“A skewed, screwball retelling of the classic Snow White story, BALL OF FIRE ranks among the funniest American films ever made.” – American Film Institute

A brilliant mix of whimsical comedy and sizzling romance, Howard Waks’ BALL OF FIRE pairs Barbara Stanwyck as saucy nightclub performer Sugarpuss O’Shea with stick-in-the-mud grammarian Prof. Bertram Potts, played by Gary Cooper. Sugarpuss is recruited to provide expertise on modern slang for the encyclopedia Potts is writing with seven other longbeard professors who all live together in a Manhattan mansion. The great Billy Wilder and writing partner Charless Brackett provided a quirky script modeled on Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, peppered with ridiculous hepcat slang like smackaroo, boogie, and yum-yum, but the film belongs to Stanwyck, whose vivacious bravado and ability to fill out a glittering sequined dress just right earned her an Academy Award nomination.

Each week in February, Arkadin presents SCREWBALL SUNDAYS, $5 matinee screenings of some of the zaniest comedies from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.