Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.
- In the play from which His Girl Friday was adapted, Hildy was a man, not a woman. How would that change the film?
- Critic Tom Powers says that in His Girl Friday, "Male dominance, female inequality, the family as the basic unit of society and the ultimate impotence of political struggle come home to the audience as enduring truths." Do you think that's correct? Does the film support male dominance and argue against political struggle? Why or why not?
- Most romantic comedies these days focus on young couples that are just meeting. How would His Girl Friday be different if Walter and Hildy had never met before the film? Would the film work as well? Explain your answer.
- His Girl Friday is famous for its overlapping, rapid-fire dialogue. Do you think other romantic comedies (like Pretty Woman or Love, Actually) might benefit from this rapid-fire style? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
- A lot of the second part of the movie especially is centered in a single location—the newsroom at the prison. What other locations might the film have shown you? Would this have improved the film? Explain your answer.