A major commercial and critical hit, Talk of the Town was a successful mix of romance, action, and philosophical discourse. Columbia was favored by the unusual presence of three top box office draws, and responded with the highest production values that the studio could offer.

The plot, however, strains all credibility. Cary Grant, on trial for murder and arson, breaks out of jail. He injures his ankle, and is forced to take cover in a nearby house. Fortunately for him, the owner is Jean Arthur, apparently an old flame with a strong mothering instinct. She just happens to be moving out the next day, to make room for a new tenant, Ronald Colman, who just happens to be one of the most noted law professors in the country.

Of course, Grant is innocent of all charges, and has been framed by corrupt local officials. And guess who gets to the bottom of it all, exonerating both Grant and his own Supreme Court-nominated self? And guess who Colman chooses to be his secretary in Washington? See, there's no need for me to reveal the entire plot when the blanks are so easy to fill.

Meanwhile, the police are so clueless that they fail to catch Grant on several occasions, even after he returns to the favorite hiding spot where he was so nearly apprehended.

While the action may have you rolling your eyes, there's no denying the charm of the leads. No one could play a romantic rascal as well as Grant, and no was better suited to play the rapidly thawing professor than the erudite Ronald Colman. Arthur's impersonation of Claudette Colbert is as pleasant as the original.

Two endings were filmed, one with Grant winning Arthur, and another with her choosing Colman. Preview audiences, however, chose Grant, who always seemed to get the girl throughout his long career.

Talk of the Town is overbilled as a love triangle, however. In truth, it is a mix of comedy, plotty action and philosophical wrangling over the meaning of law. Does the law represent a shelf of books, to be rigidly enforced? Or should it be flexible, to account for the extenuating circumstances of the possibly framed accused? Flexibility wins, since everyone seems willing to overlook Grant's felonious escape from jail, with Arthur and Colman serving as accomplices.

Of note is the supporting role of Rex Ingram, who serves as Colman's chauffeur. Black actors during the early 1940s were often relegated into playing slow-witted caricatures (compare with The Little Foxes and Holiday Inn). Ingram, who in real life had a doctorate in medicine, is allowed to play his role without feigning an exaggerated accent or a sycophantic relationship with his employer.

Talk of the Town was nominated for seven Academy Awards, in every major category except for directing and acting. Best Picture, Best Screenplay (Sidney Buchman and Irwin Shaw), Best Original Story (Sidney Harmon), Best Cinematography (Ted Tetzlaff), Best Score (Frederick Hollander, Morris Stoloff), Best Interior Decoration, and Best Film Editing.

While Grant, Colman, Arthur and director George Stevens missed out on Oscar nominations for the film, Colman was nominated that year for Best Actor in Random Harvest. Grant had been nominated the year before as Best Actor in Penny Serenade. Stevens and Arthur would be nominated the following year, 1943, for The More the Merrier.

Arthur was a favorite of Stevens, who also cast her as the homesteader's wife in Shane. Although Jean Arthur was 42 years old in 1942, she looked many years younger. Colman, by then in his fifties, was for the first time since the silent era billed below another male lead.

Talk of the Town was produced by the director's son, George Stevens Jr. The younger Stevens is still with us today, recently serving as an executive producer for The Thin Red Line.

Look for Lloyd Bridges in an early speaking role. Yes, he was that young once! It was one of twenty films that he appeared in during 1942, part an era of contract players and three week studio productions. (69/100)

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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8