Review of The Awful Truth (1937) by Thomas D — 24 Aug 2016

There's something so charming about 1930's screwball comedies. Innocent, energetic, and gracefully acted all around, The Awful Truth is a great showcase of Cary Grant and Irene Dunne's chemistry while presenting a bittersweet love story along the way.

One of my favorite films of all time is Bringing Up Baby, which is famously a screw ball comedy. And I think Cary Grant's best performance is in Penny Serenade, where he shares the screen with Irene Dunne. So take the screwball tone of Bringing Up Baby and the duo of Penny Serenade and you have The Awful Truth. Luckily, it does not disappoint.

The 30's was a much more innocent time for Hollywood filmmaking. Directors hadn't really dug deep into the more somber overtones of the 40's, and I think this contributed to The Awful Truth's charm. Even with that said, it's not a complete romp. In fact, the dramatic elements of Grant and Dunne's incoming divorce gave the film a dramatic end you don't want to reach. As you watch their character's attempt to tear each other's relationship's apart, you increasingly hope for a happy resolution to this bittersweet story.

Just like Bringing Up Baby, The Awful Truth has its ridiculous gags and laugh out loud moments. To me, a comedy's ultimate test is how well it holds up over time. If a film that's turning 75 years old next year can still pull laughs out of a 22-year-old single guy, I think it's done its job. It's full of ideas ahead of its time, chemistry for days, and brilliantly timed comedic gags. You can't really ask for anything else out of a comedy.

+Grant & Dunne.

+Mature but widespread appeal humor.

+Pleasantly charming.

8.4/10.