(molly haskell) "his girl friday" was originally the play "the front page" by ben hecht and charles macarthur editor and his male star reporter. i've got some news for you. yes, yes, i got the interview all right, but i've got some more important news. now listen, you crazy baboon, get a pencil and paper and take this down and get it straight! if i ever lays on you -- -- no matter where i am -- -- i'm gonna hammer -- -- that monkey's skull -- (both) so it rings like a chinese gong! the story is howard hawks was reading it, and had his female secretary read hildy's part and said, "wow, this is a love story." and of course, it is a love story. you have the scene of her departure from her fiance, poor ralph bellamy... what did you say? huh? go on. oh, i just said, "even ten minutes is a long time to be away from you." (molly haskell) her outfit is based on adele rogers st. jones, who was a newspaperwoman who dressed in a mannish style. hi, hildy, welcome back. (molly haskell) and she comes in with such authority, breezes into the newsroom, says hello to everybody. she goes into grant's office, a