Ball of Fire

Ball of Fire is a 1941 screwball comedy film 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 Realizing his books on slang are out of date, English Professor Bertram Potts (Gary Cooper) leaves the communal library/house where they work to find research material. There he meets burlesque dancer Sugarpuss O'Shea (Barbara Stanwyck), 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 in love with the mark and Hilarity Ensues.

From a script by prolific Hollywood writer Billy Wilder and directed by Howard Hawks with a score by Alfred Newman. Nominated for three Academy Awards, including best actress and best story. Named to the National Film Registry in 2016.


 * Adorkable: Bertram Up to Eleven.
 * Badass Bookworm: the professors and Bertram, when it comes time to take a step up.
 * Burlesque: If they ever remake this film Sugarpuss will probably be a stripper.
 * Camp Straight: Professor Oddly is a rather mannered and slightly effeminate old gentleman (presumably due to having come of age in a more formal era), but he's the only one of the professors to have any previous romantic experience with women.
 * Expy: The other seven professors for the seven dwarfs.
 * Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Even in heels, Sugarpuss needs to stand on a couple of reference books to kiss Bertram. It's very obvious on the theatrical lobby poster which serves as the page image.
 * More Dakka: The gangsters' machine guns.
 * Oblivious to Love: Bertram at first.
 * Serious Business: Making damn sure that encyclopedia is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. This was, mind you, before Wikipedia.
 * Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: All of the professors.
 * Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: While these exact words aren't said, Bertram and his friends do have to break up Lilac's wedding in the climax.
 * Spiritual Successor: The Big Bang Theory might qualify, despite premiering 66 years after the film.
 * Also the 1983 Dan Aykroyd comedy Doctor Detroit, about a nerdy professor getting involved with prostitutes.
 * Totally Radical: It's a deliberate attempt to avert the 1941 version of this trope that sends Bertram Potts out into the real world.