My understanding was that this was the ur-romcom in a lot of ways, and it felt like that! The chemistry between the leads was great — and not great in a “great for its time” way. I thought the framing of the entire movie through the Greyhound bus was fun, and it’s hard not to see the threads of this movie (upstairs woman, downstairs rogue) show up in so many of its successors (His Girl Friday! Roman Holiday!) while having that basic structure not cheapen or dullen it in any way. I don’t think there’s anything, like, exclamatory about the film — I wouldn’t peg it for a five-Academy-Award winner — but it was good and fun and easy to recommend.

★★★★

Highlights

Ellie Andrews: You know, this is the first time in years I’ve ridden piggyback.

Peter Warne: This isn’t piggyback.

E: Of course it is.

P: You’re crazy.

E: I remember distinctly my father taking me for a piggyback ride.

P: And he carried you like this?

E: Yes.

P: Your father didn’t know beans about piggyback riding.

E: My uncle, mother’s brother, has four children and I’ve seen them ride piggyback.

P: I’ll bet there isn’t a good piggyback rider in your whole family. I never knew a rich man yet who could piggyback ride.

E: You’re prejudiced.

P: You show me a good piggybacker and I’ll show you a real human. Now you take Abraham Lincoln for instance. A natural born piggybacker. Where do you get all of that stuffed-shirts family of yours?

E: My father was a great piggybacker.