The Talk of the Town (1942) - film review

When a fabrics mill goes up in flames, one of its employees, Leopold Dilg, is arrested on a charge of arson.  The jury at his trial are unlikely to show him any leniency, as the mill foreman died in the fire.  It doesn’t help that Dilg is a noted political activist, a thorn in the side of the local government officials.  Realising that he is condemned even before the trial begins, Dilg breaks out of prison and goes on the run.  He ends up at a house belonging to an old school friend, Nora Shelley, who allows him to spend the night there.  Nora has let the house out for the summer to a distinguished law professor, Michael Lightcap, and is surprised when the latter turns up a day early.  Passing Dilg off as her gardener, Nora tries to win her way in Lightcap’s confidence by working for him as a secretary and housekeeper.  Her hope is that Lightcap will grow to like Dilg and be motivated to defend him in a court of law when the police catch up with him.  Unfortunately, the two men have radically different views about the law...

The Talk of the Town is a most unusual concoction of screwball comedy and social drama which divides its time, rather effectively, between the usual knockabout farce and an exploration of the failings and strengths of the American legal system.  The film’s schizoid nature is emphasised by its gritty opening sequence which wrong-foots the spectator into thinking this is social realist crime drama or film noir thriller.  This mix of contrasting styles became quite prevalent in Hollywood in the mid to late forties and arose from the need to entertain audiences at a period of great austerity whilst reflecting widespread concerns about such important social issues as housing shortages, racial intolerance and government corruption.

The film was directed by George Stevens, a highly respected filmmaker who was renowned for his versatility, his credits encompassing the Astaire-Rogers hit Swing Time (1936), the Hepburn-Tracy vehicle Woman of the Year (1942) and the classic western Shane (1953).  This was the last of three films that he made with Cary Grant, following Gunga Din (1939) and Penny Serenade (1941).  It was also Grant’s second pairing with Jean Arthur, after their success in Only Angels Have Wings (1939).

By this time, Cary Grant and Jean Arthur had become major stars, their careers overtaking even that of Ronald Colman, who is relegated to third billing here even though he had been one of the top Hollywood actors throughout the previous decade.  The film gave a much needed boost to Colman’s career which culminated in his Oscar winning portrayal in A Double Life (1947).  Most of the appeal of The Talk of the Town stems from the sparkling interaction of Grant, Arthur and Colman, three very different personalities who are all endlessly likeable.  Stevens couldn’t decide how to end the film – should Colman get the girl, or should she choose Grant? – so he shot two endings and let the audience at a preview screening vote on who should be the lucky man.

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