It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night Literary Elements

Director

Frank Capra

Leading Actors/Actresses

Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable

Supporting Actors/Actresses

Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, Jameson Thomas, Charles C. Wilson

Genre

Romance/Comedy/Screwball

Language

English

Awards

Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actress (Claudette Colbert), Best Adapted Screenplay (Robert Riskin)

Date of Release

February 22, 1934

Producer

Frank Capra, Harry Cohn

Setting and Context

Miami, all along the Eastern seaboard north to New York

Narrator and Point of View

No narrator, and the point of view is omniscient, although the camera primarily follows Ellie and Peter

Tone and Mood

Light-hearted, positive, sexy, adventurous

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonist: Ellie, Antagonist: Mr. Andrews

Major Conflict

The major conflict is that Mr. Andrews disapproves of Ellie's wedding to King Westley and so is holding her captive. When she escapes and begins making her way back to New York, Mr. Andrews sends out a search party and tries to get her back. The second conflict occurs when Ellie returns home believing that Peter doesn't love her, and almost marries King Westley in a formal ceremony.

Climax

The climax occurs when Ellie flees her wedding to King Westley to go find Peter and profess her love.

Foreshadowing

No real instances of foreshadowing

Understatement

No instances of understatement

Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques

The film and editing techniques that director Frank Capra used made the film unique for the era. Many film critics still praise the film's crispness and clear storytelling.

Allusions

A brief allusion is made to Gandhi.

Paradox

At the end, both Peter and Ellie believe that the other is not in love with them. If either of them were able to express their feelings, then they would get back together, but because of a misunderstanding, each of them feels abandoned by the other.

Parallelism

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