7.6/10
6,273
68 user 32 critic

The Talk of the Town (1942)

An escaped prisoner and a stuffy law professor vie for the hand of a spirited schoolteacher.

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Irwin Shaw (screen play), Sidney Buchman (screen play) | 2 more credits »
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Nominated for 7 Oscars. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Cary Grant ... Leopold Dilg
Jean Arthur ... Nora Shelley
Ronald Colman ... Professor Michael Lightcap
Edgar Buchanan ... Sam Yates
Glenda Farrell ... Regina Bush
Charles Dingle ... Andrew Holmes
Emma Dunn ... Mrs. Shelley
Rex Ingram ... Tilney
Leonid Kinskey ... Jan Pulaski
Tom Tyler ... Clyde Bracken
Don Beddoe ... Police Chief
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Storyline

In suburban Lochester, New England, three people end up living together in high school teacher Nora Shelley's rental house. The first is her new tenant, renowned Harvard law professor Michael Lightcap, who has rented the house for the summer while he writes his new book. The second is Nora herself. Despite having an auspicious first meeting, Lightcap hires Nora to be his live-in cook and secretary for a week until his manservant Tilney arrives. The third is Joseph, the property's gardener, who is currently laid up with a sprained ankle. In reality, Joseph is Nora's childhood friend Leopold Dilg, who has just escaped from prison. Leopold was being tried for the arson of the factory where he worked, and for murder for the death of the factory foreman Clyde Bracken, whose body was never recovered but who is assumed to have died in the fire. Despite the danger to herself, Nora hides Leopold since she believes his story that although he, as an activist, did speak out about the dangerous ... Written by Huggo

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Screen comedy so gay... drama so thrilling... love so exciting, it will be the talk of YOUR town!


Certificate:

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Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1942 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

George Stevens' The Talk of the Town See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Jean Arthur was 41 when she made this film. See more »

Goofs

After escaping from jail one evening and spending the entire night hidden away in an attic with no access to plumbing, Dilg awakes cleanly shaved the next morning. See more »

Quotes

Nora Shelley: Listen, I can't hang around here even if I wanted to. Lightcap's ordered me out 50 times since last night. I'm here now only by the grace of being in his pajamas. One minute I'm out of these and I'm out on my ear!
See more »

Alternate Versions

The AMC television showing of this film omits the actual moment, shown in the complete version, in which 'Ronald Colman' is actually informed of his Supreme Court appointment. See more »

Connections

Featured in The Lady with the Torch (1999) See more »

Soundtracks

High Pressure And Love
(uncredited)
Music by Werner R. Heymann
See more »

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User Reviews

 
One More Reason to Miss Jean Arthur
7 March 2006 | by evanston_dadSee all my reviews

George Stevens had the ability to make truly memorable films out of lightweight material. "The Talk of the Town" and "The More the Merrier (1943)" were two early-40s projects that teamed Stevens up with the adorable Jean Arthur. Both would probably have been forgettable pseudo-comedies had Stevens not directed them with such a sure hand.

"Town" is a sort of strange hybrid--part screwball comedy, part political activist film. Its screenplay could probably be a little tidier, but I'm not going to complain, because I loved this movie. Cary Grant and Arthur were a terrific match for one another, and Ronald Colman makes a perfect straight man for the both of them. He plays a stuffy professor staying in Arthur's country home while he devotes himself to work. Grant shows up on the lamb for some political activism that got him in trouble, and the movie is devoted to Arthur's and Grant's antics as they first try to hide Grant's identity from Colman and then try to enlist Colman in their populist cause.

This is a great and not especially well known film from the war years. Set aside some time to enjoy it and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Grade: A


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