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Bringing Up Baby

Every once in a while it’s nice to dig into the ol’ film archives and watch a classic movie that had previously fallen off of the radar.  On the advice of my friend Laura, I screened Bringing Up Baby last evening. Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn … what’s not to like, right?

Bringing Up Baby is the story of a straight-laced paleontologist who is attempting to secure a $1 million dollar gift for his museum on the days leading up to his wedding.  His attempts at gaining favor with the lawyer who will ultimately decide whether this grant is funded are repeatedly thwarted by a flighty heiress who consistently makes the paleontologist look bad (or at least ridiculous).  And could you believe that it’s possible that these two polar opposites might actually have a chance at being a couple?  Who saw that coming?!  There are many pratfalls, a leopard who needs to be babysat, a stereotypically drunken Irishman, a dog burying a rare dinosaur bone, and a number of incidents involving wardrobe malfunctions.

Bringing Up Baby was made in 1938, and it holds up very well as a comedy.  Sure, it’s a little predictable and the humor is tame by today’s standards, but it all still really works as a farce.  Cary Grant is a very good straight-man, and Katharine Hepburn is genuinely something special as the heiress.  if this were to be remade, Kristen Whig or Amy Poehler might be cast in her role … that’s the type of manic energy fused with classic good looks that she brings to the role.  

Snack-Food Analogy Rating: Bringing Up Baby is Cracker Jack.  Cracker Jack from back in the day before a scrap of paper constituted a prize.  It’s a classic and very sweet, with just enough saltiness to keep it interesting.

Letter Grade: A-

My money is on the pack of hyenas

Here’s the thing: A pack of hyenas has no sense of self-consciousness. During a fight between a gorilla and pack of hyenas, here is how I imagine the internal dialogue between the two groups might go:

Gorilla: Here I am fighting a pack of hyenas. Lets see how that goes.
Hyenas: BITE! BITE! BITE! BITE!
Gorilla: It looks like I am somewhat outnumbered here.
Hyenas: BITE! BITE! BITE! BITE!
Gorilla: Despite my superior intellect and strength, I sure am having a hard time keeping up with these hyenas.
Hyenas: BITE! BITE! BITE! BITE!
Gorilla: I shall now die an honorable death. Good fight, Hyenas … my only regret is that I have but one like to live.
Hyenas: EAT! EAT! EAT! EAT!

As you can see, the gorilla has the terrible disadvantage of knowing exactly what is going on around him. Meanwhile, the hyenas are too stupid to do anything but attack. Advantage, hyenas.

Here’s a funny book for you …

I think this is a funny book because it takes really insignificant pop culture nuggets and pulls some real significance out of them. I think Klosterman is a great writer, and I like his slightly twisted take on things. If you read nothing else, check out his 23 questions that asks everyone he meets in order to decide his he can really love them.

When I retire, I might choose to live in Vancouver, BC.

I’ve never been there, but it seems like my kind of place. As much as I would want to live somewhere warm and sunny, I think I am more naturally a cold and rainy kind of guy. I like the idea of living near the ocean, and Vancouver has a reputation for being a liberal, open-minded kind of place. I could see myself retiring somewhere like that.