The Talk of the Town (1942)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Sidney Harmon (story)
Dale Van Every (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

20 August 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Screen comedy so gay... drama so thrilling... love so exciting, it will be the talk of YOUR town!

Plot:

An escaped political prisoner and a stuffy law professor vie for the hand of a spirited schoolteacher.

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Justice | Law | Small Town | Arson

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Oscars.

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Leopold Dilg - Joseph
Jean Arthur	...	Miss Nora Shelley
Ronald Colman	...	Professor Michael Lightcap
Edgar Buchanan	...	Sam Yates
Glenda Farrell	...	Regina Bush
Charles Dingle	...	Andrew Holmes
Emma Dunn	...	Mrs. Shelley
Rex Ingram	...	Tilney
Leonid Kinskey	...	Jan Pulaski
Tom Tyler	...	Clyde Bracken
Don Beddoe	...	Police Chief
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sam Ash	...	Extra in Supreme Court Audience (uncredited)
Dorothy Babb	...	Schoolgirl Noticing Beard (uncredited)
Georgia Backus	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
Holger Bendixen	...	Townsman (uncredited)
William 'Billy' Benedict	...	Western Union Boy (uncredited)
Ferike Boros	...	Mrs. Pulaski (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Lloyd Bridges	...	Donald Forrester (uncredited)
Leslie Brooks	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Eddie Bruce	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Jack Carr	...	Usher (uncredited)
Eddie Coke	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
Joe Cunningham	...	McGuire (uncredited)
Lew Davis	...	Waiter at Regina's Shop (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Cop on Stairs (uncredited)
Al Ferguson	...	Detective (uncredited)
Clyde Fillmore	...	Senator James Boyd (uncredited)
Joe Garcia	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Jack Gardner	...	Cameraman with Forrester (uncredited)
Bud Geary	...	Townsman (uncredited)
William Gould	...	Sheriff with Hounds (uncredited)
Jay Guedillio	...	Man (uncredited)
Dave Harper	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Edward Hearn	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian	...	Mob Member Carrying Rope (uncredited)
George Hickman	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Maynard Holmes	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Dick Jensen	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Robert Keats	...	Man (uncredited)
Stubby Kruger	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
William Lally	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Eddie Laughton	...	Henry, Photographer (uncredited)
Jack Low	...	Workman (uncredited)
Herman Marks	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Joe McGuinn	...	Jailer Overpowered by Dilg (uncredited)
Patrick McVey	...	First Policeman (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Clarence Muse	...	Supreme Court Doorkeeper (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Blanche Payson	...	Woman (uncredited)
Charles Perry	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Ralph Peters	...	Eddie, Moving Man (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Detective (uncredited)
Lee Prather	...	Sergeant At Arms (uncredited)
Al Rhein	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Dewey Robinson	...	Jake (uncredited)
Cy Schindell	...	Townsman at Ballgame (uncredited)
Dan Seymour	...	Headwaiter at Nightclub (uncredited)
Jack Shea	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Roberta Smith	...	Schoolgirl Noticing Beard (uncredited)
Charles St. George	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Frank Sully	...	Policeman in Station Wagon (uncredited)
Frank M. Thomas	...	Dist. Atty. Scott (uncredited)
Mabel Todd	...	Operator (uncredited)
Victor Travers	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Lelah Tyler	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Townsman at Ballgame (uncredited)
Ralph Volkie	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Max Wagner	...	Moving Man (uncredited)
Robert Walker	...	Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
George Watts	...	Judge Grunstadt (uncredited)
Lee 'Lasses' White	...	Hound Keeper (uncredited)

Directed by
George Stevens

Writing credits
Sidney Harmon		(story)
Dale Van Every		(adaptation)
Irwin Shaw		(writer) &
Sidney Buchman		(writer)

Produced by
Fred Guiol	....	associate producer
George Stevens	....	producer

Original Music by
Friedrich Hollaender
Daniele Amfitheatrof		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ted Tetzlaff		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Otto Meyer

Art Direction by
Lionel Banks

Makeup Department
Rhoda Donaldson	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Fred B. Phillips	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Norman Deming	....	assistant director
Earl Bellamy	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Bud Brill	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Rudolph Sternad	....	associate art director
Fay Babcock	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Bill Black	....	props (uncredited)
H. Hopkins	....	props (uncredited)
Reggie Smith	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eldon Coults	....	sound (uncredited)
Lodge Cunningham	....	sound (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Stader	....	stunt double: Cary Grant (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Fayte M. Browne	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
M.S. Burns	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Joe Citron	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Walter Meins	....	grip (uncredited)
John Miehle	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Sam Rosen	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irene	....	gowns: Miss Arthur
Thomas S. Dawson	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Gail Ducharme	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Paul Borofsky	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director (as M.W. Stoloff)

Other crew
Donald W. Starling	....	montage effects (as Donald Starling)
Steve Benton	....	stand-in: Edgar Buchanan (uncredited)
Dorothy Dunn	....	stand-in: Emma Dunn (uncredited)
Mrs. Roy Feldman	....	stand-in: Ferike Boros (uncredited)
Jack Mannick	....	stand-in: Leonid Kinskey (uncredited)
Mal Merrihugh	....	stand-in: Cary Grant (uncredited)
Buddy Roosevelt	....	stand-in: Ronald Colman (uncredited)
Floyd Shackelford	....	stand-in: Rex Ingram (uncredited)
Kay Smith	....	stand-in: Jean Arthur (uncredited)
Ralph Stein	....	stand-in: George Watts (uncredited)
Frances Waverly	....	stand-in: Glenda Farrell (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1942) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)

Also Known As:

George Stevens' The Talk of the Town (USA) (complete title)
Mister Twilight (USA) (working title)
The Gentleman Misbehaves (USA) (working title)
Three's a Crowd (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG (TV rating) | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Sound chief John P. Livadary was dissatisfied with the sound recorded for the rain scene, so he substituted it with the track used for the rain scene in Only Angels Have Wings (1939).

Quotes:

Leopold Dilg: With these indoor habits of yours, you've got the complexion of a gravel pit.
Michael Lightcap: You know, Joseph, you're no oil painting yourself.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Lady with the Torch (1999)

A colorful suspense in lively wit and a judicial theme -- MUST-SEE entertaining B/W classics

It's entertaining suspense with lively lines and conversations, even discourse on law and justice --- fugitive scenario with the ever radiant Jean Arthur as the spunky heroine in the whirl of it all.

Suspenseful tale touching on society's reactions to law and order, yet comedic with subtle hints of romance, delivered in polished words and flowing pace -- thanks to the wonderful trio of Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman -- humor not missing a beat even at the critical moments. Simply well-crafted direction by George Stevens, optimizing a sharply written script by Irwin Shaw and Sidney Buchman, based on Sidney Harmon's story. It's absolutely delightfully enjoyable.

Cary Grant is Leopold Dilg, the fugitive. Jean Arthur is Nora Shelley, a schoolteacher whose house becomes the hideout for Leopold. Ronald Colman is Professor Lightcap who happens to arrive on the scene to occupy Miss Shelley's house for summer rental. Such crisp delivery: using newspaper headlines flashing across the screen, the first 5 minutes -- short of 2 brief spoken lines -- set the atmosphere and tone of the story simply by what we see on screen (enhanced by music). The ending was just as succinct in few spoken words -- well-edited character expressions and the quick cut scenes were effective vs. using dialog. Music essentially complements the unfolding plot -- sometimes spices up the tempo of the film.

No words are wasted here. No foul language (an occasional "darn" perhaps), no gratuitous action/violence, no car chase (a just as exciting dogs-chasing-man scene there is). Wit, charm and humor abundantly applied. The film also attempts to have a moral message (not at all preachy) on how everyone should treat law and order. It presents questions (serious and light): "Why does man lie?" "If you want to get information out of a woman, how do you go about it?" "What are extenuating circumstances about the law?" and not forgetting a pun or two: "Your cold will thaw. Everything thaws." Lively lines with comedic pacing are blended into the precarious situations of the storyline with flowing humor.

Every supporting role has his/her particular part in the grand scheme of things and each little scene is flawlessly integrated into the plot. It's wonderful to watch this film. Rarely do we have a suspense that's so very entertaining -- comedic and romantic, too -- all wound together into 1:58 length -- colorfully presented in Black and White. Simply timeless. MUST-SEE classics this is. Made in 1942, the subject of law and order still applies today.

Other B/W timeless pieces with Jean Arthur, the ever energetic talking-continuously-in-one-breath heroine, are three from Frank Capra: "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" 1936 with Gary Cooper, "You Can't Take It with You" 1938 with James Stewart, and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"1939 with James Stewart encore.

More B/W gems with Cary Grant besides the Hitchcock classics, and the famous George Cuckor's "The Philadelphia Story" 1940 with Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart, are: Cuckor's "Holiday" 1938 with K. Hepburn, Howard Hawks' "Bringing Up Baby" 1938 also with K. Hepburn, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's "People Will Talk" 1951 with Jeanne Craine.

Albert Lewin's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" 1945, based on a novel by Oscar Wilde, is yet another rare gem of B/W classics, somehow with (necessary) true color segments included. Intriguing contemplative tale.