Legendary film critic and author Molly Haskell joins Aliece Pickett to look at Pre-Code Screwball Comedy and how master filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch and writer Ben Hecht were able to use visual cues and dialog to get still-provocative and racy scenes past the censors in the 1933 film Desig.n for Living.

Molly Haskell on Screwball Comedy Heroines: Design for Living (1933 film)

Legendary film critic and author Molly Haskell joins Aliece Pickett to look at the advent of the Screwball Comedy Heroine. And examine how master filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch had unconventional female characters driving unconventional plots and characterizations, but with the use of clever dialog, and double entendre could imply much – yet show nothing overtly objectionable!

#screwball_film. #screwball_film-society. #screwballcomedy. #MollyHaskell. #GaryCooper. #MiriamHopkins. #FredricMarch. #ErnstLubitsch. #BenHecht. #homoerotica. #Challengers. #CallMeByYourName. #ObjectiveCorrelatives. #ProductionCode. #Censors. #Pre-Code. #AndrewSarris. #Remarriage. #ScrewballHeroine.

Legendary film critic and author Molly Haskell joins Aliece Pickett to look beyond Screwball Comedy’s escapist froth to its challenge of Romantic Comedy’s “happily ever after” trope. And they examine the parallels between writer-director Preston Sturges’ film The Palm Beach Story (1942) and his personal life.

screwball_film. #screwball_film-society. #screwballcomedy. #Preston Sturges. #JoelMcCrea. #ClaudetteColbert. #StuartKlawans. #MollyHaskell. #StanleyCavell.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett & Lauren Wolfer discuss the “Forgotten Man” in Screwball Comedy: My Man Godfrey (1936 film) and its “Forgotten Director” Gregory La Cave. It stars Carole Lombard, William Powell, and Gail Patrick. #MyManGodfrey. #CaroleLombard. #WilliamPowell. #GailPatrick. #GregoryLaCave. #EugenePallette. #OlympiaKirakou. #AndrewSarris. #ForgottenMan. #ForgottenDirector.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett & Lauren Wolfer discuss Screwball Comedy, a sex comedy without the sex: Ball of Fire (1941 film), its cinematographer Gregg Toland, and slang and script writers Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder. It stars Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. #GaryCooper. #BarbaraStanwyck. #CharlesBrackett. #BillyWilder. #GreggToland. #AndrewSarris. #Slang.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett & Lauren Wolfer discuss Role Reversal and the Screwball Comedy: His Girl Friday (1949 film) and director Howard Hawks. It stars Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy and Gene Lockhart; production designer Lionel Banks; and costume designer Robert Kalloch. #screwball_film. #screwball_film-society. #screwballcomedy. #CaryGrant. #RosalindRussell. #ralphbellamy. #GeneLockhart. #HowardHawks. #JosephMcBride. #ScottEyman.

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Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett introduces Adam’s Rib (1949 film), and discusses Judy Holliday’s response to being targeted by the FBI, and her Congressional testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).

Who’s Wearing the Pants in Screwball Comedy: Adam’s Rib (1949 film)

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett discusses with Edward Schroeder Who Wears the Pants in Screwball Comedy: Adam’s Rib (1949 film). The film stars Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy and Judy Holliday; director George Cukor; and screenplay by Ruth Gordon and Garson Canin. #screwball_film. #screwball_film_society. #screwballcomedy. #screwballfilmsociey #KatherineHepburn. #SpencerTracy. #JudyHolliday. #GeorgeCukor. #RuthGordon. #GarsonKanin.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett discusses with Lauren Wolfer: Cedric Gibbons, Art Deco, and the Screwball Comedy: Libeled Lady (1936 film). It stars Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy; director Jack Conway; and screenplay by Maurine Dallas Watkins and Howard Emmett Rogers. #screwball_film. #screwball_film_society. #screwballcomedy. #screwballfilmsociey #JeanHarlow. #WilliamPowell. #MyrnaLoy. #SpencerTracy. #JackConway. #MaurineDallasWatkins. #HowardEmmettRogers.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett discusses with Edward Schroeder the Screwball Comedy’s sexiest scene in The Lady Eve (1941 film). It stars Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda and Charles Coburn; director and writer Preston Sturges. #screwball_film. #screwball_film_society. #screwballcomedy. #screwballfilmsociey. #BarbaraStanwyck. #HenryFonda. #CharlesCoburn. #PrestonSturges.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett discusses with Lauren Wolfer the Screwball Comedy of Remarriage in The Philadelphia Story (1940 film). It stars Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey; director George Cukor; and screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart. #screwball_film. #screwball_film_society. #screwballcomedy. #screwballfilmsociey #KatherineHepburn. #CaryGrant. #JamesStewart. #RuthHussey. #GeorgeCukor. #DonaldOgdenStewart.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett discusses with Lauren Wolfer the Screwball Comedy marriage-revolution in The Thin Man (1934 film), and the sleuthing-bantering couple sub-genre. It stars William Powell, Myrna Loy and Maureen O’Sullivan; directed by W.S. Van Dyke; screenplay by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich and story by Dashiell Hammett. #screwball_film. #screwball_film-society. #screwballcomedy. #WilliamPowell. #MyrnaLoy. #MaureenO’Sullivan. #WSVanDyke. #AlbertHackett. #FrancesGoodrich. #DashiellHammett.

Film Society of Screwball Comedy founder Aliece Pickett discusses with Lauren Wolfer the reasons Bringing Up Baby (1938 film) is more Screwball Comedy than Slapstick Comedy. It stars Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, May Robson and Charles Ruggles; director Howard Hawks; and screenplay by Dudley Nichols and Hagar Wilde. #screwball_film. #screwball_film_society. #screwballcomedy. #screwballfilmsociey. #KatherineHepburn. #CaryGrant. #MayRobson. #CharlesRuggles. #HowardHawks. #DudleyNichols. #HagarWilde.

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