Grade: C-
Synopsis: A schoolteacher (Jean Arthur) hides a wanted man (Cary Grant) who poses as a gardener around her other tenant, a stuffy law professor (Ronald Colman).
The Talk of the Town is an uneven comedy-drama that benefits greatly from the presences of Cary Grant and Ronald Colman.
The film’s biggest problem is that it works far better as a drama than as a comedy. Whereas someone like Billy Wilder can blend the two genres seamlessly, The Talk of the Town often stutters and grinds when it attempts to change gears from drama to comedy. And that’s frustrating because it’s clear these hiccups aren’t insurmountable, and that simple rewrite or two by someone with Wilder’s talents could have overcome them, but, as is, the film is frustratingly uneven.
And it’s a shame too, because Grant and Colman are in fine form, and Jean Arthur works far better than she did in her last pairing with Grant, Only Angels Have Wings (1939).
A cast this good deserves better, and granted, the note-perfect ending almost saves the picture, but unfortunately, there are far too many bumps in the road to get there.
Bottom Line: Despite great turns by Cary Grant and Ronald Colman, The Talk of the Town is woefully uneven.
