Ball of Fire

Buy This Item Ball of Fire  Available from Amazon  Click 'BUY IT NOW' to get price.  on 11-15-2008     Offering a screwball twist on the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this delightful comedy has grown dated since its release in 1941, but that only adds to its everlasting charm. Written by the ace screenwriting team of Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett and directed by Howard Hawks, the movie presents a breezy case of opposites attracting when nightclub singer "Sugarpuss" O'Shea (Barbara Stanwyck) is recruited to teach jazzy slang to a group of culturally isolated professors. Gary Cooper plays Bertram Potts, the straight-laced scholar who's compiling slang for a new encyclopedia, and his equally stodgy colleagues are fascinated when Sugarpuss and "Pottsie" seem to be warming up for romance. Complications ensue when the savvy singer must distance herself from her mobster fiancé (Dana Andrews), and <I>Ball of Fire</I> takes a wacky turn when the klutzy intellectuals take on the mobster's henchmen. It's all a bit quaint by today's standards, but the movie's got a wealth of witty dialogue and sassy appeal, with Stanwyck leading the way in a role that's equal parts tough exterior and soft-hearted vulnerability. As a bonus, she performs a pair of rousing nightclub numbers (including a lively rendition of "Drum Boogie") with hopped-up drummer Gene Krupa and his orchestra. <I>Ball of Fire</I> was remade in 1948 as the Danny Kaye musical <I>A Song is Born</I>. This one's a real treat for fans of vintage Hollywood comedies. Don't miss it! <I>--Jeff Shannon</I> Reader Reviews Gary Cooper & Barbara Stanwyck star in this romantic comedy. It's a good movie but hasn't aged as well as His Girl Friday. Coop is in a group of eight professors commissioned to write an encyclopedia. They've been at it for nine years & still have a ways to go. The opening scene illustrates their knowledge of many things. Coop is studying slang & a conversation with a trash man makes him realize how far out of date he is./ The slang in this movie fires at a furious rate. To get more up to date he does to a "boogie" club where the cats are jumping! Stanwyck is the burlesque type of entertainer there in a revealing (1941 mind you) costume. Her slang is fast & furious too. But her boyfriend, portrayed by Dana Andrews, is in trouble & she has to go on the lam to hideout from the d.a. She decides to hide out with the professors because that's the last place the authorities would look for her. Of course Cooper & Stanwyck fall in love, got to ditch the mobster boyfriend & stay alive long enough to get married. With all that being said, as much as I like Gary Cooper, I felt he wasn't right for the role. He's a great actor & he's cast against type here. His role as a meek bookworm professor doesn't quite come off. Barbara Stanwyck as the burlesque lady comes off wonderfully well. Dan Duryea has a featured role as one of the henchman & is not only good in the role but also displays a flair for comedy. And it goes without saying Stanwyck not only changes Cooper, she also affects the whole bunch of professors. The movie was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Actress (Stanwyck), Best original Story ( Billy Wilder, who also co-wrote the screenplay), Score & Sound Recording. The movie is directed by the great Howard Hawks who also did His Girl Friday. The movie requires a certain amount of suspension of believability in order to go along with it. But is that so bad? Actually Hollywood has always done that, haven't they?

Ball of Fire Available from Amazon Price: Click 'BUY IT NOW' to get price. Updated on 11-15-2008.

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