Everyone talks and talks and talks in His Girl Friday… but they're not necessarily talking to communicate. Often they're talking not to communicate; Walter (and to some extent Hildy too) use words to bamboozle, to overwhelm, and to obfuscate.
They also use them to flirt—it's not what you say, but how dashingly you say it. Whether in person, by phone, or through skywriting, language in His Girl Friday keeps you off-balance and staggering—out of one guy's arms and into another's.
Questions about Language and Communication
- Walter's a newspaperman and Bruce is an insurance agent. How is their use of language linked to their jobs?
- Do Hildy and Bruce communicate well during the film? Explain your answer.
- Does Walter ever directly say he loves Hildy? Does he ever tell her at all? If so, how?
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
Walter and Hildy never communicate, because Walter always lies.
Hildy and Walter communicate well, because Hildy knows he always lies.