The Awful Truth
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Movie Reviews of The Awful Truth
Movie Review: I Wouldn't Go On Living With You If You Were Dipped In Platinum!
Summary: 5 Stars
Leo McCarey was famous for creating and working with comedy teams, and he made use of considerable improvisation during both rehearsal and the shoot. Neither Irene Dunne nor Cary Grant were comfortable with his methods, and Grant was so convinced THE AWFUL TRUTH would be a fiasco that he tried to buy out his contract for the film. Fortunately for everyone, McCarey preservered--and the movie is easily one of the great comedy classics of the 1930s.
Based on a 1922 play by Arthur Richman, THE AWFUL TRUTH presents us with Jerry (Grant) and Lucy (Dunne) Warriner, a couple who genuinely love each other but who have significant trust issues--and not without some reason. Jerry has feigned a trip to Florida in order to conceal an indiscretion; Lucy may or may not have an entanglement with her voice teacher. Feathers fly and they end up in divorce court doing battle over custody of their dog. While waiting for the divorce to become final each becomes involved with others. Jerry sees nightclub entertainer Dixie Belle Lee (Joyce Compton, memorably ridiculous) and icy socialite Barbara Vance (Molly Lamont); Lucy continues her somewhat dubious relationship with voice teacher Armand Duvalle (Alexander D'Arcy, as memorable as Joyce Compton) and Oklahoma oil man Dan Leeson (Ralph Bellamy.) Before too long Jerry is set to marry Barbara and Lucy is engaged to Dan, but there is one fundamental problem with the whole thing: they still love each other and they know it. Just how far will they go to get back into each other's arms? Plenty and then some.
This is one of the several films that made screwball comedies critically famous and audience favorites, and Grant and Dunne would become famous for the style. Critics and fans debate which film should be considered "the best of the genre," and you often hear such titles as IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, BRINGING UP BABY, THEODORA GOES WILD, and THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK mentioned as contenders. But whenever such discussions arise, THE AWFUL TRUTH is always a hot contender, always placing among the best. It is a wildly funny romp that balances out wild story lines, witty dialogue (the Grant-Dunne "things can be the same" scene toward the end of the film is drop-your-drawers funny), and a series of sparkling performances that include one memorable turn after another. The DVD transfer isn't great, but neither is it as bad as you might expect, and in any case the film is so delectible that it is a must-have. Recommended to anyone in need of a really, really good comedy.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
In Memory of friend Jerry Williams
Movie Review: "He Has a Continental Mind"
Summary: 5 Stars
The truth isn't painful at all but quite hilarious in this Leo McCarey film starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. Vina Delmar's screenplay adaptation of Arthur Richman's play is a sophisticated look at what happens when two people who love each other decide in the heat of the moment to file for divorce.
It all begins when Jerry (Cary Grant) returns from a bogus business trip to Florida to find his house empty. His wife Lucy (Irene Dunne) arrives late, her singing coach, Armand (Alexander D'arcy), in tow. One thing leads to another and before you know it they are in Chancery Court trying to hash out who gets custody of their dog, Mr. Smith. Once Lucy wins the battle for Mr. Smith, Jerry only allowed visitation rights, the real fun begins.
What follows is a smart and very funny film as Jerry and Lucy trade gentle barbs about their prospective suitors. Jerry gets first crack as Lucy, at her aunt's urging, hooks up with Daniel (Ralph Bellamy), a rich good old boy from Oklahoma. Later it is Lucy's turn when Jerry begins seeing a high society girl named Barbara Vance (Molly Lamont).
Between the sophisticated jabs are some truly hilarious moments. Grant poking Dunne from behind the door with a pencil while Bellamy asks for her hand in marriage is a riot! Another funny moment comes while Lucy is singing at a recital and Jerry shows up and sits down. Perhaps the biggest laugh, however, comes from a fight scene between Jerry and Armand shown totally off camera. It is the most hilarious scene in the film, McCarey letting us imagine what must be going on.
Grant is fabulous here and Irene Dunne, nominated five times for Best Actress, never to win the statue, just sparkles. This is one of the finest comedies ever made and certainly one every film buff needs to own. The truth is, "The Awful Truth" is awfully funny.
Movie Review: Poignant screwballs.
Summary: 5 Stars
Why is it that best "screwball" comedies are rarely "screwy"? *The Awful Truth* relies more on character and witty conversation than it does on slapstick (of which, in fact, there's remarkably little). The movie's about a pair of bored New York elites (Cary Grant and Irene Dunne) with an open marriage who decide to give divorce a chance after one mutual infidelity too many. Dunne's very sincere in her protestations to Grant that nothing happened between her and her musician friend, but we remain unconvinced. Grant, meanwhile, tells his wife that he's going to vacation in Florida, but instead stays in town somewhere else in order to better pursue extramarital opportunities. (How did all this get past the Hays Office?!) While they wait for their divorce papers, each partner tries on different hats: Dunne attempts to amuse herself with a vacationing Oklahoma tycoon (poor Ralph Bellamy in another third-wheel role); Grant has perhaps a better time of it with an unimaginably wealthy heiress. It requires their pet dog, Mr. Smith, to bring these lechers back together. It is to be hoped that they can finally expend their lechery on each other -- the movie's last sequence in the honeymooner's cabin, one of the great romantic sequences in all of film, seems to indicate that this will be so. *The Awful Truth* belongs in any serious film-lover's library.Movie Review: Awfully Funny
Summary: 5 Stars
After accusing each other of infidelity, Jerry and Lucy impulsively decide to divorce. They have to wait until the divorce is final, but in the meantime each begins to date other people. Lucy dates an oilman from Oklahoma and Jerry has great fun doing everything he can to ruin the romance including telling her how much she'll like Oklahoma's night life compared to New York's. Lucy gets her revenge by pretending to be his sister when Jerry dates a rich socialite. When they're not trying to sabotage each other's relationships, Jerry and Lucy are fighting over the custody of their dog, Mr. Smith.
"The Awful Truth" is one of the funniest screwball comedies that I've ever seen. Cary Grant and Irene Dunne are a delight as the feuding couple who truly deserve each other. There are many laugh out loud scenes in this movie - including when Jerry thinks Lucy is having an affair with her voice teacher and bursts in on what he thinks is the two of them; an off-screen fight between Jerry and said voice teacher; Jerry's date with a nightclub singer, and many many more. There are plenty of double entendres and sight gags to keep you laughing. From the very beginning you know how the movie is going to end, but it's a lot of fun getting to that ending.
"The Awful Truth" is awfully funny.
Movie Review: To love and cherish until death do us part
Summary: 5 Stars
The Awful Truth is a delightful screwball comedy from 1937 starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant in their first and best of 3 films they made together. The plot line is pretty simple: husband and wife start to doubt and divorce. However when they both start new romances they each play anti-Cupids and do everything in their power to sabotage their former spouse's new romance.
What made this simple story work so well was the amazing chemistry & perfect comedic timing of the two leads, the wonderful direction of Leo McCary, and an adorable dog named Mr. Smith (who also played Asta in the Thin Man series and George in Bringing up Baby). The end product is a truly terrific film which is just as enjoyable today as it was 70+ years ago.
Some people have been complaining about the DVD quality. While it is not perfect I don't think it is as terrible as some people are making out. I am however disappointed that no one saw fit to give this great film any extras. But I am giving the movie itself 5 stars not the DVD.