Movie Review - The Awful Truth

During the month of November, Movie Review's will feature Screwball comedies.

                The Awful Truth (1937)

Director: Leo McCarey

Cast: Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, Ralph Bellamy

Running Time: 91 minutes

Production Co.: Columbia Pictures Corporation

Academy Award nominations:

Best Picture

Best Actress - Irene Dunne

Best Supporting Actor - Ralph Bellamy

Best Film Editing

Best Writing

Best Directing    WON

Before their divorce becomes final, Jerry (Cary Grant) and Lucy Warriner (Irene Dunne) both do their best to ruin each other's plans for remarriage, Jerry to haughty socialite Molly Lamont, she to oil-rich bumpkin Daniel Leeson (Ralph Bellamy). Funny strategies are used by Jerry and Lucy to "mess up" the others plan. But they realize that they can't live without each other.

This is a fun screwball comedy that solidified the Cary Grant persona. While Cary Grant is really good (as usual), Irene Dunne steals the show. She is excellent and funny as heck. Ralph Bellamy is superb as the stiff oilman from Oklahoma. Features Asta the dog, from The Thin Man series. A must see for screwball comedies. Leo McCarey won Best Director, and deservedly. A funny note: there was no script for this movie. Everything was improvised which made it all the better. Cary Grant's comedic timing was impecable. The next year he would star in my favorite comedy, Bringing Up Baby. The Awful Truth was good practice. I rate it 5/5 stars.