The Talk of the Town ***** (1942, Jean Arthur, Cary Grant, Ronald Colman) – Classic Movie Review 1308

Co-producer/director George Stevens’s 1942 classic love triangle comedy drama stars Jean Arthur as schoolteacher Nora Shelley, who is in love with both escaped murder suspect Leopold Dilg (Cary Grant), who’s hiding in her attic, and distinguished law professor Michael Lightcap (Ronald Colman), who’s rented her spare room.

Dilg is a mill worker and political activist who escapes from jail during his trial for burning down a mill and causing the death of a foreman in the fire. He seeks shelter in a house owned by his former schoolmate Nora, who he’s had a crush on for years. But Nora has rented the house for the summer to Lightcap, who’s planning to write a book. Both Lightcap and Dilg arrive within minutes of each other.

Written by Irwin Shaw, Sidney Buchman and Dale Van Every adapting a story by Sidney Harmon, this vintage screwball comedy infused with a message about bigotry and intolerance works triumphantly because of its stupendously witty and entertaining screenplay and the scintillating comedy performances to match. Arthur, Grant and Colman are all at their brilliant best.

So who does Arthur finally choose? She actually ended up in both men’s arms – because Stevens filmed two endings and Columbia Pictures got preview audiences to choose in test screenings which one they would use in the final release version.

Edgar Buchanan, Glenda Farrell, Charles Dingle, Emma Dunn, Lloyd Bridges, Rex Ingram, Tom Tyler, Leonid Kinskey, Don Beddoe, Georgia Backus, Billy Benedict, Al Bridge, Jack Carr, Gino Corrado, Joe Cunningham and Ralph Dunn are among the strong support cast.

Grant insisted the working title Mr Twilight was changed, thinking if the movie appeared to be about a single male character, then Colman, who he thought had the better role, would steal the show. Grant and Arthur starred together in 1939’s Only Angels Have Wings.

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(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1308

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more film reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/