Editing The Awful Truth (section)

===Script===
McCarey worked with screenwriter [[Viña Delmar]] and her regular collaborator, her husband, Eugene.{{sfn|Kendall|2002|page=196}} The couple had written racy novels{{sfn|Welch|2018|pages=776-777}} as well as the source material and screenplay for McCarey's ''[[Make Way for Tomorrow]]''.{{sfn|Nelmes|Selbo|2018|pages=776-777}} The Delmars refused to work anywhere but their home, visit the studio or the set, or to meet any of the actors when working on a script.{{sfn|Kendall|2002|page=196}} In a letter to author [[Elizabeth Kendall (historian)|Elizabeth Kendall]], Viña Delmar said that McCarey worked with them on the script at their home, suggesting scenes.{{sfn|Kendall|2002|page=196}} McCarey asked the Delmars to drop the major plot points of the play—which focused on Dan Leeson's attempt to purchase mineral rights, a fire in Lucy Warriner's apartment building, and Lucy's midnight meeting with another man at a luxurious mountain resort—and focus on the pride which Jerry and Lucy feel and which keeps them from reconciling.{{sfn|Eagan|2010|page=265}}

According to the Delmars, they completed a script{{sfn|Morgan|Davies|2016|page=149}}{{Efn|Columbia Pictures archives show it was finished on June 15, six days before shooting was to begin.{{sfn|Kendall|2002|page=197}}}} which included musical numbers, making it resemble [[musical theatre]] more than screwball comedy.{{sfn|Eagan|2010|page=266}} It also largely retained the play's narrative structure, with four [[Act (drama)|acts]]: the break-up at the Warriner house, events at Jerry Warriner's sports club, arguments and misunderstandings at Lucy Warriner's apartment, and a finale at Dan Leeson's apartment. The sets were simple, and few actors were needed.{{sfn|Bawden|Miller|2017|page=170}}

According to other accounts, [[Mary C. McCall Jr.]], Dwight Taylor (again), and [[Dorothy Parker]] all worked on the script as well.{{sfn|Bawden|Miller|2017|page=34}}{{sfn|Maltin|2018|page=171}}{{Efn|Author [[Elizabeth Kendall (historian)|Elizabeth Kendall]] says Parker worked on the script with her husband, [[Alan Campbell (screenwriter)|Alan Campbell]].{{sfn|Kendall|2002|page=196}} Bellamy says that it was Harry Cohn who assigned the script to Parker and her husband.{{sfn|Maltin|2018|page=171}} According to Ralph Bellamy, these scripts were worked on during the several months before shooting began,{{sfn|Maltin|2018|page=171}} although the timeline is not clear.}} None of their work was used by McCarey,{{sfn|Bawden|Miller|2017|page=34}} and Taylor even asked that his name be taken off the script.{{sfn|Harvey|1998|page=269}} Ralph Bellamy says that McCarey himself then wrote a script, completely reworking Delmar's effort.{{sfn|Bawden|Miller|2017|page=34}} Harry Cohn was not happy with McCarey's decision to abandon Delmar's work, but McCarey convinced the studio boss that he could rework it.{{sfn|Bawden|Miller|2017|page=170}} Film historians Iwan W. Morgan and Philip Davies say that McCarey retained only a single aspect of Delmar's work: The alleged infidelity of both man and wife.{{sfn|Morgan|Davies|2016|page=149}}{{Efn|The play and the two previous film versions had focused only on the wife's infidelity.{{sfn|Morgan|Davies|2016|page=149}}}}