Daily Archive

Movie: Born Yesterday

Released: 1950

Stars: Judy Holliday, Broderick Crawford, William Holden

Reason for Watching: Friend’s recommendation

I Can Name This Movie In Three Notes: Broderick Crawford is a rat of a junkyard tycoon who, along with his uber-ditzy live-in girlfriend (Judy Holliday), sets up in Washington, D.C. to grease the palms of a corrupt congressman. Crawford wants Holliday to be presentable, and so hires the intellectual William Holden to give her some learning. But be careful what you wish for!

You Should See This Movie Because: Befitting this blog, the movie was nominated for five Oscars: Costume Design, Director, Picture, Screenplay, plus Judy Holliday won for Best Actress. Holliday’s performance really is out of this world, and though her voice can only be described as Megan Mullally-like, I fell madly in love with it by the end of the film.

The gin rummy scene is easily in my top 50 movie scenes of all time. Any description of it couldn’t do justice, but it blew me away. One of the few times I can remember thinking “Wow, this is an incredible scene” while the scene is still going on. Of course, now I’ve ruined it for all of you. And yes, I did like it more than the gin rummy scene from Goldfinger.

The characters were surprisingly deep for what is essentially a morality play. Broderick Crawford may be the embodiment of the rich a$$hole, ordering people around willy-nilly, using his money to subvert the law, and ending every single sentence with an exclamation mark. But though he pushes Judy Holliday around (both literally and figuratively), his sensitive side can’t help but push through. The treatment of domestic violence and female empowerment were unexpectedly modern.

Ultimately, the movie features a crisp, funny, and at times poignant script rounded out by stellar acting all around.

And the shots of DC in 1950 were pretty cool. Oh, and there’s a Rabbit Maranville reference.

You Shouldn’t See This Movie Because: The tacked-on feel of scenes where Holden and Holliday are gallivanting around DC mean the adaptation from successful Broadway play to movie could have been executed a little better.

Holden’s Jimmy Stewart-like naivete/belief in America is charming, at first. But some statements, such as the one about how rare it was to find a Congressman who could be bought might provide a little too much unintentional comedy.

The ridiculous way couples in older movies kiss: The man grabs the woman firms by the shoulders, then they do a modified bearhug while smushing their lips together. OK, maybe that just bothers me.