Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… in 1940’s Chicago, but lately she's taken a string of trips following her divorce from her husband and former boss, Walter Burns. When they were married, Walter cared more about his newspaper and getting the story than he did about her. Can you believe they worked on a story instead of going on their honeymoon?
Profession… former journalist. She claims to be through with that tiresome and rigorous line of work. Here’s how she sums up her past professional life: "A journalist? Hell, what does that mean? Peeking through keyholes? Chasing after fire engines? Waking people up in the middle of the night to ask them if Hitler's gonna start another war? Stealing pictures off old ladies? I know all about reporters."
Relationship Status… engaged to an insurance salesman named Bruce who is responsible, attentive, and calm – everything that Walter is not.
Challenge… breaking the news that she's getting married to Bruce to Walter so soon after their divorce. Walter can be very convincing and bossy (at one point Hildy jokingly refers to him as “Lord of the Universe”), but Hildy is prepared to stand her ground.
Personality… sharp tongued, principled, and always willing to sticking up for her guns. She and Walter share the same acidic sense of humor, and beneath their quarreling is a sense of equality between the two.
Get to Know her in...
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Hildy Johnson has divorced Walter Burns and visits his office to tell him that she is engaged to another man and that they are going to get married the day after. Walter Burns can't let that happen and frames the other man, Bruce Baldwin, for a lot of stuff getting him into trouble all the time, while he tries to steer Hildy back into her old job as his employee as editor of his newspaper.
