Born Yesterday (1950) - Cukor

Plot:  Based on the 1946 play, a Business tycoon hires an etiquette tutor for his girlfriend and finds she's smarter then thought.
Stars:  Judy Holliday, Bill Holden, Broderick Crawford

A Box office smash in 1950, today its often remembered for Holliday winning the Best Actress Award over the more deserving Gloria Swanson (Sunset Blvd) and Bette Davis (All about Eve).   Seeming to run much longer than its 100 minute run-time, its a dated, one-note drama/comedy, that didn't engage me.  Its surprisingly serious, and there's a lot of Crawford bellowing.  In fact, no one seems to have told Crawford that he was in a comedy. OTOH, Holden is charming,  but his character just exists to advance the plot and play straight-man.  So, all the laughs come from Holliday, & the whole thing dies when she's off screen.   And while she is good,  she's  not "Brilliant" or "Hilarious" .  She's often more annoying than funny, and Jean Hagen does the "Dumb Blonde" thing better in Singing in the Rain.  

Summary: Its heresy to "Judy fans", but I think Lucille Ball, Jean Hagen, Rita Hayworth, and above all Marilyn Monroe could've done as well in the role.  But no matter the leading lady, Born Yesterday is too serious, dated, and  repetitive for my tastes.  But all comedy is subjective.