History Film / BallOfFire

* EverbodyCallsHimBarkeep: Sugarpuss' real name is Katherine. We don't find this out until she is facing the priest with Lilac.

* SeriousBusiness: Making damn sure that encyclopedia is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. This was, mind you, before Wikipedia.

* [[ShoutOut/ToShakespeare Shout-Out: To Shakespeare]]: Bertram quotes ''Theatre/RichardIII'' when giving Sugarpuss the engagement ring. One of the play's lines is written on the inside.

* TheTease: Sugarpuss, towards Bertram. To convince him to allow her to live in the mansion, she takes off her heels and stretches out her leg to him to feel how cold and wet her feet are from the rain. Then much later, after Bertram admits that he becomes aroused whenever the sunlight sits on her hair, she rushes across the room and stands in front of a sunny window, leaving Bertram in a stammering mess.

* ZipMeUp: Sugarpuss asks the professors to zip up her skirt. Consternation predictably ensues.

->''Once upon a time - in 1941 to be exact - there live in a great, tall forest - called New York - eight men who were writing an encyclopedia. They were so wise they knew everything: the depth of the oceans, and what makes a glowworm glow, and what tune Nero fiddled while Rome was burning. But there was one thing about which they knew very little - as you shall see...''

** Bertram.

* ChekovsGunman: The professors, sans Bertram.

From a script by prolific Hollywood writer Creator/BillyWilder and directed by Creator/HowardHawks with a score by Music/AlfredNewman. Nominated for three UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s, including best actress and best story.

* {{Adorkable}}: Bertram UpToEleven.

* {{Burlesque}}: If they ever remake this film Sugarpuss will probably be a stripper.

* {{Expy}}: The other seven professors for [[Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs the seven dwarfs]].

* InLoveWithTheGangstersGirl: Bertram. Since this is a comedy, he gets the girl instead of getting a bullet between the eyes.

* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: All of the professors. Parodied when Bertram, who needs to stall for time to get the drop on a couple of {{Mooks}}, launches into a long lecture that consists of a lot of gibberish, but with very fancy words.

* [[ShoutOut/ToShakespeare Shout-Out: To Shakespeare]]: Bertram quotes ''Theatre/RichardIII'' when giving Sugarpuss the engagement ring.
* SixIsNine: A poorly secured 9 on the front door of a motel cabin falls over and becomes a 6. This causes Bertram to enter the wrong cabin and accidentally pour his heart out to Sugar.

A 1941 ScrewballComedy about eight professors who are trying to compile the world's largest encyclopedia. Realizing his books on slang are out of date, English Professor Bertram Potts (Creator/GaryCooper) leaves the communal library/house where they work to find research material. There he meets burlesque dancer Sugarpuss O'Shea (Creator/BarbaraStanwyck), who needs a place to hide from the cops so she can't testify against her boyfriend: mobster Joe Lilac (Dana Andrews). She stays with Potts and uses his affection of her to her advantage. Naturally, she falls InLoveWithTheMark and HilarityEnsues.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' might qualify, despite premiering [[SettingUpdate 66 years after the film]].
** Also the 1983 Creator/DanAykroyd comedy ''Film/DoctorDetroit'', about a nerdy professor getting involved with prostitutes.
** Actually remade as Film/ASongIsBorn.

A 1941 ScrewballComedy about eight professors who are trying to compile the world's largest encyclopedia. Realizing his books on slang are out of date, English Professor Bertram Potts (Creator/GaryCooper) leaves the communal library/house where they work to find research material. There he meets burlesque dancer Sugarpuss O'Shea (Creator/BarbaraStanwyck), who needs a place to hide from the cops so she can't testify against her boyfriend: mobster Joe Lilac (Dana Andrews). She stays with Potts and uses his affection of her to her advantage. Naturally, she [[InLoveWithTheMark falls in love with the mark]] and HilarityEnsues.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Among the slang terms that Bertram finds puzzlingly modern are "jerk" and "corny".

From a script by prolific Hollywood writer Creator/BillyWilder and directed by Creator/HowardHawks with a score by AlfredNewman. Nominated for three UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s, including best actress and best story.

A 1941 ScrewballComedy about eight professors who are trying to compile the world's largest encyclopedia. Realizing his books on slang are out of date, English Professor Bertram Potts (Creator/GaryCooper) leaves the communal library/house where they work to find research material. There he meets burlesque dancer Sugarpuss O'Shea (Creator/BarbaraStanwyck), who needs a place to hide from the cops so she can't testify against her boyfriend: mobster Joe Lilac (Creator/DanaAndrews). She stays with Potts and uses his affection of her to her advantage. Naturally, she [[InLoveWithTheMark falls in love with the mark]] and HilarityEnsues.

[[quoteright:325:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ball_of_fire__1941_5.jpg]]

* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Well, let's hope her real name isn't "Sugarpuss".

From a script by prolific Hollywood writer Creator/BillyWilder and directed by Creator/HowardHawks with a score by AlfredNewman. Nominated for three AcademyAwards, including best actress and best story.

** Actually remade as ASongIsBorn.

* ShoutOutToShakespeare: Bertram quotes ''Theatre/RichardIII'' when giving Sugarpuss the engagement ring.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' might qualify, despite premiering [[SettingUpdate 66 years after the film.]]

From a script by prolific Hollywood writer Creator/BillyWilder and directed by HowardHawks with a score by AlfredNewman. Nominated for three AcademyAwards, including best actress and best story.

** Also the 1983 DanAykroyd comedy ''Film/DoctorDetroit'', about a nerdy professor getting involved with prostitutes.

A 1941 screwball comedy about eight professors who are trying to compile the world's largest encyclopedia. Realizing his books on slang are out of date, English Professor Bertram Potts (Creator/GaryCooper) leaves the communal library/house where they work to find research material. There he meets burlesque dancer Sugarpuss O'Shea (Creator/BarbaraStanwyck), who needs a place to hide from the cops so she can't testify against her boyfriend: mobster Joe Lilac (Creator/DanaAndrews). She stays with Potts and uses his affection of her to her advantage. Naturally, she [[InLoveWithTheMark falls in love with the mark]] and HilarityEnsues.

* MoreGun: The gangsters' machine guns.

* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: All of the professors.

* VerbalTic: Sugarpuss' clicking of her tongue. Becomes an IronicEcho at the end of the movie when the professors do it.

A 1941 screwball comedy about eight professors who are trying to compile the world's largest encyclopedia. Realizing his books on slang are out of date, English Professor Bertram Potts (GaryCooper) leaves the communal library/house where they work to find research material. There he meets burlesque dancer Sugarpuss O'Shea (BarbaraStanwyck), who needs a place to hide from the cops so she can't testify against her boyfriend: mobster Joe Lilac (DanaAndrews). She stays with Potts and uses his affection of her to her advantage. Naturally, she [[InLoveWithTheMark falls in love with the mark]] and HilarityEnsues.

* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Even in heels, Sugarpuss needs to stand on a couple of reference books to kiss Bertram.

* MsFanservice: Sugerpuss, played by Barbara Stanwyck, wearing dance clothes in her first appearance.

* VerbalTic: Sugarpuss' clicking of her tongue.