Nothing Sacred (film)

Nothing Sacred is a 1937 American screwball comedy film directed by William A. Wellman, produced by David O. Selznick, and starring Carole Lombard and Fredric March. The screenplay was written by Ben Hecht, with uncredited contributions from several other writers, based on the 1937 short story "Letter to the Editor" by James H. Street.

The film tells the story of Hazel Flagg (Lombard), a small-town girl mistakenly diagnosed with a terminal illness (radium poisoning). A New York City reporter, Wally Cook (March), seizes on her plight as a human-interest story, bringing her to New York for a grand farewell tour. As Hazel enjoys her newfound fame and the adoration of the public, Wally begins to suspect that her diagnosis is false, creating a moral dilemma for him and potentially exposing a significant fraud.

Nothing Sacred is known for its witty dialogue, satirical commentary on media sensationalism and public gullibility, and the performances of Lombard and March. It is considered a classic example of the screwball comedy genre and is notable for its Technicolor cinematography, which was still relatively new at the time. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story. It was later remade as the musical Hazel Flagg in 1953, starring Danny Kaye. The original retains a higher reputation than the remake.