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.