The Whole Town's Talking

Released Feb 21, 1935

1h 35m

Comedy

List

100%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Clerk Arthur Jones (Edward G. Robinson) lives a dull life until someone realizes that he looks like gangster "Killer" Mannion (also Robinson). After Jones is brought in by the police and his identity is verified, he is given a note to assuage any other suspicious policeman. Jones is hired by a newspaper to write about Mannion and starts dating Wilhelmina Clark (Jean Arthur). However, when Jones returns home one night, Mannion is waiting and demands the note so that he can roam freely.

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

Satirically yet trenchantly embraces a wide range of modern experience, from the political to the intimate.

Dec 3, 2012

Full Review

Bernice Patton

Pittsburgh Courier

Sensational.

Dec 2, 2020

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Nathanael Hood

Unseen Films

...the closest thing director John Ford ever came to making a screwball comedy.

Rated: 7/10

Apr 18, 2020

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Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

A great showpiece for Robinson and one of the most offbeat curios in Ford's jam-packed filmography.

Rated: 3.5/5

Apr 9, 2020

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Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Odd bur rich mix of the visionary, comedy and the darkest side of gangsters.

Aug 22, 2014

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...generally an amiable little comedy that benefits greatly from the charisma of its two leads.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 27, 2007

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Audience Member

It was an ok movie Mr Robinson acting was superb but movie seems childish in the 21st century.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Frances H

This flick just didn't do it for me.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

07/17/20

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john m

The first half is hilarious and thrilling and once it introduces its big twist halfway through, you know you're in for something great. Although, it sort of becomes less interesting than its setup suggests as it goes along. Edward G. Robinson is great though, playing two characters completely polar opposites with nuance very rarely shown at this time. And Ford knows how to get excitement out of every scene no matter how big or small.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Edward G. Robinson was a great actor. I saw this movie last night. The movie is absorbing and entertaining; and Mr. Robinson demonstrated his skills with such dexterity that his acting is a breath of fresh air.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

Arthur nearly steals every scene she's in, but fortunately she's absent in enough that star Robinson still shines in his duel role.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

AMIABLE comedy. mostly of interest to those who want to see Robinson trade on his appeal as a gangster by playing a meek office worker who is a dead ringer for a gangster. Also, according to TCM the film that established Jean Arthur. They are both good but the film is slight.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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John Ford

Director

Edward G. Robinson

Arthur Ferguson Jones

Jean Arthur

Miss Clark

Arthur Hohl

Detective Sergeant Boyle

Wallace Ford

Healy

Arthur Byron

Spencer

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Synopsis

Clerk Arthur Jones (Edward G. Robinson) lives a dull life until someone realizes that he looks like gangster "Killer" Mannion (also Robinson). After Jones is brought in by the police and his identity is verified, he is given a note to assuage any other suspicious policeman. Jones is hired by a newspaper to write about Mannion and starts dating Wilhelmina Clark (Jean Arthur). However, when Jones returns home one night, Mannion is waiting and demands the note so that he can roam freely.

Director: John Ford
Producer: Lester Cowan
Production Co: Columbia Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 1935, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2014
Runtime: 1h 35m

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