The Talk of the Town
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Movie Reviews of The Talk of the Town
Movie Review: a masterpiece of a 'sleeper'
Summary: 5 Stars
George Stevens' 'The Talk Of The Town' is an absolute paradigm of great filmmaking. a perfect ensemble in casting directed by a giant in the film industry. this film was an early "gem" from director George Stevens. the premise, the acting and direction are all superb. this one will have engrossed throughout.
it's very disparaging to realize that films such as this aren't produced anymore. nothing by modern standards is even remotely comparable to this rare classic. the subleminal moral tones that are integrated throughout are stimulating in an era in which profanity, graphic violence and explicit sexual innuendo have become such a common integral part of today's films.
i am 41 years old and i have been endeared to the classics since i was 18. i am proud of this nation's golden era of filmmaking in which integrity, honesty and morality were the foundational elements in films such as this.
as for the DVD, the print is not dismally poor quality as one reviewer has stated. it is not pristine but is not atrociously inferior either. it is a very watchable version of a true classic. the sound is excellent. all classic film lovers should definitely buy this one!!!
Movie Review: Truly a blast from the past
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a delightful movie from a bygone age. With a great cast, the movie combines screwball comedy with the darker side of the rampant corruption in a small town. Cary Grant is somewhat miscast as the hard-boiled revolutionary who's been framed, and the standouts here are Ronald Coleman and Jean Arthur. But it's Coleman who really steals the show. He can communicate more with one glance than a whole paragraph of dialog.
As others have noted, the movie is more than slightly schizoid, the first two-thirds being quite light-hearted (considering the sinister background of an innocent man's frame-up for arson and murder), with the last one-third far more serious as Coleman is converted to the cause of defending and exonerating Grant. Basically, the movie starts out as a goofy domestic comedy which ultimately transmogrifies into a much more serious morality play in the last third of the movie.
Edgar Buchanan also turns in a fine performance as Grant's small town lawyer who's trying desperately to get Grant a fair trial. Overall a fine movie from a bygone age. They don't make 'em like this anymore.
Movie Review: Charming Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
George Stevens rarely disappoints but this film plays several games simultaneously and succeeds right across the board.
Frederic Hollander wrote the musical score and he summed things up beautifully with the opening credits. There were dead serious moments, then a romantic theme and thus followed the film. The serious parts were filmed in shadow and low-key lighting anticipating no idea at all what was to follow.
"Talk of the Town" plays to a large part with ambiguity. Who loves whom, what is to be had, who is right - in total, what in the world is going on. It injects humor, light but important, suspense throughout and one of the most satisfactory endings I can remember. Stevens cut his teeth on short films with Laurel and Hardy and his expertise can be found everywhere but without slapstick in this case. His secret is timing as it so often is and the timing from set to set or even within the entire film is impeccable.
This a film to catch if you can. I'm sorry I'd put it off for so many years!
Curtis Stotlar
Movie Review: Three-ring circus
Summary: 5 Stars
With Cary Grant playing Leopold Dilg, a man falsely accused of arson, Jean Arthur playing the high school teacher hiding him out in her attic, and Ronald Colman as a college professor and the unaware current tenant of Arthur's charming little house who thinks that Grant is Arthur's gardener, this movie certainly is a three-ring circus!While Nora Shelly(Arthur)and her "gardener" are trying to persuade Michael Lightcap(Colman)of Dilg's innocence the police catch on to the fact that Dilg actually is hidng in her house and come to arrest him. Meanwhile Nora and Professor Lightcap try to protect him and take him to Washington-because Colman has been elected to a seat on the supreme court bench- and on the way there, run in to the man Grant was accused of murdering! As if things weren'tcomplicated enough already something else they hadn't bargained on is revealed-in the meantime both men have fallen in love with Nora! Well,when at last the truth is revealed and everything settles back down to normal Nora gets her man!
Movie Review: Ronald Colman is Hot!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is such a cute movie! I love Cary Grant's comedic movies, he is such a fun person to watch. You really had to listen to the dialogue in this movie to keep up with the actors. Grant is framed for arson and hides out in Jean Arthur's house but she has rented out this house to law professor Ronald Colman (Lightcap). They eventually convince Colman of Grant's innocence and follow the real criminal. Its very funny but I think Jean Arthur should have ended up with Ronald Colman. I just think it would have made more sense and the fact that he is such a hottie from waaaayyyyyy back in the day! I thought Cary Grant didn't seem to make the fit even though he was very handsome just lacking some sensitivity. Great movie, loved it.