There is way too much dialogue for this film. That is certainly not a bad thing. There is enough dialog for films 4 times as long, and yet all of it fits perfectly into this film because of Hawks' precision direction and the fabulous acting. Hawks finds a way to include all the dialog without making it confusing or tedious. He establishes a very tight flow for all that is going on. I almost felt out of breath at the conclusion. The actors do a superb job of not merely reciting their lines, but reacting to each other, vocally and physically. One could almost watch this movie without sound and still follow the interplay. The subtle body language and facial expressions are as perfectly timed and choreography as anything else. I really enjoyed that this wasn't just a wacky comedy. Underneath the flashy surface is a very direct satirical commentary. This film makes a strong statement on the cutthroat mentality of the press and their skewed method of reporting the "facts". The reporters don't actually deal with facts; they spew out opinions disguised as facts. The state of the press is not much different today. None of the characters are very appealing. They are either jackals or pansies. It is easy to forget that with all the witty banter. I think this is a highly entertaining, very insightful film. Top notch.
Review of His Girl Friday
