The Talk of the Town

Leopold Dilg is accused of arsine and manslaughter. Convinced of his innocence, Leopold escapes jail and finds refuge at his friend Nora's place. At the same time, a law professor arrives to work on his next book. This starting point is used by George Stevens to weave together a crime drama with a romantic comedy. The Talk of the Town is one of those Hollywood classics that salutes American liberty and the way it manifests itself in the justice system, but the way the film does it is most enjoyable - it's not just the twists and turns, the combination of genres or the assortment of amusing supporting characters, but mostly it is the splendid ensemble. Foremost is Cary Grant and his hypnotic presence. However, he has stiff competition from Jean Arthur, with a witty performance, and Ronald Coleman, who portrays an impassive intellectual. One of the film's delights is how the strain and relationships between these three vertices develop until the very last moments.