The Talk of the Town, 1942

The Talk of the Town is about proving innocence. Cary Grant is Leopold Dilg, a man believed to have committed arson and murder who escapes jail in order to set the record straight about his innocence. Jean Arthur, as Miss Nora Shelley, encounters the wanted man when he tries to find shelter.

Ronald Colman gives a beautiful portrayal of Prof. Michael Lightcap, the law professor who has rented Miss Shelley’s cottage for the summer. The poor guy just wants some peace and quiet, but finds himself embroiled in the deceptions going on around him.

The relationship between Cary Grant’s character and Prof. Lightcap was developed with intelligence and sincerity. The Professor was charming enough for any woman to want to be with, but Cary Grant was just a smidge more enticing.

Lloyd Bridges made an unmistakable appearance in this movie as Donald Forrester. However, he wasn’t a big enough star at the time to be listed in the credits. According to imdb.com, he was in 24 films in 1942. Fifteen of those roles were uncredited. During his sixty-plus years of acting, Bridges appeared in 216 movies, 32 of which didn’t list him in the credits. I think this shows that any successful career begins with hard work.