Search This Blog

Friday, August 31, 2012

Talk Of The Town (1942)

A radical social activist (Cary Grant) is accused of arson and manslaughter but escapes from prison before sentence is passed. He hides out at the summer cottage where a famous judge (Ronald Colman) is vacationing by passing himself off as the gardener. He's assisted in this duplicity by the landlady (Jean Arthur) who protects his real identity. This rather confused dramedy attempts to balance screwball comedy with social commentary. The uncomfortable mix never blends into a cohesive whole, it's neither fish nor fowl. For about three quarters of the film's running time, the affable leads manage to hold the picture together but the last fourth is rather pedantic and the good will built up evaporates pretty fast when the civics lessons start coming. Still, it was apparently highly thought of in its day as it garnered seven Oscar nominations including one for best picture. Directed by George Stevens. With Lloyd Bridges, Glenda Farrell, Rex Ingram, Edgar Buchanan, Leonid Kinskey and Charles Dingle.

No comments:

Post a Comment