NFR Project: 'The Awful Truth' (1937)

 

NFR Project: ‘The Awful Truth’

Dir: Leo McCarey

Scr: Vina Delmar

Pho: Joseph Walker

Ed: Al Clark

Premiere: Oct. 21, 1937

91 min.

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant are thought of today as primarily comedic actors, but in 1937 this was not so. Grant was an up-and-coming young actor, and Dunne had just starred in James Whale's adaptation of the musical Showboat. Neither was comfortable with comedy.

Enter director Leo McCarey. A dab hand at comedy, he had started out as a gag writer for silent films, later directed some of Laurel and Hardy’s best work, and created the Marx Brothers’ funniest film, Duck Soup, in 1933.

He was a fan of improvisation. After the movie’s script was worked over multiple times by a cavalcade of writers, McCarey tossed everything out but the premise – two divorcing people that are actually still fond of each other. He started filming with an off-key rendition of “Home on the Range,” and went on from there.

Dunne and Grant were chagrined. Neither had worked this way before. Dunne cried. Grant tried to get off the picture, then tried to get McCarey off the picture. This was how the first week went.

But then, the actors loosened up and started to thrive under McCarey’s spontaneous approach. Dunne is possessed of a wonderful deadpan delivery. Grant developed an entire vocabulary of comedic takes and reactions for the film. Grant hems and haws, looks askance at something, twitches, rolls his eyes, and sighs. And that’s usually just on his entrance.

The story is simple – neither Jerry Warriner (Grant) or his wife Lucy (Dunne) are particularly faithful to each other (this fact is never referred to openly, due to the code of censorship). They agree to divorce, and despite their conflict over ownership of their dog, Mr. Smith, each goes their merry way. They have 90 days before the divorce is final.

Soon Lucy is involved with an earnest young oil magnate (Ralph Bellamy) who Jerry mocks mercilessly (they still meet as they share custody of Mr. Smith). Jerry tries dating a club singer whose act is highly risqué, which doesn’t go over well. Back and forth, Jerry and Lucy match wits, piling putdown upon putdown. Each sabotages the other’s stabs at happiness until it becomes patently clear that they are meant for each other.

The script, such as it was, picked up an Oscar nomination, and the film was nominated in five other categories, with McCarey winning for Best Director. The comic byplay, the brisk pacing, and the Art Deco interiors create an atmosphere perfect for a farce. McCarey would continue to produce stellar work.

The NFR is one writer’s attempt to review all the films listed in the National Film Registry in chronological order. Next time: Daughter of Shanghai.