The 1934 Frank Capra film “It Happened One Night” may have the most famous hitchhiking scene ever pressed on to celluloid. This wonderful film has many features relevant to the theme of our blog; besides the famous hitchhiking scene there are also scenes of ‘bums’ onboard freight trains, there are fantastic nods to authentic Americana, and the movie theme centers itself as a cross country buddy road trip. There is also a large portion of the film that takes place onboard a Greyhound bus, a topic my partner previously posted about.

This film is a wonderful delight, playing as a screwball romantic comedy in the form of a road trip adventure occurring between Florida and New York City. The film’s stars are both charismatic and charming, a tall handsome Clark Gable (playing Peter Westley) and a spunky and beautiful Claudette Colbert (as Ellen Andrews). Both stars are successful portraying a real budding chemistry and dynamic acting chops. The movie dialogue is just simply spectacular, something you don’t always see so well done in many modern films. The dialogue is flirty and fun, truly lighthearted and engaging. The viewer can hardly not engage with the pair.

This film achieved 5 Academy Awards, including Best Acting for both Gable and Colbert. The romcom format seldom receives nominations for any of the major categories in the Academy Awards, so garnering 5 is a rare treat. This film is often crediting with inventing the now familiar romcom format, so the familiar elements in the subsequent romcom films owes some part of their subsequent success to this film blazing the trail. The film remains on many top 100 film lists almost a century after it was created. Please watch this clip to get a small taste.

Was that a fantastic scene!?! The carrot chomping Clark Gable became the very same caricature parodied by the cartoon character ‘Bugs Bunny’, a meme completely hijacked to become the ornery portrayal of a charismatic irreverent jokester for decades to follow.

This hitchhiking scene is iconic and oft referenced. But what of Clark’s demonstrated hitchhiking techniques, just how realistic are they?

Clark and Colbert are hitchhiking as a travelling pair, which was exactly how Neville and I travelled for much of our hitchhiking escapades. I am undecided on whether hitching in pairs in as much of an obstacle as logic would dictate, I experienced delays as both a single traveler and when travelling paired with Neville. and eventually I got where I was going in both cases. While it is likely that drivers with less automobile room would pass on pairs travelling, some drivers might find it safer to pick up two people than just one. It is tough to say.

That neither Neville nor I had Gable’s flair may be a no-brainer suggestion. Well, to be very honest, I’m an unqualified judge of Neville’s savoir faire, but I am certain that I’m incapable of carrying Clark Gable’s coolness and charm! Who on earth beside Gable could ever carry that degree of high charisma? And certainly neither Neville or I could lay claim to having someone as lovely as Claudette Colbert to escort on our travels, Alas, if only!

Hitchhiking dressed to the 9’s as Gable pulled off in the film would be highly problematic to the common hitchhikers. It would be impossible and impractical to maintain that keen outfit so crisply while out on the open road. As mentioned in a previous post, maintaining good grooming and appearance is an essential component to successful hitchhiking. But there would be no possible way to maintain that fine level of appearance! Again, alas!

In the film, Clark Gable’s various hitchhiking style attempts do all seem to be techniques Neville and I did and would try. There is always a conscious attempt on the part of any serious hitchhiker to ‘connect’ with the potential accommodating drivers, a variety of techniques with an implied purpose to beckon passing drivers to take a chance on aiding the traveler. I could only smile at ‘Peter’, the role actor Gable was portraying, for his comical and unsuccessful attempts to hop a ride. These really were techniques we would have been likely to try ourselves. 

When Neville and I were stranded on the ALCAN Highway without a ride for 2 or 3 hours, we were always willing to try just about anything to catch that next lift. As mentioned in a previous post, we utilized a Union Jack, we also carried very visible cardboard signage to beckon the good will of highway passersby more blessed with wheels than we were.

‘Ellen’ and ‘Peter’ travelled with gentle teasing and good humor. I suggest that this may be very important for successful hitching. Drivers willing to pick up total strangers might be attracted to a sense of humor, and would certainly think twice before offering a lift to a sour puss. Neville and I did joke around and ‘tease’ each other throughout the long expanses of the US and Canada.

The frustration of the unsuccessful hitchhiker as portrayed by Gable is a real key part to the experience of hitchhiking. This is a visceral frustration I still vividly remember to this very day. As a 20 year old male, I always felt the huge pull to get on to the next stop, the next highway, the next landmark. At the time I could not acknowledge any of the thrill of the adventure, the importance of being in the present. Like Gable as ‘Peter’, my goal was to get along to the next intended destination.

Interestingly, both of the characters in the movie, along with Neville and I, all had our prime destination as New York City. From New York, Neville would then head home to the UK. For me, I still had a long lonely thumb ride back to Arizona.

I can imagine that both the characters, ‘Peter’ and ‘Ellen’, as portrayed by Gable and Colbert, were looking only toward their futures. Their futures might include the prospects of romance and financial gains.

In one classic ‘Ellen’ line from the film, Ellen states ‘Well you’ve shown me an excellent example of the hiking part. When does the hitching come in?’ This line has at least two meanings for the pair, as her goal in NY is to consummate her marriage.

‘Peter’ too has ambitions to settle on arrival at his destination; claiming prize money for finding Ellen, and getting his old writing gig back. These will only occur if Peter is successful at escorting Ellen safely to her destination. Their final destination may take a completely different path to what set their journeys in motion, no spoilers here – watch the film for yourself. :D

While Neville and I were physically travelling to our next destination, I too was looking forward to my own future, College, career, and maybe eventual romance too. But none of us in the film nor in real life were invested in enjoying the present, the people we would meet on the road, the panoramas, and in discovering the ‘American experience’. For me, it would be decades before I realized the importance of being in the present and enjoying it. It was not long after this trip that both Neville and I would find ourselves married and starting our own families. Opportunities for new adventures were put on the back burner.

In all cases mentioned here, the destination was everything and the only thing. Looking back now, the destination itself has much diminished in value, while the actual experience has increased in value exponentially.

A word of advice now, my dear reader; Please don’t become overly satisfied by my analysis of “Peter’s” hitchhiking techniques. And please don’t let my feeble attempts to connect this film to the themes of our blog discourage you from enjoying what Capra has created. Enjoying this film, with the terrific acting, mind blowing cinematography, and sharp dialogue should be your only concern. I found this film available on my free subscription to Amazon Prime, and now I am planning to go watch it again. Two thumbs up! With popcorn 🙂

Cheers, nca