SECRET MOVIE CLUB presents
Part of our THE HEART WANTS Series, Friday, February 17, 2023
LOCATION: The Secret Movie Club Theater, 1917 Bay Street, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90021
*Please note entrance/parking is actually in the back of the building. Make a right on Wilson Street, then a right behind the building. We’re the first set of black steps after the big gate.
7:30pm TWENTIETH CENTURY (1934, dir. Howard Hawks, Columbia, USA, 91mns, 35mm)
9:30pm BRINGING UP BABY (1938, dir. Howard Hawks, Fox, USA, 92mns, Digital)
Tonight we show two of Howard Hawks’ absolute greatest romantic screwball comedies.
First at bat, one of his earliest, the hilarious Twentieth Century. A story about how a hammy self-important theater impresario (John Barrymore, parodying himself to great effect) works to woo back his lover, actress Lily Garland (master comedian Carole Lombard) during a trip aboard the train, the Twentieth Century (hence the title).
Twentieth Century, though universally considered a classic, has been somewhat forgotten compared to Hawks’ later Bringing up Baby and His Girl Friday. But it stands shoulder to shoulder as their equals.
Here we get everything that makes a screwball comedy great-amazing chemistry between our lovers, who are both also ridiculously talented at comedy, laugh out loud absurd supporting characters and gags. When this Programmer first saw this movie, he couldn’t stop saying “I close the iron door on you!” (Barrymore’s retort to anyone who makes him angry).
We follow it with possibly Hawks’ greatest comedy alongside His Girl Friday, Bringing Up Baby. Hawks took screwball to the limit and beyond here, in this story of nervous and nerdy paleontologist Dr. David Huxley (Cary Grant) who can’t seem to avoid train wreck on two feet Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn) who has taken a liking to him but only brings disaster in her wake.
Bringing Up Baby has a magical quality of being so absurd and farcical, you can’t believe each new nutty scene. By the time David and Susan are singing to a leopard on a suburban roof and then everyone in the movie ends up in jail by accident, you feel like you’ve just watched the most absurd (and delightful) plot you’ve ever seen.
Many filmmakers have attempted screwball since Hawks. And some have even captured it (David O Russell’s hilarious Flirting with Disaster comes to mind) but no one has ever quite matched the daring, the laugh out loud wildness of Hawks in his prime.
Join us tonight to watch two of his greatest.
Best always,
Craig Hammill
Secret Movie Club Founder.Programmer
*Please note that though we strive to always show titles on 35mm film if advertised, we may have to screen digitally if the print we receive is in such bad shape or if we don't receive the print in time because of a shipping delay. We will do our best to alert the audience. When this does occur, we will offer each ticket holder who chooses not to attend a complimentary ticket to a future event in exchange. (Disclaimer: Good for 90 days – Future screening must have available tickets, cannot be a fundraiser, and must be comparably priced)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
REFUNDS:
We can offer refunds up to 24 hours before showtime. Please request a refund through Eventbrite and we will process ASAP. After that, no refunds. Sorry.
However if something last minute comes up and you can’t make the screening, for whatever reason, just write to us before showtime: community@secretmovieclub.com and we’ll offer you complimentary tickets to a future screening, good for 90 days. (Disclaimer: Future screening must have available tickets, cannot be a fundraiser, and must be comparably priced)
HELPFUL SECRET MOVIE CLUB (1917 Bay Street, 2nd Floor, LA, CA 90021) THEATER PARKING TIPS:
We recommend that you park just outside our theater. Remember our theater is actually in a beautiful street art alleyway in the back of the 1917 Bay Street building. You get to our entrance by taking a right on Wilson, then a right behind the building. We are the first set of black steps on the right after the big gate.
There is also a parking lot at the corner of Mateo and Violet Street, just 2 blocks from our theater, which costs $7 per car.
HOW CAN WE STAY ON TOP OF NEWLY ANNOUNCED 35MM SCREENINGS, EVENTS, ETC?
You can follow us on Instagram/Twitter: @secretmovieclub or Facebook: @secretmovieclub35mm
You can also subscribe to our weekly email newsletter at secretmovieclub.com or by writing to us at community@secretmovieclub.com and using the header “SUBSCRIBE ME TO NEWSLETTER”.
HOW CAN I CONTACT YOU IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS:
You can always email us at community@secretmovieclub.com with any other questions, concerns, thoughts, recommendations.