His Girl Friday

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2:49

His Girl Friday

1940

1h 32m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

107 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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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

Dec 23, 2025

5/5

Grant’s performance, full of ad libs, is a suave delight.

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Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

Nov 15, 2022

The zingers don’t stop...

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Katherine Howard

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

Oct 14, 2021

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.

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Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

Mar 7, 2026

9/10

The Front Page found a way to smuggle some feminism into the story without endangering its commercial prospects. The

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Frank J. Avella

The Contending

Dec 23, 2025

A

There’s a moment where (Rosalind) Russell’s Hildy is standing in the doorway of the press room, trying to decide whether to stay or go...What she does with no words and just a few facial expressions and body movements is nothing short of miraculous.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Apr 4, 2023

4/4

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.

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Paul

Aug 18, 2026

Too much dialogue for me.

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Tom B

May 21, 2026

Incredibly clever screenplay for what was originally a play. Bravo. I think these days, we would characterize this as a satire -- and would love it. The press really takes it on the nose here, along with public officials.

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bruce F

@bruce999 Aug 4, 2026

a real classic. Fast talking newspaper people... nice drama. some fun moments. a must see.

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Matthew J L

@matthewjloller Apr 23, 2026

A film that uses its lightning-fast script to comically and seeringly point out the slimy degeneracy that Hildy seeks to escape. And yet at its pinnacle, the film also has her return to her inhumane, anti-feminine profession in rejection of a more homely, more feminine, and more human life. It would be one thing if we were supposed to take this as a tragedy, and I have spent several days trying to convince myself that this is so, so that I can enjoy and approve of the film. Yet in its final moments, the film only laughs at Hildy's tragic choice as though the movie was not succesfully making serious critique in the midst of all the comedy. The ending does no justice to how seriously this comedy took itself. Whether that's an over-commitment the source material, an over-commitment to comedic trappings, or an over-commitment to boss babe feminism... I dont really care - the point remains the same, and that is that the ending of this film sabotages what would have been a real masterwork.

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Kim P

@RT98672688 Mar 22, 2026

A definite choice for the Mount Rushmore of screwball comedies, Grant and Russell are perfect! And seeing a young Ralph Bellamy is a hoot after last seeing him as Randolph Duke in Trading Places and a small part in Pretty Woman.

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chris h

@RT26751167 Dec 14, 2025

This movie hits on so many levels....the dialog is peak in cinema.Must see,great cast,script,everything to love about it.

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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

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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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