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The Awful Truth Overview:

The Awful Truth (1937) was a Comedy - Romance Film directed by Leo McCarey and produced by Leo McCarey and Everett Riskin.

The film was based on the play of the same name written by Arthur Richman performed at the Henry Miller's Theatre, NY from Sep 18, 1922 - Jan 1923.

SYNOPSIS

In their first on-screen matchup, Grant and Dunne play a divorcing couple bent on mutual ruination. Jerry Warriner returns from a two-week Florida vacation to find his socialite wife, Lucy, has also been away. When she saunters in on the arm of the handsome Armand, Jerry looks the fool in front of society pals. But after discovering that the oranges Jerry has brought from Florida are stamped "California," Lucy realizes that her husband, too, has been up to no good.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

The Awful Truth was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1996.

Academy Awards 1937 --- Ceremony Number 10 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActorRalph BellamyNominated
Best ActressIrene DunneNominated
Best DirectorLeo McCareyWon
Best Film EditingAl ClarkNominated
Best PictureColumbiaNominated
Best WritingVina DelmarNominated
See More Oscar Winners

The Awful Truth BlogHub Articles:

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant discover “The Awful Truth”

By Stephen Reginald on Nov 27, 2024 From Classic Movie Man

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant discover “The Awful Truth” In 1937, Irene Dunne was at the height of her career. The year before, Dunne received a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for Theodora Goes Wild, a comedy role she was reluctant to take. That picture was a critical success f... Read full article

COMEDY GOLD #5: Sister Act from The Awful Truth (1937)

By Carol Martinheira on May 27, 2018 From The Old Hollywood Garden

COMEDY GOLD #5: Sister Act from The Awful Truth (1937) On May 27, 2018 By CarolIn Uncategorized I think Irene Dunne’s performance in The Awful Truth (1937) is one of the greatest, most nuanced comedic performances of all time and while I could have chosen any scene f... Read full article

Review: The Awful Truth (1937)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Sep 21, 2016 From 4 Star Films

The Awful Truth came out of a trend that was in vogue during the 1930s. It’s called a comedy of “remarriage.” During the Hays Code era, it allowed films to nimbly skirt the whole issue of divorce and extramarital romance. We would see it again in the more remembered screwball His G... Read full article

Review: The Awful Truth (1937)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Sep 21, 2016 From 4 Star Films

The Awful Truth came out of a trend that was in vogue during the 1930s. It’s called a comedy of “remarriage.” During the Hays Code era, it allowed films to nimbly skirt the whole issue of divorce and extramarital romance. We would see it again in the more remembered screwball His G... Read full article

o/t: The Awful Truth (1937)

By John Grant on Jul 8, 2014 From Noirish

== One of the delights about contributing a few essays to the Wonders in the Dark Romantic Movie Countdown is that in a couple of instances I’ve been pushed well outside my comfort zone. Nowhere is this more true than with the screwball comedy The Awful Truth. I mean, this is me: I don’t... Read full article

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The Awful Truth Quotes:

Jerry Warriner: What do we drink to?
Lucy Warriner: Well, let's drink to our future. Here's hoping you and Barbara will be very happy, which I doubt very much.
Jerry Warriner: No, let's drink to your happiness with Buffalo Bill, which doesn't even make sense.
Jerry Warriner: [to Barbara Vance on the phone] Naturally she's anxious to meet you, too, but...
Lucy Warriner: Yes, tell her I'd love to meet her. Tell her to wear boxing gloves.
Aunt Patsy: You know what rebound is? That business of trying to get over one love by bouncing into love with somebody else? It's fine, except the rebound is rarely the real thing. As a matter of fact, it's the bunk. There's the first bounce, then the second bounce, and, well look at me. You wind up like an old tennis ball.
Lucy Warriner: Well, I'm serious about Dan Leeson. I like him. I like him very much. I'm all through with Jerry; he doesn't mean a thing to me. I don't love him, and what's more, I probably never did. I'm sure I never loved him. Now I hate him. And that surprises you, doesn't it? I hate Jerry Warriner and I love Dan Leeson very very much and I hope he's just crazy about me because I think he's the finest man I ever met and I know, my toast is burning.
Jerry Warriner: I wish Lucy would go out and get some fun for herself now and again. It would do her good. That's the trouble with most marriages today. People are always imagining things. The road to Reno is paved with suspicions. And the first thing you know, they all end up in a divorce court.
[first lines]
Jerry Warriner: Come on, Haig, get that sun lamp ready.
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The Awful Truth Facts
Cary Grant was so convinced this film was not working, he begged to released during production. The film turned out to be a big hit.
Adapted from a Broadway play. The original stage production of "The Awful Truth" opened on Sept. 18, 1922 at Henry Miller's Theatre in New York and ran for 144 performances.
"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 17, 1940 with Ralph Bellamy reprising his film role.
First of three movies that paired Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.
The dog playing Mr. Smith in 'The Awful Truth' was in 'The Thin Man' movies as Asta.
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