The Awful Truth (1937)

11. The Awful Truth (McCarey). Irene Dunne and Grant star in a romantic comedy about a high class NYC couple facing divorce. The script is witty, Grant is in top form and the classy Irene Dunne is the perfect partner. While Grant was the ultimate romantic comedy lead, Dunne never gets the props she deserves. She really could do it all, comedy, drama, and sing. She was five 5 years older than Grant, so while he went on to co-star with Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn - she went into retirement. As for the supporting cast Mr Smith (Asta) and Ralph Bellamy are very good. Despite its reputation as "wacky" and "screwball" - I found the movie more sophisticated/witty than farcical or zany. However, Dunne's turn as "Lola" Grant's vulgar '"sister" - had both of us rolling with laughter. Another highlight is the surprisingly large amount of well done slapstick. Flaws: The story drags at times - particularly in the middle. The cabin scene takes 5 minutes too long to get the famous cuckoo-clock finish. Rating ***1/2