The Awful Truth (1937)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

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:

Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies of All Time" in 2006.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the chair when Jerry tips over changes.

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

Platinum Class Comedy!

When I was a little child, my mother used to tell me again and again the main scenes of this irresistible comedy, and we laughed our asses off. Much later, I had the good fortune to see it myself, at an oldies-goldies TV re-run, and it amused me like nuts.

Today, as a movie professional, I can safely state that it's an instance of PURE COMEDY: bright humor, pointed satire, a healthy dose of absurd, deliciously foolish, a fast-paced rhythm that makes the 90 minutes seem barely 9 seconds! You see it again and again, and wish for it never to come to an end! THIS, ladies and gentleman, is the stuff of real comedy - not all the Apatow and Seltzer moronic obscenities! Platinum class vintage!