Everything But the Truth

Even if you like political satire, this movie is silly, silly, silly. Tim Hovey is an adorable little boy who has a rough time at home but adores his schoolteacher, Maureen O'Hara. According to Tim, she's a descendant of George Washington and believes in honesty above all costs. When Tim accidentally overhears his uncle and the major discussing a kickback, he tells of the conversation during a town meeting. Naturally, there's an uproar, and Tim get enormous pressure to take back what he said. He even gets suspended from school!

Maureen stands by the young boy and decides to take matters into her own hands. She ropes in a newspaper man, John Forsythe, into writing about the incident to help sway public opinion. Of course, along the way, they fall in love. I'm painting this movie out to be better than it actually is, so if you want to rent it, I don't blame you. I thought it looked good, too! Tim is really sweet, and Maureen is in her righteous prime (and she hasn't aged a day in 10 years), but the execution of the story is very silly, full of gimmicks and ridiculous romantic banter.

I will be honest, I wanted to watch this film because, and just because, it is made by Jerry Hopper, a director I saw almost all movies. Crime, westerns, adventure ones, and very efficiently done. Always. I knew this feature was a comedy, and I usually avoid comedies. But the Universal Studios comedies are not so dull. I watched some of them directed by Jack Sher, Harry Keller, very rare, never released in France, and I admit it is always a pleasure to discover such little gems.

This one, about a young boy who wants to talk, intrude himself in adult affairs, is delicious. And the gorgeous Maureen O Hara, one of the few remaining female Hollywood movie stars still alive - with Laureen Bacall and Olivia De Havilland - is always worth seeing. I won't never be tired of her. Universal Studios is one of my all favourites, because it offered us pretty good pieces of work, as well in horror, scifi, crime, westerns, adventure films. And these were never boring or corny films. And often grade B pictures, but fancy B pictures. This comedy movie is also somewhere a B movie, pure Universal product, so charming and entertaining.

I don't regret it, even if I don't usually like comedies.