History Trivia / ItHappenedOneNight

* BigNameFan:
** Creator/FrizFreleng's unpublished memoirs mention that this was one of his favorite films.
** According to William L. Shirer's ''Berlin Diary'', this picture was one of UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's and UsefulNotes/JosephStalin's favorite movies.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Director Creator/FrankCapra and Gable were on edge with other at first, since Gable was only doing it for contractual reasons; Capra's original choice, Robert Montgomery, had not only turned the film down but said the script was awful, and after many other stars of the era turned it down Gable was imposed on Capra by the studio. However, they soon came to like each other.[[note]]Capra said years later that this was Gable's only performance that reflected who he was off camera[[/note]]
** On other hand, Colbert and Capra never warmed to each other, possibly because her terms for making the movie had included a strict four-week schedule so as not to disrupt a vacation she had planned afterwards.
* TheRedStapler: Unusual example. The film is partially credited with the idea of making it cool to go without an undershirt.

* ActorAllusion:
** Creator/ClarkGable pretends to be a gangster, in the same year he played a real one in ''Film/ManhattanMelodrama''.
** At the Miami bus station, friends of Peter Warne refer to him as "The King", which was Gable's nickname in real life.

* MoneyDearBoy: Both leads were only in the film to [[ContractualObligationProject fulfill contractual obligations]], both [[ItWillNeverCatchOn thought the film would flop,]] and both would go on to win [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]].
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The 'Walls of Jericho' was put in because Creator/ClaudetteColbert refused to undress on camera.

** Robert Montgomery turned down the male lead, saying the script was the worst thing he had ever read. Creator/FredricMarch also refused the part.
** Creator/ConstanceBennett, Creator/MiriamHopkins, Creator/CaroleLombard[[note]] Who later married Creator/ClarkGable[[/note]], Creator/MyrnaLoy and Margaret Sullivan all turned the lead down for various reasons. Creator/WarnerBros also refused to loan out Creator/BetteDavis, who ''was'' interested in the role, and amusingly would have an infamous AwardSnub to Claudette Colbert for this very film.

* The film is rumored to have been a primary inspiration for WesternAnimation/BugsBunny, since there's a scene where Peter talks quickly while chewing on a carrot, another scene where he pretends to be a gangster and talks about the harm that befell a guy named Bugs Dooley, and Peter has a Bugs-like knack for using [[TheTrickster Trickster]] tactics to get out of jams. Also, Shapeley has a VerbalTic of calling people "Doc".
* Closer to us, many screwball comedies from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood were an inspiration for Han Solo and Princess Leia in the fifth installment of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' saga, ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. A notable example of this is this very film, and needless to say the plotline with Peter and Ellie shares ''a lot'' of similarities with Han and Leia's.

** The aforementioned Myrna Loy stated that the original script of the film was very different from the final product, the quality of the script being why she and Robert Montgomery turned the role down, one change being Ellie's motive for running away being that a rich life bored her.

** The aforementioned Myrna Loy stated that the original script of the film was very different from the final product, the quality of the script being why she turned the role down, one change being Ellie's motive for running away being that a rich life bored her.

* The film is rumored to have been a primary inspiration for WesternAnimation/BugsBunny, since there's a scene where Peter talks quickly while chewing on a carrot, another scene where he pretends to be a gangster and talks about the harm that befell a guy named Bugs Dooley, and Peter has a Bugs-like knack for using [[TheTrickster Trickster]] tactics to get out of jams. Also, Shapeley has a VerbalTic of calling people "Doc".

* The film is rumored to have been a primary inspiration for WesternAnimation/BugsBunny, since there's a scene where Peter talks quickly while chewing on a carrot, another scene where he pretends to be a gangster and talks about the harm that befell a guy named Bugs Dooley, and Peter has a Bugs-like knack for using [[TheTrickster Trickster]] tactics to get out of jams.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: It's fascinating to see how a RoadTripPlot plays out in an era when car ownership was far from universal, and when train travel was a bit of a luxury, so bus lines were the most affordable way to travel long distances in America. And bus trips had their own little rituals, like stopping for meals or people walking down the aisles hawking items for sale. And also, it's an era when motels had detached cabin rooms and community showers.

* The film is rumored to have been a primary inspiration for WesternAnimation/BugsBunny, thanks to a scene where Peter talks quickly while chewing on a carrot, as well as another scene where he pretends to be a gangster and invents a person named Bugs.

** AFIS10Top10:
*** #3, Romantic Comedy

* SleeperHit: Arguably the original example. The film was made on a low budget by a small studio and a director that had yet to make a name for himself. Creator/{{Columbia}} had little faith in the film, and spent almost nothing on advertising, while both of its stars wanted to distance themselves from the project. The film was originally released to average box office, but positive word-of-mouth eventually spread, and the film amassed a huge cult following, especially in rural areas. It later went on to sweep the Oscars that year, unheard of at the time for a smaller movie.
* ThrowItIn: The at-the-time shocking ShirtlessScene came about because Clark Gable had trouble removing his undershirt to keep the flow of the scene going - so he went without it.

** Constance Bennett, Creator/MiriamHopkins, Creator/CaroleLombard[[note]] Who later married Creator/ClarkGable[[/note]], Creator/MyrnaLoy and Margaret Sullivan all turned the lead down for various reasons. Creator/WarnerBros also refused to loan out Creator/BetteDavis, who ''was'' interested in the role, and amusingly would have an infamous AwardSnub to Claudette Colbert for this very film.

* ActorAllusion: Clark Gable pretends to be a gangster, in the same year he played a real one in ''ManhattanMelodrama''.

* SleeperHit: Arguably the original example. The film was made on a low budget by a small studio and a director that had yet to make a name for himself. Columbia had little faith in the film, and spent almost nothing on advertising, while both of its stars wanted to distance themselves from the project. The film was originally released to average box office, but positive word-of-mouth eventually spread, and the film amassed a huge cult following, especially in rural areas. It later went on to sweep the Oscars that year, unheard of at the time for a smaller movie.

** Creator/MyrnaLoy, Constance Bennett, Margaret Sullivan, Creator/CaroleLombard and Creator/MiriamHopkins all turned the lead down for various reasons. Warner Bros also refused to loan out Creator/BetteDavis, who ''was'' interested in the role, and amusingly would have an infamous AwardSnub to Claudette Colbert for this very film.

* MoneyDearBoy: Both leads were only in the film to fulfill contractual obligations, both [[ItWillNeverCatchOn thought the film would flop,]] and both would go on to win [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]].

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The 'Walls of Jericho' was put in because Claudette Colbert refused to undress on camera.

** Myrna Loy, Constance Bennett, Margaret Sullivan, Creator/CaroleLombard and Creator/MiriamHopkins all turned the lead down for various reasons. Warner Bros also refused to loan out Creator/BetteDavis, who ''was'' interested in the role, and amusingly would have an infamous AwardSnub to Claudette Colbert for this very film.

** Myrna Loy, Constance Bennett, Margaret Sullivan, Creator/CaroleLombard and Miriam Hopkins all turned the lead down for various reasons. Warner Bros also refused to loan out Creator/BetteDavis, who ''was'' interested in the role, and amusingly would have an infamous AwardSnub to Claudette Colbert for this very film.

** Myrna Loy, Constance Bennett, Margaret Sullivan, Carole Lombard and Miriam Hopkins all turned the lead down. Warner Bros also refused to loan out Bette Davis, who amusingly would have an infamous AwardSnub to Claudette Colbert for this very film.

* SleeperHit: Arguably the original example. The film was made on a low budget by a small studio and a director that had yet to make a name for himself. Columbia had little faith in the film, and spent almost nothing on advertising, while both of it's stars wanted to distance themselves from the project. The film was originally released to average box office, but positive word-of-mouth eventually spread, and the film amassed a huge cult following, especially in rural areas. It later went on to sweep the Oscars that year, unheard of at the time for a smaller movie.

* MoneyDearBoy: Both leads were only in the film to fulfill contractual obligations, and both would go on to win [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]].

** AFIS100Years100Movies10ThAnniversaryEdition: #46

* MoneyDearBoy: Both leads were only in the film to fulfill contractual obligations, and both would go on to win [[AcademyAward Oscars]].

* The film is rumored to have been a primary inspiration for {{Characters/Bugs Bunny}}, thanks to a scene where Peter talks quickly while chewing on a carrot, as well as another scene where he pretends to be a gangster and invents a person named Bugs.

* MoneyDearBoy: Both leads were only in the film to fulfill contractual obligations. Both won oscars.