BY LEE PFEIFFER
When one thinks of the canon of films made by John Ford, it becomes apparent that he made very few overt comedies. To be sure, Ford always included plenty of humorous vignettes even in his most dramatic films but he rarely made movies that were played entirely for laughs. It's also true that most cinephiles tend to ignore Ford's work in the years prior to his groundbreaking 1939 Western classic "Stagecoach" despite the fact that he made very worthy films during his early days in the industry. Such a movie is "The Whole Town's Talking', released in 1935 and which is rarely discussed or screened today. It's a pity because the film is a delight from start to finish and features Edward G. Robinson in one of the best performances of his career. He plays Arthur Ferguson Jones, a meek office worker in a big city news organization that treats employees like necessary evils rather than valuable assets. Arthur's mundane existence is thrown into chaos when he is mistaken for the notorious criminal Killer Manion. The cops have been on a nationwide hunt for Manion and his gang and they are convinced they've nailed him when they come across Arthur, who is a dead ringer for the wanted man (and with good reason, as Robinson plays him in a dual role.) The cops have a grandiose press conference at which they parade the hapless Arthur as a killer now in custody- but when he is able to prove his real identity, they are forced to release him and give him a letter from the police commissioner attesting to his real identity just in case he gets arrested again. Among those monitoring the developments is Manion, who surprises Arthur by breaking into his modest apartment and informing him that he intends to take advantage of their resemblance. Manion tells Arthur that he can continue to go to work every day but when he comes home, he is to turn the passport letter over to him so he can go about his criminal activities with impunity by claiming he is really Arthur.
The film affords Robinson the opportunity to give a tour de force performance, deftly switching from milquetoast to killer with impressive skill. It must be said that, given the crude technologies of the era, the scenes in which both Arthur and Manion share the same film frame are skillfully accomplished. Adding to the fun is the casting of Jean Arthur as Arthur's co-worker Wilhelmina, a vivacious blonde who is his antithesis in terms of Arthur's personality. She is the ultimate liberated woman who talks back to her bosses and dispenses wisecracks and sarcasm with equal abandon. Arthur is madly in love with her but she treats him more like a brother, offering friendship and protection against office bullies. The plot heats up when Arthur's opportunistic boss suspects that Arthur has a secret source who informs him of Manion's activities without realizing that Arthur is literally living with Manion. He cajoles Arthur into allowing the newspaper to print sensational and fictional personality profiles of Manion under Arthur's by-line even though the articles are being ghost-written by staffers. Soon, the circulation of the paper soars and Arthur is rewarded by joining snooty corporate executives in enjoying expensive booze and fine cigars. But Manion doesn't like the stories one bit and plans to do away with Arthur.
Ford's direction in the crime comedy genre is spot-on and he gets top notch performances from all involved. He also presents the urban office environment as an Orwellian nightmare and the city landscape as beset by teeming crowds and humorously preposterous caravans of speeding vehicles. It's no wonder he would seek make so many of his films in the expanse of the wild West. The film's climax is both satisfying and cynical and the movie is a delight throughout.
Twilight Time has released "The Whole Town's Talking" on Blu-ray with a very fine transfer. The region-free disc has no extras but it does have the usual informative liner notes from Julie Kirgo. The sleeve art features the original poster which curiously-and absurdly- tries to market the film as a serious crime drama with nary a hint that it is a broad comedy. The release is limited to 3,000 units. Click here to order.