In the over 100 years of cinema, the romantic comedy genre has consistently drawn in audiences.

The films offer a sense of escapism while highlighting the changing attitudes about love.

Thebest romantic comediescan all thank one film for their success It Happened One Night.

01187215_poster_w780.jpg

In 1993, the Library of Congress selected the film for preservation by the US National Film Registry.

This decision makes sense when looking at its influence on the romantic comedy genre as a whole.

Although they eventually fall in love, Peter and Ellie start out loathing one another.

A cutout of Ellie and Peter from It Happened One Night is in front of multiple popular rom-coms

Custom Image by Dani Kessel Odom

Ellie finds him rude and opportunistic, while he finds her spoiled and vapid.

Some of thebest enemies-to-lovers rom-comsincludeWhen Harry Met SallyandThe Hating Game.

Peter Warne became the blueprint for characters like Amber inA Christmas Prince andJosie Geller inNever Been Kissed.

Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert sitting side by side and waiting for a ride on the road in It Happened One Night

He starts out using his thumb.

However, he soon shifts to waiving his hat and making a silly face at the cars.

However, she shows him up by stopping a car by lifting her skirt up to her upper thigh.

Zoe-Saldana-from-Emila-Perez,-Adrian-Brody-from-The-Brutalist,-Demi-Moore-from-The-Substance,-and-Cynthia-Erivo-from-Wicked

Like many other rom-com elements, this roots back toIt Happened One Night.

In the film, three of the passengers are a musical trio.

Then, a sailor takes over singing in the second verse and a business person in the third.

Musicians play on a bus in It Happened One Night

Ultimately, the song ends when the driver gets distracted and crashes the bus.

Ultimately, the trope will undoubtedly persist for as long as rom-com movies do.

After the MPAA started enforcing the code, sexual tension had to come solely from dialogue rather than visuals.

Ellie walks down the aisle with her father in It Happened One Night

Additionally, the popularity gained byIt Happened One Nightmade it extremely influential.

Once again, rom-com fans can thankIt Happened One Night.

Ellie and Peter pretend to be married so that they can share a room at a motel.

clarkgable_10bestmovies

2Rom-Coms Copied Ellie & Peters “Will They, Wont They?”

The couple’s enemies-to-lovers path isnt from point A to point B.

They develop a connection, and Ellie professes her love.

Peter watches as Ellie lifts her skirt in It Happened One Night

However, he leaves before she wakes up, making her think that he doesnt want her.

As such, she proceeds with her wedding, not knowing that Peter loves her too.

However, Peter confesses to Ellies father, who reveals the truth to his daughter.

Ellie and Peter sit on a bed in It Happened One Night

Eventually, they come back together.

Theres zero question that the Will They, Wont They?

Its now commonplace onscreen, appearing in films likeLa La LandandRed, White, & Royal Blue.

Collage of characters from Anyone But You, The Long Shot, and Always Be Me Maybe

These films are known for challenging social norms, leading tosurprisingly progressive movies in the 1930s and 1940s.

They display the struggle between the upper and lower classes and feature a power struggle between the sexes.

Often, screwball films heavily feature sexual tension and marriage.

Peter and Ellie are by their twin beds in the hotel room in It Happened One Night

Your Rating

Your comment has not been saved

Cast

Cast Placeholder Image

Movies

It Happened One Night