The Awful Truth

"I wouldn't go on living with you if you were dipped in platinum." That would be Oscar-nominee Irene Dunne as Lucy Warriner speaking to her husband Jerry (Cary Grant). And she doesn't. With both parties harboring suspicions (possibly unfounded, possibly not) concerning the other's marital infidelity, the Warriners decide to split the sheets and strike up new relationships that seem to be on the fast track for second marriages…just waiting for the divorce decree to become final. Of course, both Jerry and Lucy find their exes' prospective spouses to be poor choices (aristocratic heiress Molly Lamont in Grant's case, and buffoonish cowboy Ralph Bellamy in Dunne's) and so do everything in their power to wreck the other's chances (Dunne posing as Grant's decidedly lower class "sister" and crashing a get-together with Lamont's family is particularly rich). Not surprisingly, their backbiting squabbles only serve to re-ignite the old spark between them. Director Leo McCarey nabbed an Oscar for this classic 1937 screwball comedy featuring pitch-perfect performances from Grant, Dunne, Bellamy, Esther Dale as Bellamy's mom, and the legendary Asta (canine star of The Thin Man) as the Warriners' beloved (and toy-obsessed) terrier "Mr. Smith." Technically speaking, the awful truth is that the source material for the transfer was not restored, which means there are a fair number of specks and scratches, as well as significant grain in some scenes (although the image is reasonably sharp). While the disc itself boasts doodley squat in the way of extras, The Awful Truth is a comedy classic and is therefore highly recommended. (R. Pitman) [Blu-ray Review—Apr. 17, 2018—Criterion, 91 min., not rated, DVD: $29.95, Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1937’s The Awful Truth features an excellent transfer with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras include a Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film (60 min.), an interview with critic Gary Giddins on director Leo McCarey (24 min.), a 'Tell Me Lies About Cary Grant' video essay by critic David Cairns (16 min.), a 1978 illustrated audio interview with costar Irene Dunne (7 min.), and an essay by film critic Molly Haskell. Bottom line: a screwball comedy classic makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]