Equal parts of comedy, drama and social significance blend entertainingly — if somewhat unevenly — in John Ford’s 1935 film The Whole Town’s Talking. Those viewers expecting powerhouse Ford drama or his familiar, expressive love of America may not warm to this rather dark and puckish picture. It doesn’t seem to reflect Ford’s later work in many respects… yet taken on its own terms, it’s quite a distinguished motion picture.
Edward G. Robinson has a field day as two characters: a milquetoast accountant nondescriptly named Jones who has an unrequited crush on sassy Jean Arthur, and a vicious gangster on the loose, Killer Mannion. Jones is mistaken for Mannion and has a difficult time proving his innocence; when he does, the gangster takes advantage of Jones’ sudden notoriety.
Robinson is terrific as the comically shy and repressed Jones. The scene in which he reads a newspaper’s lurid account of the gangster’s bestial visage and looks for the beast in his own face is priceless. Having played more than his fair share of gangsters in the four years since finding fame in Little Caesar, Robinson actually underplays Killer Mannion, merely hinting at the evil that lurks in the gangster’s heart.
The scenes in which Jones and Mannion face each other are superb. Except for one obvious process shot, Robinson impossibly seems to be at two places within the frame at once; Ford’s mastery of this technique is remarkable.
After years of toiling in silent melodramas and small roles in early talkies, Jean Arthur finally found her persona in this movie. It hadn’t fully developed yet, but the foundation is obvious. Her wisecracking, self-assured, career-oriented, glib yet supportive modern woman helped fabricate the screwball comedy heroine. Ironically, Arthur quickly outgrew this phase of her career due to her association with Frank Capra, whose parts showcased her comedic talents but also ranged far deeper intellectually and emotionally.
Most people call this a comedy, yet is plays more dramatically than comedically. One of the co-writers is Robert Riskin, who wrote most of Capra’s big hits; if you didn’t know who directed this movie, you would probably guess Capra, especially based on the film’s rather pointed indictment of the forces that quickly rush to judgment putting the innocent Jones behind bars. The cops, the prison warden and particularly the reporters who rush to put everything into print are all considered disreputable at best, and absolutely destructive when allowed to run wild.
Despite this dramatic commentary, The Whole Town’s Talking is an enjoyable romp with two charismatic stars. It was a huge hit in 1935 and certainly deserves to be seen today, whether viewed as a comedy or a drama. My rating: ✰ ✰ ✰. (8:3).