A stenographer (Jean Arthur) from a family of free spirits and a bank vice-president (James Stewart) from a wealthy family fall in love. But the different lifestyles of the two families comes between the couple after a crazy night where everything that can go wrong does.

A sheer delight from one of the legendary directors of yesteryear. This is the first of three collaborations between Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart. I doubt I have to tell anybody what the other two were since they're well-known classics. Well this one deserves wider praise because it's simply magical. The four leads are all perfect. Stewart and Arthur have amazing chemistry that they would repeat the following year in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. But perhaps the real stars of the show are Edward Arnold and Lionel Barrymore as the respective patriarchs of the two families. Two immensely talented actors that never gave a bad performance (that I've seen). You always get your money and time's worth with these two. As with Stewart and Arthur, both of these gentlemen would return for future Capra classics. Aside from the four stars, we have great support from Donald Meek, Spring Byington, Samuel S. Hinds, Mischa Auer, a 15 year-old Ann Miller, Halliwell Hobbes, and Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson. Dub Taylor also makes his film debut here. What a cast!

It's one of those films, like Sullivan's Travels or Lady for a Day, that just gets better and better each time I see it. The first time I saw it was probably close to twenty years ago. I liked it then but I love it now. This movie leaves a huge smile on my face and I think, unless you're an extreme cynical type, it will do the same for you. It's a warm, uplifting comedy with romance, drama, and lots of little bits for people who like "windows into the past." Just a real treat for anyone who loves getting lost in classic films.