What can I say? Frank Capra. The man was a damn good director. He might be best remembered for "It's a Wonderful Life" however the guy made some fantastic flicks besides that. Today's fun fact, Capra was born in 1897 in Sicily, Italy and he lived to 96 years old (thank you IMDB).
Moving on, "Lady for a Day" came out in 1933 and wow, things were different in Hollywood back then. What a sweet and funny film. I adore the sass in the writing and the bite in the delivery. Lines like: "if I had a choice of weapons for you Sir, I'd choose grammar". Come on! Writing today pales in comparison. In fact, there's barely a point in making a comparison. It's kind of embarrassing that we let Hollywood get away with what they shovel at us sometimes. "Lady for a Day" was nominated for 4 Oscars. It tells the somewhat rags to riches story of little peddler, Apple Annie who gets transformed into a woman of high society by a local NY gangster because he has a good heart. The storyline alone is worth watching but honestly, within about 20 minutes you're hooked. The writing and performances are just spot on. Capra's talent was soon showed off even more the next year with one of my personal favorites: "It Happened One Night" which ran away with 5 Oscar wins.
Honestly, moviemaking from the big guns of early Hollywood is stellar and well worth your time.
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