Despite the positive reviews, the film was only moderately successful in its initial run. After it was released to secondary movie houses, ticket sales became brisk, especially in smaller towns where the film's characters and simple romance struck a chord with moviegoers who were not surrounded by luxury. It turned out to be a major box office smash, easily Columbia's biggest hit until the late 1980's. During its initial release, the film earned $1 million in theater rentals from the United States and Canada. Rotten Tomatoes compiled 95 reviews of the film to form a 99% "Certified Fresh" score and an average rating of 9.2/10. The consensus reads, "Capturing its stars and director at their finest, It Happened One Night remains unsurpassed by the countless romantic comedies it has inspired". In 1935, after her Academy Award nomination, Colbert decided not to attend the ceremony since she felt she would not win and planned to take a cross-country railroad trip. After she was named the winner, studio chief Harry Cohn sent someone to "drag her off" the train, which had not departed, to take her to the ceremony. Colbert arrived wearing a two-piece traveling suit which she had had the Paramount Pictures costume designer, Travis Banton, make for her trip. Academy Awards The film won all five of the Academy Awards for which it was nominated at the 7th Academy Awards for 1934: It Happened One Night was the first film to win the "Big Five" Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Writing). , only two other films have achieved this feat: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1975 and The Silence of the Lambs in 1991. It Happened One Night was also the last film to win both lead acting Academy Awards until One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1975. On December 15, 1996, Gable's Oscar was auctioned off to Steven Spielberg for $607,500, who donated the statuette to the Motion Picture Academy. In June of the following year, Colbert's Oscar was offered for auction by Christie's but attracted no bids. Others The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: 1998: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies – #35 2000: AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – #8 2002: AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions – #38 2005: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes: Ellie Andrews: "Well, I proved once and for all that the limb