It Was Bound to Happen One Night

It Happened One Night (1934), is the comedic tale of how Ellie Andrews and Peter Wayne fell in love. Peter wasn't always in the picture though, he and Ellie are acquainted on a train ride when Ellie escapes her father yacht after an explosive argument about her current marital spouse who her father  truly despises. Servants are ordered to bring in a meal which Ellie dramatically flips across the table, to which her dad responds with a smack to Ellie's face causing her to run away from him and jump into the ocean and swim away. This first scene introduces us to not only Ellie but also her status and privilege. She comes from her fathers wealth which is evident in both his yacht and servants.

Figure 1: Peter's playful manner

It isn't long before we are introduced to Peter, a confident, handsome and quite witty man. After looking for a place to sit, we see him throwing newspapers off of the only visibly train seat. After some not so friendly banter with the conductor , Peter turns to take his seat only to find that Ellie has claimed it.Peter squeezes in beside Ellie as they both appear annoyed by one another's presence.
As morning breaks through the windows of the train, we are met with Ellie who's head has taken a comfortable position on the shoulder of Peter. At a pit stop, unbeknownst to Ellie a man has run off with her suitcase that contains all of her money. Wayne suggests she phone someone once they reach their destination and she becomes very defensive. Making sure not to reveal too much information to a man she barely knows as it would appear strange for a woman of her status to be without a man, have no money and reveal her reasons for not being able to contact anyone.

 The next morning provides passengers of the train 30 minutes to shop, eat and stretch their legs before the train pulls off. Warren warns Ellie that she does not have enough time to go to the place she wants to but she believes the conductor will not pull off without her. Ellie arrives at the train station minutes late and it is revealed that Peter has gotten off of the train to wait with her belongings upon her return, yet another example of her privilege. Due to a copy of that days newspaper, Ellie's identity is discovered by Peter who has no chance to speak before she begins insulting his character and threatening him to turn her into his father.

 He responds by telling explaining how her nature to attack him only solidifies her spoiled manner and advises her to have a slice of humble pie. After several hours the next bus has arrived and they board taking separate seats near by one another. Immediately Ellie is bombarded with conversation by the passenger beside her. After a few moments Peter intervenes and informs the guy that he is her husband and they switch seats.As a beverage and refreshment cart rolls along, Ellie tries to order champagne. Peter remembers the four dollars she had left in her pocket after her belongings were stolen and advises her against it. She doesn't agree with him and believes he should mind his business but he takes control of the situation and tells her to shut up.

 There is a lot of male-dominated behavior exhibited in this movie that is no longer acceptable in our modern culture but in the 1930's behavior of this sort was not frowned upon and in a way expected. While telling Ellie to shut-up was what some may consider harsh, it definitely was not ill-advised. Here they were on this several day long trip and she only had four dollars to hold her over, in less than a day she managed to go through more than half of it trying to maintain her fancy life-style, which reveals another moment where her prior lifestyle threatens to disrupt her current one.

As a heavy thunderstorm threatens the conditions of the roads, the passengers are let out at a motel where Peter books a room for the two of them informing the owners again that they are husband and wife. This is the second time Peter has done this and both times they provide comical relief from the previous situation while also ensuring her protection. If he is seen as her husband then he does not have to worry about any man trying to gain her interest while also making sure that she doesn't come off as noticeable. It's easier to remember a beautiful young girl alone by herself opposed to a beautiful woman on the arm of her husband. 
Shortly after we come to find out that Peter is interested in her story. He assures her that his intentions are not to return her to her father but in fact capture her journey as she makes her way to happiness. To make it known just how uninterested in Ellie he is, Peter drapes a bedspread divider

Figure 2: Peter creating the bedspread divider for privacy

between the two of them offering as much privacy as he can for Ellie's comfort. Ellie is shy and prompts Peter to turn the light out so that she can undress.( See Figure 2) Once in bed, Ellie recalls that she hasn't been told Peters name and even though we're 30 minutes into the movie and shes known him for well over 24 hours, we come to know him as Peter.

 As morning creeps into the hotel room Ellie is tasked with the lifestyle of the common people. She is forced to wait in line outside for the next available shower, as she walks out with her toiletries he makes a joke that her hair looks cute and she should never comb it. There seems to be a healthy balance between jokes they share with one another and the 1930's way of talking to a woman.

Its not long before officials come looking for Ellie, with a raised reward of 10,000 many people are eager to get her home. Detectives come around the hotel rooms asking both Ellie and Peter questions. Ellie makes sure not to look them directly in the eye and her and Peter put on their marital ruse to fool the investigators. Acting as husband and wife, they began yelling and screaming at one another, there's crying and as the intruders leave, the hotel manager reminds the detectives that he told them already that Peter and Ellie were but a regular married couple.

Back on the train, a guy reading a newspaper notices the increased reward and the similarities between the girl in the picture and the woman seated a few rows behind him. Luckily Peter too notices him looking and at the next stop converses with the man on how they should split the money. Peter convinces the man that the plan will involve murder and as long as he participates he too can receive a portion of the reward. This doesn't sit well with the guy and promises Peter not to say anything about the plan and rushes off in fear.

Figure 3: Piggybacks along the river 

The image above shows Ellie and Peter at a lake, he has removed his shoes, picked her up in one hand,briefcase in another and walks across the lake as they share stories of what a real piggy-back ride is. Throughout the movie, they have numerous conversations like this one where they playfully disagree about a topic but not to the extent where Ellie would be seen as being out of line. In instances that that does occur we see Ellie quieted with a verbal warning and in some cases a verbal threat.

As they prepare for bed, Ellie complains of hunger pains and Peter goes off in search of something for her to eat, not knowing where he went Ellie began to freak out screaming his name repeatedly.After returning he kneels beside her to make sure shes comfortable upon her hay stack and as the camera zooms in they each lean in forward as if to kiss and at the last second Peter turns away and stands up. He looks her right in the eye and says, "What makes dames like you so dizzy". In this moment you can tell that he wanted that kiss just as bed as her but he respects the integrity of her marriage.

Figure 4- Ellie hitchhiking with Peter

It is the next morning and this is probably my the most comical scene in the film.After several minutes of man-splaining the proper way to cock your thumb when hitchhiking, we see an unsuccessful Peter retire to the wooden fence to give Ellie a try. With a slight reveal of the ankle we watch as,within the first try a vehicle stops for the two of them.
(See Figure 4)

Riding along in the backseat we seen an annoyed Peter seated next to giddy and proud Ellie who cant wipe the smile off her face. After a few miles, the man pulls his car into a lot and offers the couple a bite to eat, Ellie accepts and Peter declines. After the man leaves Ellie claims she going in after him, knowing she has no money and for fear of Ellie being seen in the light of a gold-digger he threatens to break her neck if she goes. After an awkward silence Peter suggest they step out to stretch their legs and apologizes for his comment. Before he can finish the man comes out of the store, notices they have left the vehicle and proceeds to speed away. Peter chases after him yelling about the suitcase and in the next scene Peter is seen pulling up to Ellie with the mans car and a cut on his face.

Figure 5: Laying down telling Ellie about love.

As all of this occurs, back in New York Ellie's father and husband have agreed to meet and put their differences aside for her safe return home. Ellie reads of this in the paper while Peter secures a room for them that night. Although Peter knows they can make it to New York by morning, it doesn't seem like Ellie is quite ready to leave him yet. Its as if she need one more night to make him hers. Back in the room Peter prepares the privacy boarder and Ellie she asks whether or not she'll see him in New York to which he responds that it is not his style to run around with married women.

Although they have been playing husband and wife on this trip, once settled back into society, to be in the presence of Ellie as a married woman leaves the public to conjure up their own intentions. As this conversation occurs we see that Ellie's comfort levels have evolved quickly. When Ellie undressed at the first hotel they stayed in, she needed for the light to be off in addition to the privacy boarder, but as she has this conversation about what life will look like for the two of them once they arrive in New York, you can see her slowly undressing to his words. She asks him if hes ever been in love and he begins describing what love would look like to him and the plans he would have with that lover. Ellis creeps over to his bed and kneels at his side to express that she wants to be that girls he was just describing. Peter looks at her with a knowing pain, he rejects her, embraces her for a moment, then rejects her one more time before sending her off to her side of the room.

Figure 6: Crazy in Love

By morning Peter has thought of a way to ensure their new start. The story he will sell is the one that has occurred over these past few days, 'Girls Leaves Father for Husband and Falls in Love with Another Man on that Journey'. All of this occurs while Ellie is still back at the hotel, convinced that Peter wants nothing to do with her. Remembering what she read in the paper the day before Ellie decides to phone home. As Peter returns to back to Ellie with the $1,000 he received from the story, he see's Ellie on the opposite side of the road in route to New York with her father.

News of Ellie's return grace the papers for weeks with information about her upcoming wedding at the church. Mention of the church in the paper solidifies the authenticity and tradition of marriage, whereas before they had ran away and done it at a courthouse. Although Ellie is finally in New York with her husband neither her or her dad are really happy, he knows something is wrong and it isn't long before she reveals her love for Peter. Her father shows her the letter Peter sent informing Mr.Andrews he was coming to collect his finances. Both Mr.Andrew and Ellie assumes its related to the 10,000 reward. After Peter's arrival its clear that those were not his intentions at all, instead he wanted less than $40 for the money he had spent during the trip. Mr.Andrews ask whether or not Peter loved his daughter and he responds that he does, but not to hold it against him cause he must be crazy.( See Figure 6) Peter leaves the room hurt by the accusations and the upcoming wedding brewing about outside the door.

 On Ellie's wedding day, her father walks her down the aisle reminding her that she doesn't have to do this and if at any point she wants to back out, he has a getaway car for her near by. As the pastor seals this union we see Mr. Andrews anxious not to interrupt as they ask whether anyone has objections. After King Westley say his 'I Do's, it is now time for Ellie's turn, instead of answering she hikes up the trail of her dress and dashes towards the getaway car. Guest from the wedding began following her as she pulls off down the road.

The end scene ties everything together although we do not see the couple anymore during the movie we hear hotel owners conversing about the items the newly weds had requested, a rope and a blanket from the woman and a toy trumpet from the man. We hear the trumpet sound, the blanket drop and the lights dim. As viewers we can infer that, this will be the night they will consummate not only their marriage but their relationship as well.

This movie reflects a very conservative and highly patriarchal society but it is definitely one for the times, once you get past the gender inequality and remember what the early 30's were like for women we definitely get a well crafted version of a romantic comedy. There is love, lust, laughs a little bit of lost and despite the areas that Peter falls short, he is a gentleman. He has taken care of her physically as a protector, financially as a provider, and they come off as a naturally happy married couple well before they're married. Peter respects her enough not to take advantage of her vulnerabilities.
 It definitely deserves the 98% it received on Rotten Tomatoes.