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The screwball comedy is a principally American genre of comedy film that became popular during the Great Depression, originating in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s. Many secondary characteristics of this genre are similar to the film noir, but it distinguishes itself for being characterized by a female that dominates the relationship with the male central character, whose masculinity is challenged.〔 〕 The two engage in a humorous battle of the sexes, which was a new theme for Hollywood and audiences at the time.〔 Other elements are fast-paced repartee, farcical situations, escapist themes, and plot lines involving courtship and marriage.〔 Screwball comedies often depict social classes in conflict, as in ''It Happened One Night'' (1934) and ''My Man Godfrey'' (1936).〔 Some comic plays are also described as screwball comedies. ==History== Screwball comedy has proven to be one of the most popular and enduring film genres. It first gained prominence with ''It Happened One Night'' (1934),〔Cele Otnes; Elizabeth Hafkin PleckCele Otnes, Elizabeth Hafkin Pleck (2003) (''Cinderella dreams: the allure of the lavish wedding'' ) University of California Press, p. 168 ISBN 0-520-24008-1〕 which is often cited as being the first true screwball. Although many film scholars would agree that its classic period had effectively ended by 1942,〔 〕 elements of the genre have persisted, or have been paid homage, in contemporary film. During the Great Depression, there was a general demand for films with a strong social class critique and hopeful, escapist-oriented themes. The screwball format arose largely as a result of the major film studios' desire to avoid censorship by the increasingly enforced Hays Code. In order to incorporate prohibited risqué elements into their plots, filmmakers resorted to handling these elements covertly. Verbal sparring between the sexes served as a stand-in for physical, sexual tension.〔() Under the Radar: The Hays Code and the Birth of Screwball - University of Virginia〕 The screwball comedy has close links with the theatrical genre of farce, and some comic plays are also described as screwball comedies. Many elements of the screwball genre can be traced back to such stage plays as Shakespeare's ''Much Ado About Nothing'', ''As You Like It'' and ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' and Oscar Wilde's ''The Importance of Being Earnest''. Other genres with which screwball comedy is associated include slapstick, situation comedy, romantic comedy and bedroom farce. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Screwball comedy film」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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