The Awful Truth (1937)

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Viña Delmar (writer)
Arthur Richman (play)
(more)

Release Date:

21 October 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Unfounded suspicions lead a married couple to begin divorce proceedings, whereupon they start undermining each other's attempts to find new romance.

Plot Keywords:

Divorce | Remarriage | New York | Heiress | New York City

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Irene Dunne	...	Lucy Warriner
Cary Grant	...	Jerry Warriner
Ralph Bellamy	...	'Dan' Leeson
Alexander D'Arcy	...	Armand Duvalle
Cecil Cunningham	...	Aunt Patsy
Molly Lamont	...	Barbara Vance
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Leeson
Joyce Compton	...	Dixie Belle Lee
Robert Allen	...	Frank Randall
Robert Warwick	...	Mr. Vance
Mary Forbes	...	Mrs. Vance
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leonard Carey	...	Butler (scenes deleted)
Vernon Dent	...	Police Sergeant (scenes deleted)
Byron Foulger	...	Secretary (scenes deleted)
Bobby Watson	...	Hotel Clerk (scenes deleted)
Claud Allister	...	Lord Fabian (uncredited)
Asta	...	Mr. Smith (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	Motor Cop (uncredited)
Wyn Cahoon	...	Mrs. Barnsley (uncredited)
Ruth Cherrington	...	(uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	(uncredited)
Kathryn Curry	...	Celeste (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing	...	Motor Cop (uncredited)
Sarah Edwards	...	Lucy's Attorney's Wife (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Viola Heath (uncredited)
Mitchell Harris	...	Jerry's Attorney (uncredited)
Dell Henderson	...	Vance's Butler (uncredited)
Arthur Stuart Hull	...	(uncredited)
Scott Kolk	...	Mr. Barnsley (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Miki Morita	...	Armand's Japanese Servant (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Lucy's Attorney (uncredited)
Zita Moulton	...	Lady Fabian (uncredited)
George C. Pearce	...	'Dad' (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Frances Raymond	...	(uncredited)
Bruce Sidney	...	(uncredited)
Paul Stanton	...	Judge (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Hank (uncredited)
Lee Willard	...	(uncredited)
Frank C. Wilson	...	M.C. (uncredited)

Directed by
Leo McCarey

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sidney Buchman		uncredited
Viña Delmar		writer
Arthur Richman		play

Produced by
Leo McCarey	....	producer
Everett Riskin	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ben Oakland

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Al Clark

Art Direction by
Lionel Banks
Stephen Goosson		(as Stephen Goossón)

Costume Design by
Robert Kalloch		(gowns) (as Kalloch)

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Mull	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Babs Johnstone	....	interior decorator

Sound Department
Edward Bernds	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Music Department
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director
Mischa Bakaleinikoff	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Arthur Morton	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
William Grant Still	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Dwight Taylor	....	screenplay constructor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1937) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #3602)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

It was in this film that Irene Dunne first utters the name 'Jerry The Nipper' implying that Grant's character was often fond of a stiff drink or two. The following year in Bringing Up Baby (1938), in the scene when they're all in the 'lock up' 'Katherine Hepburn' says "Haven't you heard of Jerry The Nipper?" To which Grant replies that "She's making it up out of Motion Pictures she's seen".

Goofs:

Continuity: Just after Irene Dunne introduces herself as 'Lola' Warriner to the Vance family, she sits down next to Mrs. Vance, her handkerchief and purse quickly passed from her left hand to her right hand. As the camera shifts towards Grant, Dunne bends over, making a quiet exclamation ("Oh" or "Uh"), and appears to grab at something she has dropped on the floor. After the camera cuts back to Dunne, she is sitting up straight, her handkerchief in her left hand and caught underneath her left side.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jerry Warriner: Come on, Haig, get that sun lamp ready.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Waltons: The Rebellion (#5.14)" (1976)

Soundtrack:

My Dreams Are Gone With the Wind

Just great

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne play an unhappily married couple who divorce only to discover they were happier married. Naturally they won't admit it...

You can probably guess the rest (the story is ages old), but this movie is fantastic! The acting is great--Dunne and Grant are in top form and work beautifully together. The script is hilarious with many great lines and moves VERY quickly. Director Leo McCarey won a well-deserved Oscar for this--a rare occasion for a director winning for a comedy. He keeps it moving and large chunks of the plot are explained by images and not clumsy exposition. Also Cecil Cunningham adds strong support as Aunt Patsy--her expressions are priceless and she nails her lines. Mr. Smith played by Asta is a dog who steals every scenes he's in. Ralph Bellamy is stuck with the impossible "good guy" role. He's fine but given nothing to do.

I've seen it at least seven times and I still laugh out loud each and every time. A definite must-see. There are many great lines but my favorite is--"Here's your diploma"