit for: she has an unassuming old lady buy her bus fare for her while she hides in the shadows.

While Ellie's outsmarting her father's henchmen, there's a commotion at the telephone booth. 

Meet Peter Warne, newspaperman. 

Okay, well, recently fired newspaperman. He's drunk and fighting with his former boss, winding him up and painting it (for the men eavesdropping behind him) like he's coming out on top. He's really not: he definitely, absolutely does not have a job to come back to. 

Can I just say how much I love the term 'newspaperman' and I'm sad it's gone? I love it when a journalist is referred to as a newspaperman (speaking as someone who went to journalism school and all...). 

He's on the night bus as well, only, unlike Ellie, the king is getting a procession to his transport. 

Let's talk about the king. The King of Hollywood, that is. Clark Gable was on his way up, one of the biggest names in Hollywood when It Happened One Night was made. And, like Claudette, he wasn't making the movie because he wanted to, he had to. He was either on suspension and loaned to Columbia Pictures (then a lower-rate studio than MGM, for example) or he was between films at MGM and was lent out for this movie. Both stories have been floated around; the truth's probably in there somewhere. 

So Peter gets on the bus, and he's trying to find a seat, and the only seats left are at the back; but they're covered in reams of newspaper. So he does what any out-of-work drunken newspaperman would likely do: he tosses them all out the window. This draws the ire of the bus driver (played by Ward Bond, who you might better recognize as Bert from It's a Wonderful Life, another Frank Capra film). 

I absolutely love how in old movies, the characters emphasize their points by saying, “Oh yeah?” Peter uses it to great effect when he's explaining himself to the bus driver. 

Bus Driver: What you need’s a good sock on the nose.

Peter: Listen partner, you may not like my nose, but I do. I always wear it out in the open where if anybody wants to take a sock at it, they can do it.
Bus Driver: Oh yeah?
Peter: Now, that’s a brilliant answer. Why didn’t I think of it? Our conversation could have been over long ago.
Bus Driver: Oh yeah?
Peter: If you keep that up, we’re not going to get anywhere.
Bus Driver: Oh yeah?
Peter: You got me. Yeah!

PS. Did you notice who slipped by while they're arguing about noses? 

Ellie Andrews, of course. She's not budging because, like I said, there aren't any seats. Peter asks the bus driver if those back seats can fit two people, to which he replies, "Maybe they do." 

Peter tells her to scoot over, this is a "maybe they do" scenario. 

He also offers to put her suitcase away, but she insists on doing it herself, and when the bus starts, she jerks back into his open arms. 

Love at first sight, amirite?

He sees that smirk, Ellie, and so do we! Anyways, they pull over after a while for a quick stop, and Ellie's standing outside smoking while Peter watches her. Or at least, she thinks he's watching her. He's actually watching a lug come up and steal her suitcase. 

He gallantly tries to get it back for her, but it's no use, the lug's gotten away. Peter tells her they can alert the bus driver, and get a claim put in for her belongings, but she doesn't want that. If she does, everyone will know where she is and she'll never reach New York. 

He calls her an ungrateful brat. They get back on the bus. 

Peter's totally willing to let bygones be bygones here, look how keen he is as she walks down the aisle. But Ellie doesn't want to sit with him. At the last second, she finds an empty seat and plops down into it.

He's positively scandalized that she won't sit with him! Don't tell me that Clark Gable wasn't good at subtle comedy. Come to think of it, the new guy she's sitting with is also shocked as hell that she's sitting with him...

Yeah, so Ellie thinks she's in the clear. Until the guy falls asleep on her and starts loudly snoring. 

She looks behind her, and sees that there's still a spot left next to Peter...

...he's pretending to be asleep (he put his hand out just as she started walking for...reasons you probably can guess) and she nestles in next to him. 

He "wakes up" long enough to stare at her; and they share a look before falling asleep, for real this time.

The next morning, the driver pulls over and tells them they have time for breakfast. Everyone gets off the bus except for Peter and Ellie, who are curled up together. When Ellie wakes up, she's slightly embarrassed, but laughs it off. 

She's going to make a call at an out-of-the-way hotel, and likely won't be back in time for the bus, so she asks the driver to wait for her. "Oh yeah?" he asks. "Yeah," she replies, unassumingly. 

She gets back from the hotel to find that the bus has up and left her. She'd asked him to wait! 

Now she has to wait until 8:00 pm to catch the next bus. 

Not that she would've caught the bus anyways, she'd forgotten her ticket behind. Good thing Peter grabbed it. And good thing he decided to wait for her. What a gent, eh?

"You'll never get away with it, Miss Andrews," he tells her.

What's on the front page? Well, a building in Chicago was wrecked by a blast and there's a grand jury probe due about control dams to prevent flooding... oh, and Ellie's escape as well.

She asks him to help her get to New York and to help her get there quietly. She's got to beat her father there, and she's got to get there without being spotted. 

She makes the mistake most people do in '30s films: she offers to pay him for his help. But poor people in '30s movies are usually too proud for handouts (this is one of my biggest pet peeves, honestly) and looooove lording it over the rich character's head. Instead of just saying, "Hey, no need for money, friend, I'm totally willing to help you out of the goodness of my heart," he says this: 

"I had you pegged right from the jump. Just the spoiled brat of a rich father. The only way you get anything is to buy it. You're in a jam and all you can think of is your money. It never fails, does it? Ever hear of the word 'humility?' No, you wouldn't. It never occurred to you to say, 'Please, Mister, I'm in trouble. Will you help me?' That'd bring you down off your high horse. I'll tell you something to ease your mind. You don't have to worry about me. I'm not interested in your money or your problem. You, King Westley, your father... You're all a lot of hooey to me." 

Then he promptly goes to a Western Union, writes out a telegram to his former boss telling him that he knows where the missing heiress is, and that he can get a scoop for him. Oh, and he reverses the charges so that he doesn't have to pay for the telegram. So much for hooey, eh? 

Finally back on the bus, Ellie hops into the empty seat next to this fine gent, Oscar Shapely, rather than having to sit with Peter again. Honestly, after that rant, I don't exactly blame her. 

But he talks her ear off, flirting and going on until finally she snaps at him, causing Peter to get involved. 

He tells Shapely that Ellie's his wife, and naturally he's only too happy to vacate the seat for the newlyweds to sit together.

She tells Peter that she spent the day hiding in vestibules (it's been raining all day); and that she barely has any money left (her purse is the only thing she has left other than the clothes she's wearing). She tries to buy a chocolate bar but he won't let her. Takes her wallet off of her and tells her that he's going to be in charge of her expenditures until they reach New York. 

Only they won't be getting there any quicker...

...the bridge has washed out and they can't drive any further. 

So Peter rents them a room at the travel lodge, continuing their newlywed ruse. To get Ellie in the room and to ensure that she plays along...

...he puts up the 'Walls of Jericho' to separate their beds. Then he starts to tease her. 

Peter: Perhaps you're interested in how a man undresses. You know, it's a funny thing about that. Quite a study in psychology. No two men do it alike. You know, I once knew a man who kept his hat on until he was completely undressed. Yeah, now he made a picture. Years later, his secret came out. He wore a toupee. Yeah. You know, I have a method all my own. If you notice, the coat came first, then the tie, then the shirt. Now, uh, according to Hoyle, after that, the, uh, pants should be next. There's where I'm different... I go for the shoes next. First the right, then the left. After that it's, uh, every man for himself.

It's Hollywood lore at this point, but when Clark Gable removed his shirt and there wasn't an undershirt underneath, it's said to have seriously damaged undershirt sales. Imagine being the top undershirt salesman going to see this movie and you realize Clark Gable just destroyed your commission. Tragic, right?  

Anyways, they get ready for bed, lights out (she's wearing his spare pyjamas, by the way), and then Ellie realizes...

Ellie: By the way, what's your name?

Peter: What's that?

Ellie: Who are you?

Peter: Who me? I'm the whippoorwill that cries in the night. I'm the soft morning breeze that caresses your lovely face.

Ellie: You've got a name, haven't you?

Peter: Yeah, I got a name. Peter Warne.

Ellie: Peter Warne. I don't like it.

Peter: Don't let it bother you. You're giving it back to me in the morning.

Ellie: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Warne.

Peter: The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Warne.

Meanwhile, Mr. Andrews is flying to New York and he still hasn't heard from Ellie; nor have any of his men found a trace of her.

The next morning, after a funny scene where Ellie has to use a communal shower area for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Warne are enjoying breakfast together (he's teaching her how to properly dunk a donut, but as I'm not a coffee drinker, I have no insight into his methods). 

But the investigators have caught up to Ellie, and they're checking rooms at the travel lodge. Peter gets her to muss herself up and they play a quarreling husband and wife.

Investigator: We're looking for a girl named Ellen Andrews. Daughter of that big Wall Street mogul.

Peter: Too bad you're not looking for a plumber's daughter. Quit bawlin', quit bawlin'!

How risqué! The code wasn't yet enforced, so this subtly romantic moment likely passed the test. It's one of my favourite small moments; you can tell they're growing to like each other at this point. 

Actually, this entire scene is hilarious. You have to watch it: 

They've convinced the investigators that Ellie isn't Ellie, so naturally, it's back to the bus!

Back on the bus and uh oh! Shapely's figured it out!

God, I love their chemistry. They're firmly friends now, and it's only going to get more heated from here, folks!

Old timey travel, eh? It looks fun. The whole bus is putting on a performance of 'The Man on the Flying Trapeze' (which is now in my head, and maybe yours? I'm sorry!)

How fun is that? Every time I've ever taken a bus for long haul travel it's been so quiet and keep-to-myself. Nary a Peter Warne-lite to be found! Even flying. I always get seated next to someone who is absolutely petrified of flying and they end up freaking me out; never next to someone who's going to go on an adventure through Toronto with me. Shame.

Anyways, the bus driver is also having fun with this performance, and given the way everyone's dancing and rocking the bus, maybe it's not outside the realm of possibility that he'd do what he does, which is drive into a ditch.

It knocks Ellie right out of her seat! "Thank the man for me, Peter," she says. "It's the first comfortable position I've been in all night."

He pulls her up and begins singing to her again, and she (and I) absolutely loves it. But then...

...they hear this little boy crying because his mother hit her head when the bus crashed and they've got no money and he's worried. It's very "Gee, Mister" in that typical '30s way. 

...and when Ellie hears he has no money, she gives him all of the money in Peter's hand (he'd been ready to give him a buck or two). 

Outside, waiting for help, Shapely finds Peter and lets him in on the news about Ellie. He wants to split the reward 50/50. 

Peter plays it like a gangster, telling Shapely there's likely to be a shoot out with the police, and that he has machine guns in his suitcase so they're ready and armed for it. He tells Shapely that he's actually kidnapping Ellie, and that he's not going to give her back for the measly reward offered, he's going to demand a million dollars for her. 

It freaks Shapely out, fair to say, and he wants out of it. Peter acts all disgusted, tells him to run away from the bus and to keep his mouth shut. Shapely's only too happy to oblige. 

And since Peter's spooked, he and Ellie also dash off into the night before someone else can spot her mug on the front page. 

How gallant, giving her a piggyback ride! Well, this is what Ellie considers a piggyback ride; Peter tells her not to be foolish (and spanks her for it). 

They come across a field, and Peter begins making her a makeshift bed out of straw. She's less than enthused about having to sleep outdoors (naturally), and she's starving. He tells her that she can't be sleepy and hungry at the same time, and she says watch me, you're witnessing it happen.

So Ellie climbs into her bed, lazes out like a queen in repose and starts talking to him: if he's going to constantly snap at her, he can leave. She can manage on her own; nobody's keeping him here. 

Then she looks behind her. He's not there. She starts screaming for him, frantic that he's actually gone...

...and when he comes back because she's screaming for him, she throws her arms around him and holds him tightly. 

Peter: What's got into you? I left for a minute to find you something to eat.

Ellie: I know but...

Peter: Here, eat your head off.

Ellie: I don't want it now.

Peter: I thought you said you were hungry.

Ellie: I was, but...

Peter: But what?

Ellie: I was so scared, it scared the hunger...

Peter: Holy jumping catfish. You drive a guy crazy.

Since she's not hungry, she's sleepy, and Peter carefully tucks her in...

...and they almost kiss! But they don't. 

The next morning, they're walking down the road, right in the middle of it, cause traffic wasn't a thing back then, apparently. Her feet hurt, and like, can you blame her? If I ever need to run away back to my husband, I'm making sure I'm wearing flats, at least. 

Ellie wants to rest a minute, so they stop and sit on a fence. Then Peter decides to teach her how to hitchhike. Honestly, this is one of the most iconic moments in movie history. Do me a favour and just watch.

She flags down the car, and Peter's mad because of how she did it ("Why didn't you take off all your clothes, you could've stopped 40 cars," he says. She tells him that she'll keep it in myind for when they need 40 cars). And they're in the backseat while this loon, played by Alan Hale, Sr., makes up songs about them ("Young people in loooooooooooooove are selllllllllllllllllllllllllllllldom hungry," for example).

He stops at a rest stop and offers to buy them food, but Peter tells him they'll wait in the car. Ellie, still starving, wants to eat, and isn't too proud to take food when offered. Peter...sigh...tells her that he'll break her neck if she does. The proudness talking? Anyways, it kills the mood (he was in one already from seeing her leg like that) and Ellie gets out of the car and wanders off. 

Peter follows behind her, knowing that he stepped over a line, but unable to say it. 

Instead, he reaches out and holds onto her hand in a comforting gesture. Honestly, in my opinion, this is one of the most subtle and tender moments in a romantic comedy that I've ever seen. It conveys so much about their characters and how far they've come in their relationship (or friendship, rather). 

While they're having this tender moment out in the trees, Alan Hale Sr., scoots back to the car and, noticing them gone but their personal effects still in the car, starts to take off. 

Not on Peter's watch!

Somehow, somehow, he managed to get the car from Alan Hale Sr., and left him tied to a tree. Somehow. Could you outrun a '30s car? Was that in the realm of possibility? This moment has honestly always baffled me. 

But then Ellie gets to be tender with Peter, who has a busted eye. See, she cares! 

She's even willing to eat a gross old dirty carrot, so you know she's growing as a person (Peter sees it too, and he's impressed). 

Meanwhile, Mr. Andrews is meeting with King Westley, and they're willing to try a different tack and work together to get Ellie back...

...they plant a story in the newspaper that they get along now and that Ellie's father won't object to their marriage anymore; all in the hopes that Ellie will see it and come home. 

Peter's playing the newlywed game again, talking the lodge owner into giving them a free room, since he has barely any money left at this point. The unassuming owner says yes. 

Further proof that Ellie's growing as a person? She hides the newspaper so that Peter can't read the headline. She wants to stay with him. 

Take note of the owner's wife; she's far less likely to believe cockamamie stories and wants her husband to grow a backbone and turn down these requests. 

Behold, another wall of Jericho!

Ellie's beside herself thinking about never seeing Peter again after they reach New York. She asks him that, point blank, if she'll ever see him again. He tells her that basically, once he delivers her to King Westley, he's served his purpose. 

He has no idea what kind of effect his words are having! 

So he tells her all about the kind of woman he's after. She has to be real, and alive, and he wants to take her to some island in the Pacific that he loves; he wants someone who'll jump into the ocean with him and love every minute of it. If he can find that girl, he'll hang onto her. 

While he's talking, Ellie appears at the wall of Jericho with a plea: "Take me with you, Peter. Take me to your island." She wants to run away with him, she loves him! 

She doesn't want to live without him anymore, she loves him! And what does he say?

"You'd better get back to your bed." 

She's crushed. Totally, completely crushed, and she cries herself to sleep while Peter lays there silently. 

But he's awake and he's been thinking: "Did you mean that? Would you go?" PERFECT TIME TO THINK OF THAT RESPONSE, PETER!

He gets up and out of bed, now that he has a plan and a woman who's real and alive and wants to live on this island in the Pacific with him. He goes to the gas station and sells his hat to get money for gas. 

Then he drives to New York to see his old boss. 

He's got a scoop, he just needs the money for it. He has it on good authority that once Ellie Andrews gets to New York she's going to get an annulment from Westley. The editor's willing to pay for that story, but he wants to know who Ellie's going to marry instead. When Peter says it's him, he just about falls over. But he agrees to give him the money. 

Back at the travel inn, the owner's wife wakes him up. The car's gone and she's convinced that Peter and Ellie skipped out on the bill. 

They wake up Ellie and demand to know where Peter went, but she has no idea. They then kick her out without even a care that maybe (if the story was real) that her husband abandoned her. She asks to use the phone; she thinks Peter left her because he didn't like that she revealed her feelings for him, so she makes the one phone call she needs...

...she calls her father and King Westley; and they show up with a motorcade to escort her back. 

Peter, meanwhile, is rushing to get back to Ellie before she wakes up and notices that he's gone. But he gets stopped at a train crossing, and when it passes, he notices the motorcade as well, but not who it's for.

He barely catches a glimpse of Ellie passing by with her father and King Westley consoling her. 

But what's going on? Cue the newspaper montage! I love a good newspaper montage. 

He shows up again at the newspaper office; this time to play it all off like he'd been joking that Ellie was going to annul her marriage and that he was in love with her. He also brings back the money his ex-boss had given him for the story. 

Instead of screaming at him, like he's done all movie, his boss is pretty understanding (and probably sees through the tough façade) and tells him to come back when he's sober. 

Meanwhile, at the Andrews compound, it's wedding day all over again. A big to-do this time. Ellie's devastated, but too proud to admit that she's in love with Peter. 

Mr. Andrews brings him up, saying that he'd heard from Peter. He shows Ellie the note he'd received, that he only wants the money back that he'd spent getting her to New York. 

They have a chat about Ellie, and Peter says he only wants $39.60. Mr. Andrews asks if that's in addition to the $10,000 reward. But remember how proud Peter was when Ellie offered him money earlier? Same deal here. He gives him another spiel about how money can't buy him and blah blah blah, honestly. 

Mr. Andrews writes him a cheque for $39.60, and asks if he loves his daughter. Peter keeps deflecting, saying all the reasons why a sane person wouldn't love Ellie. Finally, Mr. Andrews says "I asked you a simple question!" 

Mr Andrews: Do you love her?

Peter: Yes! Now don't hold that against me! I'm a little screwy myself!

Watch the whole scene here, it's worth it. 

As Peter's leaving Mr. Andrews's office, he sees Ellie holding court in the next room. "Here's to the merry-go-round," she toasts. 

She asks if he got his money, and he replies, "You bet I did." She thinks he was there for the $10,000 reward, she has no idea he only wanted the $39.60. She tells him to stick around, enjoy the fun, but he tells her he's leaving, he's got a weak stomach. 

King Westley shows up in a helicopter, because of course he does. 

And the wedding party to rival any royal wedding begins its procession. 

Mr. Andrews isn't going to go down without a fight, let me tell you. The whole way up the aisle he tells Ellie that it's still not too late, that Peter's a good guy, that he only wanted the $39.60. That she can run away, her car's at the back gate waiting for her. Peter loves her, she loves him, make her old man happy. Ellie gives nothing away. 

I love that veil. 

Mr. Andrews when the minister asks for any objections. Ultimately, he keeps his mouth shut, but you can tell it's killing him to do so. 

Luckily, Ellie come to her senses just as the minster asks if she'll have this man to thy wedded husband so long as you both shall live? She shakes her head no and peaces out of the wedding. 

King Westley: What happened?

Mr. Andrews: I haven't the slightest idea. 

Some time later, Mr. Andrews is celebrating the fact that King Westley is, or is about to be, his ex-son in law. He paid Westley off, so he won't contest the annulment, and it's about to be finalized. 

After he hangs up, one of his workers comes in with a message from Peter that's basically, what's the hold up? We can't keep the walls of Jericho up much longer... Mr. Andrews says to cable back, "Let them topple." 

Then we cut to this hotel in Glen Falls, Michigan. Another husband and wife proprieter. 

Wife: If you ask me, I don't believe they're married.

Husband: They're married, all right. I just seen the license. They made me get them a rope and a blanket, on a night like this.

Wife: What do you reckon that's for?

Husband: Blamed if I know. I just brought them a trumpet.

Wife: A trumpet?

Husband: A toy. They sent me to the store to get it.

Wife: What in the world do they want a trumpet for?

Husband: Don't know.

But we know what it's for! The walls of Jericho have tumbled! Peter and Ellie are married. 

The end! I love it. It's so iconic, so fun, and so screwy. 

Other Tidbits:

You can watch It Happened One Night on the CTV movie streaming site? I wish I'd known that earlier! 

Go Into the Backstory has more information on the classic hitchhiking scene.

Claudette Colbert was capital-C convinced that she was going to lose the Best Actress Oscar to Bette Davis (who was a write-in candidate that year for Of Human Bondage) that she didn't even show up to the ceremony. She had to be picked up at the train station, where she was leaving for a vacation, to go collect her Oscar. 

Clark Gable's only Oscar sold at auction for $600,000. Claudette Colbert's didn't sell a year later at auction. Is it still for sale somewhere? I'd make a bid! 

"If anybody tried to tamper with her immutable hairdo, makeup, or hem length, she dismissed their attempts with the words “I’ve been in the Claudette Colbert business a long time.” (This is a great profile of Claudette Colbert from Vanity Fair). 

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I don't own any part of this film, but I did take the screenshots used here. I don't own that gif.