The Best Films of Clark Gable

1. Gone With the Wind

2. It Happened One Night

3. Mutiny on The Bounty

4. The Misfits

5. Red Dust

6. San Francisco

7. Run Silent, Run Deep

It Happened One Night (1934) - Updated

Hopefully no one holds this against me, but I have never been a big fan of Claudette Colbert. However, I will say that I am a Capra aficionado and Clark Gable is certainly a classic Hollywood star who is dynamic in this film. Thus, despite my hangups with Colbert, I can still thoroughly enjoy this romantic comedy, the so-called original screwball. It helps to have such comedic fellows as Roscoe Karns, Alan Hale Sr. (father of The Skipper) and Walter Connolly.

Peter Warne is the down on his luck newspaper man and Ellen Andrews is a socialite who feels trapped between her suffocating father and an upcoming marriage. Does this formula sound familiar? It undoubtedly is, but this was the original, all those following were impostors.

The unlikely pair begin a cross country trek towards the destination of New York. It includes uncomfortable bus rides, awkward overnight stays, a bit of hitchhiking, and eating carrots to survive.

Only in the movies could such a scenario play out and yet that is the fun because anything can happen one night or another. In this case all the caterwauling and antics lead to a happy ending. To think many people thought this film would not be very good! That was obviously proved wrong by numerous accolades. Just think this film came out 80 years ago and we are still watching it today! That is amazing. That is the power of the movies.

Peter Warne: A normal human being couldn't live under the same roof with her without going nutty! She's my idea of nothing!
Alexander Andrews: I asked you a simple question! Do you love her?
Peter Warne: Yes! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself!

5/5 Stars

It Happened One Night (1934)

Starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert with director Frank Capra, this light romance pits a sunk newspaper man with a dissatisfied socialite. Colbert feels stuck in her life with a domineering father who does not approve of her marriage, and so she runs off to get away. While on a bus she meets the recently fired Peter (Gable) and there is immediate friction between them. However, realizing she is inexperienced, Peter watches out for her and they travel together. Finding out who she is, he is even more driven to get a story and stay with her. Along the way Colbert begins to fall in love but he does not immediately react. When he finally realizes his true feelings, the situation becomes complicated when Colbert returns to her father and fiancee. In the midst of the wedding she hears of Peter's true love and runs off to him. By that evening they are married and the "walls of Jericho" come tumbling down. Gable and Colbert both do well in this film and Capra gives us another light classic.

5/5 Stars

The Misfits (1961)

The Misfits is a film directed by John Huston and starring the likes of Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter, and Eli Wallach. The story opens in Texas where a young woman is getting a divorce in Texas with the support of another divorced woman. After she goes through with the proceedings she feels bad but her spirits are lifted by a mechanic and then an aging cowboy who both find her extraordinary. She and the cowboy move into the half-finished home of the widowed handy man on his urging. Rosalyn and Gay slowly become closer and then he resolves to rope some wild mustang for money. Later, they go to a rodeo and meet Gay’s friend Perce who takes part in the dangerous proceedings. After a night on the town, he eventually joins the other two men in their endeavor. However, when they actually begin Rosalyn is horrified by the whole thing. In the end, Gay is back with Rosalyn but not without a great deal of strife over the horses. In many ways this film can be seen as prophetic and it certainly is historically important because it was the last film of both Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable. Gable looks haggard and Monroe seems highly emotional, possibly hinting at their imminent deaths. Both the acting and the Arthur Miller script were commendable, and I think a good deal of credit has to be given to Eli Wallach and Thelma Ritter for their performances as well.

4/5 Stars