The Awful Truth [VHS]

Leo McCarey's screwball masterpiece deserves the best treatment of all. But sadly doesn't get it this time around. Almost nothing comes close to the perfection of this movie, its subtleties, its ambiguity. Irene Dunne delivers a true tour de force, not least in 'disguise' as the empty-headed sister from Paris. Cary Grant was never better or more precise. The dialogue is superb, the characters are brilliantly conceived. A work of true genius, which is why the treatment of it on DVD is so horrible. The picture is unclean, fuzzy, the sound is awful, and I could go on and on. So save your money, until someone responsible makes another go of it.

This is easily the best pairing of grant and dunne. It's fast paced and well observed screwball comedy of errors. you can't beat them asa team and I think they rival grant and hepburn, one of my favourite teamings. It's witty and funny and as usual dunne gets the better of grant. It's great to see this happen now and then as sometimes he seems to run roughshod over his female co-stars. If you like screwball comedies then get it and enjoy it again and again.

This is the first of three great movies Cary Grant did with Irene Dunne. Cary had the opportunity to work with some of the most beautiful and talented women of Hollywood. He once said that he had most fun doing films with Irene Dunne. If you want know why he said that; then you may want to watch this movie, because this is precisely what you get, lots of fun watching the easy-going couple go at each other in a humorous sort of way. This is a different kind of "fun with Dick and Jane."

Leo McCarey won the Academy award in the best director category, and Irene got a nod from the Academy in best actress category during the nominating process, which goes show the power of this great classic. McCarey went on to make other classics such as: Once upon a Honeymoon (starring Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers), Bell's of St Mary's (Starring; Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman), and An Affair to Remember (Starring; Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr). The story is simply put; man meets woman, man loses woman, and finally man finds the woman again. Jerry Warriner (Cary Grant) and Lucy Warriner (Irene Dunne) are married couple and they split, they start going out with others, soon to be ex husband and wife sabotage each other's love affairs, and finally they reconcile. The fun is in the way they play game at each other and cause numerous fun-filled situations; some outright embarrassing for the other spouse; after all the fight between couples doesn't have to be a courtroom drama or a shouting match full of hostilities

The actual fun starts when they both become suspicious of the other having an affair. Then they agree to separate, and the courtroom drama is really about the custody of their little dog called Mr. Smith. Lucy wins the custody but Jerry gets the visitation rights, and they will have 60 days for the finalization of the divorce. This gives plenty of time to do a great deal of damage to each others romantic encounters with other people. There are many funny and sometimes embarrassing moments involving Jerry and Lucy: When Jerry is angry with Lucy's voice teacher Armand Duvalle (Alexander D'Arcy), because of his alleged affair with Lucy. The second one is the nightclub scene when Lucy' new beau, oil-magnate Dan Leeson (Ralph Bellamy) dance (jitterbug) funny with Lucy, and Jerry faces embarrassment when he tries to romance the nightclub dancer named Dixie Belle Lee (Joyce Compton). The scene I enjoyed most is when Jerry romances snooty socialite Barbara Vance (Molly Lamont), Lucy following his romance in the social columns, shows up at the home of Vance's parents as Jerry's drunken kid sister, and then tries to disengage his engagement in front of shocked Vance and her parents. After all the gimmicks and comedy, they find that they are made for each other, finally reconcile and get back together. This is a wonderful comedy and all fans of Cary Grant and Irene Dunne must see, and it is highly recommended.

1. Penny Serenade [1941] [DVD]
2. My Favorite Wife [DVD] [1940] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]
3. Bing Crosby Collection - Going My Way / The Bells Of St. Mary's [DVD]
4. An Affair To Remember [DVD] [1957]
5. Once Upon A Honeymoon [1942] [VHS]
6. Once Upon A Honeymoon / In Name Only [DVD] Cary Grant Double