Review of Bringing Up Baby (1938) by Fil A — 29 Jul 2011

One of the seminal films in the genre, and to this day still one of the best, Bringing Up Baby is the very definition of "screwball" comedy. The plotting is ridiculous and exhausting as the film moves from the city into the Green World where madness ensues.

It's actually a pretty smart film, playing with gender conventions and romantic social roles. But what really makes it work is the dedication and perfect chemistry of the leads, Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, who sizzle with passion even when their characters don't know it.

It's oddball slapstick to an absurdly magnified degree, but it's undeniably hilarious.