Ball of Fire (1941)

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Charles Brackett (screenplay) &
Billy Wilder (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 December 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A group of ivory-tower lexicographers realize they need to hear how real people talk, and end up helping a beautiful singer escape from the Mob.

Plot Keywords:

Pencil Sharpener | Philanthropist | Railway Station | Crime Boss | Microscope

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Prof. Bertram Potts
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Katherine 'Sugarpuss' O'Shea
Oskar Homolka	...	Prof. Gurkakoff - Mathematics
Henry Travers	...	Prof. Jerome - History
S.Z. Sakall	...	Prof. Magenbruch - Physiology
Tully Marshall	...	Prof. Robinson - Law
Leonid Kinskey	...	Prof. Quintana
Richard Haydn	...	Prof. Oddly - Botany
Aubrey Mather	...	Prof. Peagram - Literature
Allen Jenkins	...	Garbageman
Dana Andrews	...	Joe Lilac
Dan Duryea	...	Duke Pastrami
Ralph Peters	...	Asthma Anderson
Kathleen Howard	...	Miss Bragg
Mary Field	...	Miss Totten

Also Known As:

The Professor and the Burlesque Queen

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7347)

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

While filming the scene in which Potts declares his love for Sugarpuss in a dark hotel bungalow, Gregg Toland put Barbara Stanwyck in blackface to make sure that her eyes were shining through the darkness.

Goofs:

During the walk through central park, the camera shadow is visible on Professor Gurkakoff's torso.

Quotes:

Sugarpuss O'Shea: Do you know what this means - "I'll get you on the Ameche"?
Professor Bertram Potts: No.
Sugarpuss O'Shea: 'Course you don't. An Ameche is the telephone, on account of he invented it.
Professor Bertram Potts: Oh, no, he didn't.
Sugarpuss O'Shea: Like, you know, in the movies.
Professor Bertram Potts: Well, I see what you mean. Very interesting. Make no mistake, I shall regret the absence of your keen mind; unfortunately, it is inseparable from an extremely disturbing body.

Movie Connections:

References Sergeant York (1941)

Soundtrack:

Drum Boogie

Great Cast, Dated-But-Fun Dialog

Wow, what a cast! Let's see, there's Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Haydn, Oscar Homolka, Henry Travers, S.Z. Sakall, Tully Marshall, Dana Andrews, Allen Jenkins and more! Classic film fans know all these names.

What's more, it's a fun movie, fun to see and especially fun to hear. Stanwyck is her usual fascinating self, but in this movie it's the men - the seven old bachelors and the younger Cooper in the "club" - that are the most entertaining.

When you have directors and writers such as Howard Hawks and Billy Wilder behind the film, you know it's a winner.

Because the story dealt with a bunch of encyclopedia writers trying to find out the latest slang words, the dialog in here is really funny. The expressions of the day are dated and humorous and there are so many you can't count them all. Some are stupid; some are hilarious...which is what you get with most comedies anyway. Not every line hits the mark, but a lot do in this one.

Tack on some action and some romance and it's corny-but-cute film , entertaining all the way.