Der große Wurf
Swerling was brought to Hollywood by Columbia Pictures chief Harry Cohn to work on the screenplay for Frank Capra's "Ladies of Leisure" (1930), the first of several collaborations with the director. His dozens of screenplays in the 1930s and 1940s include "Platinum Blonde," "Behind the Mask," "Once to Every Woman," "The Pride of the Yankees" (for which he received an Academy Award nomination), "Lifeboat," "Leave Her to Heaven," and "It's a Wonderful Life." He also provided some uncredited writing for "Gone with the Wind".