The Awful Truth (1937)

Winner of the 1938 Oscar for Best Director (Leo McCarey), nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress (Irene Dunne), Best Supporting Actor (Ralph Bellamy), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

With each catching the other in a mistruth that suggests infidelity, the Warriners decide to divorce. Given ninety days before the divorce is finalized, Mrs. Warriner (played by Irene Dunne, in a performance that is far and away better than her nominated performance six years earlier for Cimarron) begins to seek a new romance, receiving a proposal from a wealthy new beau (Bellamy) before the separation is even official. Mr. Warriner goes to great lengths to disrupt this new romance, and the race is on for the divorcing couple to figure out that they still love each other before it is too late.

Yes, it's pretty much a standard romantic-comedy plot - couple who are obviously meant for each other are kept apart by silly misunderstandings until love conquers all - but bear in mind that this film was made before the cliches became cliches. In fact, this movie works so well, it is clear to see that it is, in fact, the reason that those cliches became cliches. So, though the genre has now been done to death, at the time, this film had originality on its side.

It also, even now, has perfection on its side. The balance of slapstick gags and subtle barbs simply could not have been done any better. The writing was absolutely flawless, with the two leads being thoroughly ruthless with one another while never crossing the line into being unlikable. The film is an impressive feat of direction, writing, and performance, as the slightest misstep in any of these would have made the whole thing fall apart. Surprising then, that the film didn't get more wins, and that Cary Grant wasn't even nominated for his role as Mr Warriner, as I thought his performance was the best in the film. Admittedly, the ending of the film could have been a bit more conclusive - the truth behind the spouses' respective misunderstandings is never fully revealed, and it is implied, but not expressly stated, that the two leads return to one another, rather than to their new fiancees - but this is well worth seeing if for no other reason than to see what the romantic comedy genre was like before it became that dead horse that Hollywood continues to beat today.

Movie trivia question: Ralph Bellamy, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for this film, was hilariously paired with Don Ameche in the 1980s for the film Trading Places, and again for a brief cameo in Coming to America. In the same year as The Awful Truth, Ameche also starred in an Oscar winning film. What was that film? Answer coming later today, possibly.