His Girl Friday

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2:49

His Girl Friday

1940

1h 32m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

104 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

When hard-charging New York newspaper editor Walter Burns discovers that his ex-wife, investigative reporter Hildy Johnson, has gotten engaged to milquetoast insurance agent Bruce Baldwin, he unsuccessfully tries to lure her away from tame domestic life with a story about the impending execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams. But when Hildy discovers Williams may be innocent, her reporter instincts take over.

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Critics Consensus

Anchored by stellar performances from Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, His Girl Friday is possibly the definitive screwball romantic comedy.

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Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

The zingers don’t stop...

Nov 15, 2022

Full Review

Katherine Howard

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

It is with a great deal of envy that this real Girl Friday reports on the reel Girl Friday who cavorts on the [screen in] His Girl Friday. We can only say: It must have been wonderful to work in the "dark ages" of newspapering.

Oct 14, 2021

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Mae Tinee

Chicago Tribune

This farcical film is smartly acted, dialoged, and directed. It has nary a "Go" light for boredom.

Oct 14, 2021

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

One of the all-time great motion pictures -- if anyone ever elects to place a screwball comedy in a time capsule for 25th-century historians to analyze, it might as well be this one.

Rated: 4/4

Apr 4, 2023

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Dilys Powell

Sunday Times (UK)

It is intensely exciting and funny, a picture which flashes by you before you have had time to remember that for an hour and a half you have forgotten the war.

Aug 9, 2022

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

A film resting on the speed and timing of its delivery, as well as the talent of Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, His Girl Friday remains a whimsical classic whose sheer velocity earned Hawks boasting rights over Milestone's earlier version.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 18, 2022

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Samuel M.

Insanely quick dialogue and tons of funny lines that don't let you breathe.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/28/25

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Wayne K

Despite World War 2 being in full swing in 1940, with the Axis powers safely on the winning side, screwball comedies flourished in America, likely because people wanted something light and funny to distract them from what was going on in the wider world. Cary Grant is an actor you could likely never get tired of because he always knew where the limit was and never went too far over the top. In His Girl Friday his funniest moments come from the moments where he pretends to be playing things straight, but with his tongue firmly in his cheek. The rapid-fire dialogue and characters speaking over each was no doubt amusing and even revolutionary at the time but slightly grating when watched back years, especially because not enough of it is really funny. You’re basically wading through an avalanche of dialogue to get to whatever jokes there are. It’s an amusing story with lots of memorable twists, but I didn’t laugh enough to justify the energy the characters and the director was putting into it. I enjoyed it for sure, but not as much as I was expecting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/21/25

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William B

What a movie! Definitely recommended for anyone who wants to have a good time laughing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/05/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 32 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring Cary Grant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic cast and crew members!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

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Benedetta V

A fast-paced film, very different from what we're used to. I was afraid to blink, worried I might miss a detail. I watched this film at last year's Venice Film Festival, and it was incredible.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/25

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Lars N

I'm exchausted! What an outrages paste. A surprisingly modern movie whose influence certainly shines through.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/25

Full Review

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Howard Hawks

Director

Cary Grant

Walter Burns

Rosalind Russell

Hildegard "Hildy" Johnson

Ralph Bellamy

Bruce Baldwin

Gene Lockhart

Sheriff Peter B. "Pinky"'Hartwell

Helen Mack

Mollie Malloy

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His Girl Friday: Trailer 1

2:49

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Synopsis

When hard-charging New York newspaper editor Walter Burns discovers that his ex-wife, investigative reporter Hildy Johnson, has gotten engaged to milquetoast insurance agent Bruce Baldwin, he unsuccessfully tries to lure her away from tame domestic life with a story about the impending execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams. But when Hildy discovers Williams may be innocent, her reporter instincts take over.

Director: Howard Hawks
Producer: Howard Hawks
Screenwriter: Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur, Charles Lederer
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 11, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 30, 2014
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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