NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Pluskylang Great Film overall

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Antonius Block What a fun movie this is. Gary Cooper and seven other intellectuals are living together in a giant house and are hard at work creating an encyclopedia, a project which has taken them years, when it becomes apparent to Cooper that his knowledge of slang is out of date. He takes to the streets of New York, pen and paper in hand, eventually going to a nightclub. Enter Barbara Stanwyck, all a-glitter and performing "Drum Boogie" with Gene Krupa and his orchestra. Well, Marsha Tilton provided the voice-over, but Stanwyck and the orchestra are captivating, including a reprise using a matchbox and matches for drums, huddled around a table. Unbeknownst to Cooper, Stanwyck needs to hide from the police because of her involvement with a gangster (Dana Andrews), and ends up coming to his house. The casting and acting in this movie is wonderful, from top to bottom. Sparks begin to fly between Cooper and Stanwyck, at first because she's manipulating him into letting her stay, but eventually as his simple considerate nature begins to soften her cynical edges. The seven other professors make a charming group, and include Richard Haydn as Oddley and Henry Travers as Jerome, the latter of whom you'll easily recognize as Clarence from 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Things get complicated with the gangster decides to marry Stanwyck in order to invoke spousal privilege in investigations against him, but I won't spoil it further.There are so many nice little touches in the dialogue of this film: the slang they use (amped up because of Cooper's "research"), the innuendo, and the nerdy references. There is the sweetness of Cooper quoting Richard III when giving Stanwyck a ring: "Look, how this ring encompasseth finger; Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart. Wear both of them, for both of them are thine." There are fantastic moments, such as when as when the professors sing a couple of rounds of "Sweet Genevieve" while sitting around a table, as well as the look on Stanwyck's face in the scene where Cooper's realized he's being used and walks out in a dignified way, and she finishes his sentence, that she's a tramp. Then of course there's the chemistry between Stanwyck and Cooper. As Cooper tries to send her away he says "Make no mistake, I shall regret the absence of your keen mind. Unfortunately it is inseparable from an extremely disturbing body." Stanwyck replies by saying "I'm going to show you what yum-yum is. Here's yum. (big kiss) Here's the other yum. (big kiss)…" Both play their parts perfectly, and while the whole thing is improbable and predictable, the story-telling from Howard Hawks is taut, and it's a lovely romantic comedy. What a year 1941 was for Stanwyck, between this Oscar-nominated performance and 'The Lady Eve'. Great stuff!

GManfred This is a movie about 40's slang. Gary Cooper is an English professor, one of group of eight professors charged with compiling an encyclopedia and has come to realize that his compilation of contemporary slang is incomplete. From their cloistered abode he decides to go out among the proletariat and see how they talk. He recruits several candidates to meet in his study, and his recruitment efforts stop at Barbara Stanwyck, a nightclub singer named Sugarpuss O'Shea."Ball Of Fire", though somewhat dated, is great fun and part of it is recognizing all the old-fashioned slang expressions included in the script - a sparkling masterpiece written by the team of Chas. Brackett and Billy Wilder, who together wrote a slew of them. There are many comic characters in the cast, among them Richard Hadyn, S.Z. Sakall, Leonid Kinsky and Allen Jenkins.As you might expect, Barbara Stanwyck is the dynamic force that makes the picture go. It revolves around her, and also around Gary Cooper, but, as has been noted, he was limited and not as accomplished an actor as she was. But the contrast between her sassy, world-wise floozy and Cooper's nerdy bookworm is what makes this picture one of the best and it is a bridge between 30's screwball comedy and the more premeditated, cerebral brand of 40's comedy , exemplified by Preston Sturges's films.

gavin6942 A group of ivory-tower lexicographers realize they need to hear how real people talk, and end up helping a beautiful singer (Barbara Stanwyck) avoid police and escape from the Mob.I love that the basis of the film stems from the idea of a "living language" and how slang prevails in certain groups. The people in this film probably use more slang than the average person, but the point is well-taken: English as written is not the same as it is spoken, and the definitions are constantly evolving.There is quite an interesting reference to Communism in the dialogue. The line in particular is: "Slight rosiness? It's as red as the Daily Worker and just as sore". In retrospect, that seems like a bold inclusion, but being as this was during the anti-Fascist phase of American history, perhaps it is not so odd.Most interest, this film was the big break for Billy Wilder, who watched Hawks direct and went on to be a great director himself (among the greatest, in fact). While Hawks is an undisputed master, he should also be commended for helping Wilder get a footing in the business.

wes-connors Eight professors compiling information for an encyclopedia provide refuge for sexy singer Barbara Stanwyck (as "Sugarpuss" O'Shea), who is hiding from police investigating gangster boyfriend Dana Andrews (as Joe Lilac). Tall, dark and handsome Gary Cooper (as Bertram "Potsie" Potts) stands out among the otherwise short, gray and older professors. You should be able to guess what happens between Mr. Cooper and Ms. Stanwyck. With so many character actors and ripe lines around, it's difficult to stand out - but there are some fun moments for the crowd. Singing for Stanwyck, Martha Tilton and drummer Gene Krupa contribute a rousing rendition of his "Drum Boogie" hit. Impressive sanitation worker Allen Jenkins is the one who prompts the professors to include a section on "slang" in their encyclopedia, allowing Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett to show off wit.****** Ball of Fire (12/02/41) Howard Hawks ~ Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Dana Andrews, Allen Jenkins