The Awful Truth (1937)

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Viña Delmar (screen play)
Arthur Richman (based on a play by)
(more)

Release Date:

21 October 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Unfounded suspicions lead a married couple to begin divorce proceedings, whereupon they start undermining each other's attempts to find new romance.

Plot Keywords:

Divorce | Remarriage | New York | Dog | New York City

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Irene Dunne	...	Lucy Warriner
Cary Grant	...	Jerry Warriner
Ralph Bellamy	...	Daniel Leeson
Alexander D'Arcy	...	Armand Duvalle
Cecil Cunningham	...	Aunt Patsy
Molly Lamont	...	Barbara Vance
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Leeson
Joyce Compton	...	Dixie Belle Lee
Robert Allen	...	Frank Randall
Robert Warwick	...	Mr. Vance
Mary Forbes	...	Mrs. Vance
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claud Allister	...	Lord Fabian (uncredited)
Asta	...	Mr. Smith (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	Motor Cop (uncredited)
Wyn Cahoon	...	Mrs. Barnsley (uncredited)
Ruth Cherrington	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Kathryn Curry	...	Celeste (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing	...	Motor Cop (uncredited)
Sarah Edwards	...	Lucy's Attorney's Wife (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Viola Heath (uncredited)
Mitchell Harris	...	Jerry's Attorney (uncredited)
Dell Henderson	...	Vance's Butler (uncredited)
Arthur Stuart Hull	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Scott Kolk	...	Mr. Barnsley (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Miki Morita	...	Armand's Japanese Servant (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Lucy's Attorney (uncredited)
Zita Moulton	...	Lady Fabian (uncredited)
George C. Pearce	...	'Dad' (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Frances Raymond	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bruce Sidney	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Paul Stanton	...	Judge (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Hank (uncredited)
Lee Willard	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Frank C. Wilson	...	Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)

Directed by
Leo McCarey

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sidney Buchman		uncredited
Viña Delmar		screen play
Arthur Richman		based on a play by

Produced by
Everett Riskin	....	associate producer
Leo McCarey	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker		(photography)

Film Editing by
Al Clark		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Lionel Banks
Stephen Goosson		(as Stephen Goossón)

Costume Design by
Robert Kalloch		(gowns) (as Kalloch)

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Mull	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Babs Johnstone	....	interior decorator

Sound Department
Edward Bernds	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Music Department
Milton Drake	....	lyrics
Ben Oakland	....	music
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director
Mischa Bakaleinikoff	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Arthur Morton	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
William Grant Still	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Dwight Taylor	....	screenplay constructor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (present) (A Leo McCarey Production)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1937) (USA) (theatrical) (as Columbia)
• Columbia Films (193?) (Belgium) (theatrical) (as Columbia Film S.A.B.)
• Columbia Pictures of Argentina (1938) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• New Star (2012) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #3602) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 17, 1940 with Ralph Bellamy reprising his film role.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the last scene, the door between the two connecting bedrooms has no latch, only a fake knob on either side. You can see the smooth edge of the door.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jerry Warriner:Come on, Haig, get that sun lamp ready.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Waltons: The Rebellion (#5.14)" (1976)

Soundtrack:

La Serenata

You're A Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne catch each other in a white lie and the quarrel leads to a marriage breakup. The only bone of contention is that there's a dog who is a family pet that they both love. They go to court and Dunne with a bit of trickery wins the custody battle.

This is one of those comedies where the people can't live with each other or without each other and both are too stubborn to admit it. Cary gets himself involved with society debutante Marguerite Churchill and Irene takes up with mother fixated oil millionaire Ralph Bellamy.

Any fan of old Hollywood films can tell you how this one will end. My favorite bit is when Irene crashes the Churchill household with Cary there and pretends to be his drunken floozy of a sister.

Leo McCarey won an Oscar for Best Director and Irene and Bellamy were nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor. McCarey keeps the laughs coming and takes advantage of the talents of all his players, Irene's voice and Cary's gift for physical comedy.

And as for Mr. Smith the little terrier who finds out he's not all that Cary and Irene have in common. Well he's one lucky little fellow to be in a classic comedy like this.