Though I assume this is the more faithful to the Hecht/MacArthur play, there’s no question that the 1940 remake is the best iteration*. Wilder reformulated so many stage productions that it’s surprising when, but for the denouement, the effort is so familiar. The Press Room set, for instance, could have been lifted straight out of His Girl Friday, and most of the dialogue lacks Wilder’s authorial touch. While it’s no bad film, one cannot help but feel a renewed appreciation for the genius of the gender switch in the Hawks version, and all the dynamics it brings.

* And, of course, one of the best comedies of the American cinema. It’s in the public domain, so watch it now: