His Girl Friday Themes
Ambition
Are women supposed to be ambitious? His Girl Friday isn't exactly sure. The film admires Hildy's talent and drive… it's fun to watch her chase down and tackle that Warden. But the film, and Hildy...
Language and Communication
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 word...
Gender
His Girl Friday is fascinated with the question of whether or not Hildy is a woman. At various points, she asserts that she is a woman, not a news machine; a woman, not an errand boy; a woman, not...
Justice and Judgment
His Girl Friday seems concerned with justice at first; a big part of the plot is trying to keep Earl Williams from being executed. But why does Walter want to keep Williams from being executed? Is...
Love
Love is patient. Love is kind. Supposedly. But in His Girl Friday, love is more like heads knocked together, shins kicked, and trains blown up. Hildy and Walter treat love as arm-wrestling, or word...