MovieChat Forums > The Awful Truth (1937) Discussion > The essence of screwball comedy is psych...

The essence of screwball comedy is psychological falseness?

posted 14 years ago by bron-tay
7 replies | jump to latest

I just didn't get this movie. It was as unconvincing to me as a Friends episode.

It takes about five minutes for this couple to decide to divorce on rather flimsy grounds, wisecracking their way through the decision. Woo-hoo! Off to court, where they wisecrack their way through the divorce proceedings. No sooner are they separated than they are engaged to people they dislike -- Lucy can't even bring her self to kiss Daniel, and Jerry and Molly are like oil and water. For some reason, Molly, who has never met Jerry's "sister," suggests that she be Molly's bridesmaid, as if high society girl Molly wouldn't have tons of socialite girlfriends who would be first in line. Then a night in adjoining rooms makes Jerry and Lucy realize they still love each other.

The most thoughtless, unreflecting couple I've ever seen, with no seriousness whatsoever about major life decisions. If I've missed the boat because of the delightful physical comedy, I think it was done a thousand times better in every I Love Lucy episode, which was moreover psychologically true. As for divorce stories, Kramer vs. Kramer was more convincing and for that matter funnier than The Awful Truth.

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Think cynical thoughts.

[–] stevenvh 14 years ago

You found Kramer vs. Kramer funny??

--
Rome. By all means, Rome.

[–] bron-tay 14 years ago

No. Looking over that post I don't remember what I was thinking about -- but now I'm willing to say some scenes from Kramer vs. Kramer were funnier than The Awful Truth. At least I laughed out loud a few times.

~~~~~~~
Think cynical thoughts.

[–] hodie 13 years ago

<As for divorce stories, Kramer vs. Kramer was more convincing and for that matter funnier than The Awful Truth.>

It's not a divorce story, any more than "Kramer v. Kramer" was a romantic comedy.

"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

[–] rivkahchaya-455-928681 12 years ago

You know that this was made about 20 years before I Love Lucy, right?

As far as comparing it to Friends, well, everyone has their own tastes, and Friends was a huge hit. The Awful Truth was a play before it was a movie, and something to realize about plays and films before television was invented was that there were a lot of low-budget things produced quickly. Movies have multi-million dollar budgets, because it's the only way to compete with TV, but in 1937, movie was TV. A lot of people, not necessarily rich people, went to plays or movies several times a week. There were a lot more movie franchises in the 30s and 40s than there are now, and there were 20 minute serials that produced an episode a week for up to 15 episodes. A movie ticket cost about 10 cents-- there were cheaper and more expensive seats. Plays cost anywhere from 25 cents to several dollars.

So really, a film that was largely improvised, and didn't have a huge budget, to turn out so well is impressive. There was a lot of chaff back then because people had a whole different attitude toward movies. In a city, there were theaters on every corner, and going to a movie was pretty much like this week's episode of Friends.

It's a wonder that so many films from 1930s Hollywood are so golden. So screw-ball comedies aren't for you. I don't like Westerns, as a rule, or sports movies (except Cool Runnings), so I don't go around talking about whether this or that Western is good, because really, I don't know. I like the 1960 Unforgiven, because Lillian Gish is in it, and I recognize that The Searchers is a great movie, but it's not on my top 10.

You really can't in one breath say you dislike an entire genre, and then say that a film from that genre is a terrible movie. It's like saying you hate the taste of chocolate, and by the way, Snickers bars are the worst candy ever.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rrb 11 years ago

The most thoughtless, unreflecting couple I've ever seen, with no seriousness whatsoever about major life decisions.

OP: I honestly don't get someone like you who sits down to a screwball comedy and complains it's not Ingmar Bergman. Did you really watch this expecting a "convincing" look at human psychosexual interactions? LOL! What a douchebag.

BTW, the character's name was Barbara, not Molly. Perhaps one day you'll take the poll out of your ass (if possible), then pay attention, and you may have a chance of appreciating the comedy this movie has to offer.

[–] Eightythreeyearoldguy 11 years ago

This movie is terrific as a screwball comedy. I'm showin it for my movie group Saturday night. They're of an age that will truly enjoy seeing this again.

Old age isn't for sissies--Bette Davis