The Whole Town’s Talking

The Whole Town’s Talking casts Edward G. Robinson as Arthur Jones, a meek clerk who is shocked to discover that he looks exactly the same as escaped convict Killer Mannion. After being mistakenly arrested by the police, Arthur is given a signed form stating that he is, in fact, not Mannion – a piece of paper that inevitably brings the real Mannion into our hapless hero’s life. That The Whole Town’s Talking generally possesses the feel of a Frank Capra film doesn’t come as much of a shock, as co-scripter Robert Riskin had a hand in several Capra efforts – including Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Meet John Doe. Robinson is surprisingly convincing as a character that’s essentially the antithesis of his tough guy persona, although, as Mannion, he does deliver as creepy and sinister a performance as one might’ve expected. Jean Arthur provides most of the film’s laughs as a sassy co-worker Arthur has a crush on, while director John Ford infuses the proceedings with an appropriately lighthearted touch. And while the movie begins to run out of steam towards the end, particularly as it abandons its various comedic elements and relegates Arthur’s character to the sidelines, The Whole Town’s Talking is generally an amiable little comedy that benefits greatly from the charisma of its two leads.

**1/2 out of ****