Editing The Talk of the Town (1942 film)

{{short description|1942 film by George Stevens}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = The Talk of the Town
| image          = The Talk of the Town dvd cover.jpg
| caption        = theatrical poster
| alt            = Three's a Crowd
| director       = [[George Stevens]]
| producer       = George Stevens<br>[[Fred Guiol]]
| story          = [[Sidney Harmon]]
| screenplay     = [[Irwin Shaw]]<br>[[Sidney Buchman]]<br>[[Dale Van Every]] (adaptation)
| starring       = [[Cary Grant]]<br>[[Jean Arthur]]<br>[[Ronald Colman]]
| music          = [[Friedrich Hollaender]]
| cinematography = [[Ted Tetzlaff]]
| editing        = [[Otto Meyer (film editor)|Otto Meyer]]
| studio         = Columbia Pictures
| distributor    = [[Columbia Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1942|08|20|''US''}}
| runtime        = 117 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $1 million<ref name="dick">Dick, p 160</ref>
| gross          = $1.1 million (US rentals)<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/variety149-1943-01#page/n57/mode/1up "101 Pix Gross in Millions" ''Variety'' 6 Jan 1943 p 58]</ref>
}}

'''''The Talk of the Town''''' is a 1942 American [[comedy-drama]] film directed by [[George Stevens]] and starring [[Cary Grant]], [[Jean Arthur]], and [[Ronald Colman]], with a supporting cast featuring [[Edgar Buchanan]] and [[Glenda Farrell]]. The screenplay was written by  [[Irwin Shaw]] and [[Sidney Buchman]] (adaptation by [[Dale Van Every]]) from a story by [[Sidney Harmon]]. The picture was released by [[Columbia Pictures]]. This was the second time that Grant and Arthur were paired in a film, after ''[[Only Angels Have Wings]]'' (1939).

==Plot==
Mill worker and political activist Leopold Dilg is accused of arson and murder, setting fire to a woolen mill, killing the mill foreman, Clyde Bracken. In the middle of the trial, Dilg escapes from jail and seeks shelter in a remote cottage owned by former schoolmate Nora Shelley, on whom he has had a crush for years. Shelley, now a schoolteacher, has rented the unoccupied cottage for the summer to distinguished law professor Michael Lightcap, who plans to use this secluded location to write a book. Both Lightcap and Dilg arrive within minutes of each other, so Shelley decides to hide Dilg in the attic.

When Dilg is spotted by Lightcap, Shelley passes him off as her gardener, Joseph. A visitor suddenly arrives, Senator Boyd. The senator informs Lightcap that he is about to be nominated to the Supreme Court by the president.  Meanwhile, Lightcap and Dilg enjoy having spirited discussions about the law, Lightcap arguing from an academic viewpoint, with Dilg subscribing to a more practical approach. As a result of their spirited debates, they become good friends, but also romantic rivals, as Lightcap falls in love with Nora.

As a result of prodding by Shelley and Dilg's lawyer, Lightcap becomes suspicious of mill owner Andrew Holmes, foreman Clyde Bracken and Regina Bush.  In spite of his initial reluctance, Lightcap starts to investigate the charges against Dilg. As a ruse, he romances Bush, the girlfriend of the supposed murder victim and discovers that foreman Bracken is still alive and hiding in [[Boston]]. Shelley, Lightcap and Dilg go to Boston and find him. They bring him back to Lochester and get him to admit his guilt and that of the mill owner for setting the fire.

While the three argue about whether to call the police, Bracken catches them unawares, knocks them unconscious and escapes. Dilg is held for trial while the town's anger at him is stoked into a riotous mob.  Lightcap takes a gun from the cottage and seeks out the foreman, forcing him at gunpoint to go to the courthouse just as the mob is about to break in to lynch Dilg.

Firing the revolver to draw attention, Lightcap announces that the supposedly dead foreman is now present.  He then gives an impassioned speech to the mob about the importance of the law, both in principle and in practice.  In due course, the foreman and owner of the mill are indicted and Dilg is set free.

Soon afterwards Lightcap is appointed to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]. Shelley visits him in his chambers and he tells her that his dream of 20 years has been realized.  With more happiness than a man could want, he says the only thing left is to see his friends likewise happy, and suggests that Shelley should marry Dilg.

While both Dilg and Shelley are attending court at the first seating of Lightcap as an Associate Justice, Dilg interprets an affectionate look shared between Lightcap and Shelley as a sign that she has chosen to marry Lightcap, and leaves the courtroom abruptly. Shelley follows him, and Dilg eventually realises that she has chosen him.

==Cast==
{{Castlist|
* [[Cary Grant]] as Leopold Dilg/Joseph
* [[Jean Arthur]] as Miss Nora Shelley
* [[Ronald Colman]] as Professor Michael Lightcap
* [[Edgar Buchanan]] as defense lawyer Sam Yates
* [[Glenda Farrell]] as Regina Bush
* [[Charles Dingle]] as Andrew Holmes
* [[Clyde Fillmore]] as Senator Boyd
* [[Emma Dunn]] as Mrs. Shelley
* [[Rex Ingram (actor)|Rex Ingram]] as Tilney
* [[Leonid Kinskey]] as Jan Pulaski
* [[Tom Tyler]] as Clyde Bracken
* [[Don Beddoe]] as Police Chief
* [[Leslie Brooks]] as Secretary (uncredited)
* [[Lloyd Bridges]] as news reporter, Donald Forrester (uncredited)
* [[Mabel Todd (actress)|Mabel Todd]] as beautician (uncredited)
}}

==Production==
''The Talk of the Town'' began with the working title "Mr. Twilight", but Cary Grant insisted it be changed, suspecting that, if the movie appeared to be about a single male character, Colman, who had the better role, would steal the show.<ref name=dick79>Dick, p.79</ref>

While Grant was paid $106,250 for ''The Talk of the Town'' and Colman $100,000, Arthur earned only $50,000, partly as a result of ongoing conflict with studio head [[Harry Cohn]].<ref>{{citation | year=1997 | title = Jean Arthur: The Actress Nobody Knew | first=John |last=Oller | publisher=Limelight | isbn=9780879102784 | page=136 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u18dAQAAIAAJ}}</ref>

The title ''The Talk of the Town'' was registered to [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]], and Columbia had to give them the rights to use ''[[Sin Town (1942 film)|Sin Town]]'' in return. Other titles considered for the film included "Three's a Crowd", "The Gentlemen Misbehave", "Justice Winks an Eye", "In Love with You", "You're Wonderful", "A Local Affair", "The Woman's Touch", "Morning for Angels", "Scandal in Lochester", "The Lochester Affair", and even "Nothing Ever Happens".<ref>{{citation | year=2004 | title = Giant: George Stevens, a life on film | first=Marilyn Ann |last=Moss | publisher=Terrace Books | isbn=978-0-299-20430-3 | page=94 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7QlPeP1DFUC&pg=PA94}}</ref>

[[Principal photography]], originally scheduled to begin January 17, 1942, was delayed following news of the death of [[Carole Lombard]] in a plane crash while selling war bonds in the Midwest.<ref name="tcmart"/> Stevens, who had directed Lombard in the 1940 film, ''[[Vigil in the Night]]'', halted work on the set and sent both cast and crew home.

The role of Colman's valet, played by [[Rex Ingram (actor)|Rex Ingram]], was at the time a rare example of a non-stereotypical part for an African-American actor. Also unusual was the presence of two [[leading man|leading men]]: at this point in their careers both Grant and Colman had been used to having that role all to themselves. The situation is reflected in the plot, since audiences are kept guessing until the end who Arthur's character would choose to marry.<ref name="tcmart"/> Stevens filmed both versions, leaving it to [[test screening]]s to determine the ending.<ref name="tcmart">{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/92288/the-talk-of-the-town#articles-reviews?articleId=187407 | title= The Talk of the Town (article) | first= Stephanie |last= Thames | publisher= [[TCM.com]] | access-date= October 2, 2022}}</ref>

Stevens and Arthur, both known for perfectionism and attention to detail, enjoyed a close working relationship on ''The Talk of the Town'', with Arthur calling Stevens her "favorite director" and Stevens describing Arthur as "the finest actress he ever worked with".<ref>{{citation | year=1997 | title = Jean Arthur: The Actress Nobody Knew | first=John |last=Oller | publisher=Limelight | isbn=9780879102784 | pages=136, 278 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u18dAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> They reunited on ''The More the Merrier'' (1943) and ''Shane'' (1953) − for which Arthur came out of semi-retirement.

==Reception==

===Critical assessments===
According to [[Bosley Crowther]], "the essential purpose of this tale is to amuse with some devious dilemmas, and that it does right well"; he called the script "smart and lively." The movie also premiered at the [[Radio City Music Hall]].<ref>{{cite web| date= August 28, 1942 | url= https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=950DE3DC1E3CE33BBC4051DFBE668389659EDE&pagewanted=print| title= ''The Talk of the Town'', a Smart Comedy, Starring Cary Grant, Ronald Colman, Jean Arthur, Arrives at the Music Hall| first= Bosley |last= Crowther| work=[[The New York Times]] | access-date= June 3, 2012}}</ref> According to ''Variety'', the film's "transition from serious or melodramatic to the slap-happy and humorous sometimes is a bit awkward, but in the main it is solid escapist comedy."<ref>{{cite magazine| year= 1942 | url= https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117795437/| title= Talk of the Town | magazine= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] | access-date= June 3, 2012}}</ref>

===Academy Awards nominations===
* [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Outstanding Motion Picture]]<ref name="NY Times">{{cite web |url=http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/DisplayMain.jsp?curTime=1390803051458 |title=The Talk of the Town |access-date=January 27, 2014 |work=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201153349/http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/DisplayMain.jsp?curTime=1390803051458 |archive-date=February 1, 2014 }}</ref>
* [[Academy Award for Best Story|Best Writing (Original Motion Picture Story)]]: [[Sidney Harmon]]
* [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Writing (Screenplay)]]: [[Irwin Shaw]], [[Sidney Buchman]]
* [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction (Black-and-White)]]: ''Art Direction:'' [[Lionel Banks]], [[Rudolph Sternad]]; ''Interior Decoration:'' [[Fay Babcock]]
* [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography (Black-and-White)]]: [[Ted Tetzlaff]]
* [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]: [[Otto Meyer (film editor)|Otto Meyer]]
* [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture)]]: [[Frederick Hollander]], [[Morris Stoloff]]

Screenwriter Sidney Buchman (who co-wrote the script with Irwin Shaw) was blacklisted in the 1950s. Consequently, Buchman, one of the men who penned ''[[Mr. Smith Goes to Washington]]'' (1939), left the U.S. and began working in Fox's European division. Buchman would remain in France until his death in 1975.

==See also==
*[[Supreme Court of the United States in fiction]]

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}

'''Bibliography'''
*{{citation | year=1993 | title = The Merchant Prince of Poverty Row: Harry Cohn of Columbia Pictures | first=Bernard F.|last= Dick | publisher=[[University Press of Kentucky]] | isbn=978-0-8131-1841-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rg3Q5OcfeSEC&pg=PA79}}
*{{cite web |author1=Columbia Pictures [[Pressbook]] |title=The Talk of the Town |url=https://archive.org/details/pressbook-col-the-talk-of-the-town |website=archive.org |publisher=[[Columbia Pictures]] |date=1942}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb title | id=0035417| title=The Talk of the Town}}
* {{TCMDb title|92288| title=The Talk of the Town}}
* {{AFI film|id=27497|title=The Talk of the Town}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|talk_of_the_town|The Talk of the Town}}
* [https://archive.org/download/Lux08/Lux_1943-05-17_TheTalkOfTheTown.mp3 ''The Talk of the Town ''] on [[Lux Radio Theater]]: May 17, 1943

{{George Stevens}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Talk of the Town (1942 film), The}}
[[Category:1940s American films]]
[[Category:1940s English-language films]]
[[Category:1940s romantic comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1940s satirical films]]
[[Category:1942 films]]
[[Category:1942 comedy films]]
[[Category:1942 drama films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American satirical films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films about lawyers]]
[[Category:Films about miscarriage of justice]]
[[Category:Films directed by George Stevens]]
[[Category:Films scored by Friedrich Hollaender]]
[[Category:Films set in New England]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Sidney Buchman]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Irwin Shaw]]
[[Category:Films scored by Morris Stoloff]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy-drama films]]