The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: Ball of Fire (1941)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

Ball of Fire (1941)

What is the best cinematic medicine for the cold and depressing weather during the winter? A big injection of laughs, for sure! Comedy is a genre that is so essential in life because we all can use a good laugh. This genre has evolved so much over the years and people’s tastes for humor have shifted quite a bit over the years. If you can find a film from 80 years ago that still delivers plenty of laughs, it is fantastic. With the 30s and 40s, the comedy genre strongly leaned into the “screwball comedy” space. Romantic. Fast talking. Sharp humor. Plenty of shenanigans. Now that is the recipe for comedic perfection. Director Howard Hawks found himself at the epicenter of multiple genres in his time including screwball comedy with a film like Ball of Fire.

What makes Ball of Fire so funny? First off, this film has such a strange set up. The film centers on a group of professors who are working on a new encyclopedia which sounds like one of the least funny ideas for a movie. But when you have the most normal (and attractive) of these professors Gary Cooper’s Professor Bertram Potts decides they need perspectives from “other people” to expand the language in the encyclopedia. They take in a mouthy and crass nightclub-singer whose verbiage is quite different from these professors. This strange meet-cute opens the door to these professors getting caught up with the mob who runs the nightclub where this singer is from. This wild set up is full of laughs, thrills, and character moments which all add up to quite the screwball comedy.

What brings the most out of this script? This cast is so much fun. Gary Cooper is a great straight man to all the shenanigans and nonsense that fill out this film. He has a reserved demeanor and awkwardness that makes for some good laughs along the way. Barbara Stanwyck is a firecracker who brings so much vibrance and personality to this film. She stands out in the film due to her crassness and sex appeal which makes her an essential piece to the equation. The other professors are a who crew of silly and funny caricatures that channel the Snow White influences they represent. Henry Travers is one of the most recognizable and entertaining of the bunch for sure. All these beloved character actors do some good voice and character work that bring the laughs and empathy.

How does one bring such a crazy story and characters to life? Director Howard Hawks certainly understood how to bring this to life. Hawks bring a steady handle on balancing the humor of this crazy scenario with the romance and danger of other elements. Hawks gives Cooper and Stanwyck the space to build their connection and the audience buys into this budding connection between them. For the mob elements to hit, you must sense some danger in it. Hawks’ direction provides said danger and suspense. There are so many different types of tones in the film with some of these characters being extremely silly, but Ball of Fire comes together in such an effective and satisfying way.

Are you ready for a wildly fun romp? Hawks’ Ball of Fire is such a wildly fun ride. There are so many fun characters from top to bottom with a fun little romance at the center. There are so many fun beats, characters, and gags that keep this nearly two-hour film going strong. Cooper and Stanwyck anchor this ride and we go on this journey with them easily.

Ball of Fire is streaming on Criterion Channel.