The Whole Town's Talking

Here Robinson plays the role of a mild-mannered bookkeeper, that of a body double in the person of a murderous gangster on the run - Killer Mannion, and he also effectively plays two other roles - that of the bookkeeper pretending to be the gangster, and the gangster pretending to be the bookkeeper. This could get very confusing, especially in the case of the latter two roles, but as the viewer you will be pretty sure you know who you're looking at by the circumstances. However, you'll still be bowled over by the subtlety of Robinson's performance - I know I was.

Jean Arthur plays Jones' (Robinson's) would-be girlfriend. She works in the same place as Jones, but longs for more than a hum-drum existence. When Jones tells her his hopes and dreams of being a writer and traveling to exotic places, she encourages him, and seems to see what he could be even if Jones doesn't quite see it yet. Arthur has what amounts to one of the funniest scenes in the movie, and there are many candidates. When the police first pick up and arrest Jones, believing him to be Mannion, they pick up Arthur too, thinking that she is his "gun moll". She has some fun with this and starts using gangster slang and mannerisms and confessing that Mannion committed every crime that the police ask her about.

One of my favorite supporting players of the 30's shows up here too - Ed Brophy, who was an assistant director over at MGM until Buster Keaton put him into a small but important role in "The Cameraman" in 1928. Once sound came in Brophy was perfect for playing supporting Runyonesque parts. Here Brophy plays an associate of Killer Mannion who is picked up by the police and makes a deal, promising to put the finger on Mannion. In return the police have to keep him safe in jail until Mannion is picked up. Brophy's character is brave whenever he thinks Manion has been captured and a blubbering coward whenever he realizes Mannion is still free.

Highly recommended as a great screwball comedy that shows the versatility of not only Edward G. Robinson, but of director John Ford.

Edward G. Robinson acted two roles in this movie and did a great job with both of them. He played the meek clerk and the tough gangster equally well.

This is a comedy, so one expects a happy ending; still, I couldn't tell how the plot was going to turn to make this work out well. Even ten minutes before the end I was still wondering.

This comedy is very well worth seeing for the acting by Robinson, the great character actors, and Jean Arthur in the role that Katz' Film Encyclopedia says was the first to show that she had comedic range. The film is directed by John Ford, and is rather uncharacteristic of the type of film he usually did.

Highly enjoyable comedy about meek clerk Arthur Jones (Edward G. Robinson) who is a dead ringer for the most wanted criminal in the country, "Killer" Mannion. Robinson is wonderful in both roles. No matter how many gangster roles he played, he always managed to add something unique to each one. It may just be a mannerism or personality trait, but I feel he managed to distinguish his characters in so many similar movies more than Bogart or Cagney did. Jean Arthur is hilarious and likable as the street smart girl Jones is in love with. Donald Meek is great fun as a busybody who refuses to believe Jones isn't Mannion. It's a rare comedy from director John Ford but a good one.

John Ford directs a screwball comedy?? He does and quite well I may say. This is a story of a meek mild manner clerk named Ferguson(Robinson) who always gets stepped on and used. One day he is mistaken for "Killer Mannion". Mannion is a mean ruthless gangster who cares for no one. Ferguson is a sweet kind man who cares for beautiful Wilhelmina(played by Jean Arthur). Thanks to a police screwup, Mannion knows about Ferguson and is out to use him.

The script is cute and funny. It's also good in setting up the situation and the development of characters. It is not one of the best comedy ever made, but it is still very entertaining. The cast is first rate. Edward G does a terrific job at playing both the good AND the bad guy. Jean Arthur is funny as Eddie's wise cracking co-worker(check her out playing the "gangster moll"!) The other supporting characters are good too. The special effects showing both Robinsons on screen is quite good for it being 1935.

If you get a chance to see it, please do. It is a very cute film.

Edward G. Robinson stars in "The Whole Town's Talking" along with Jean Arthur, Wallace Ford, and Donald Meek.

Edward G. Robinson was such a wonderful actor, a little guy with a towering talent. Here he has a dual role - that of an escaped criminal, Mad Dog Mannion and that of Arthur Jones, clerical worker, a shy man with a crush on a coworker (Arthur). When Mannion escapes from prison, his face is on the front page, and he looks so much like Jones that someone who sees him in a restaurant turns him into the police. When fingerprint ID verifies that he is not Mannion, he's given a letter by the police chief stating that he's not Mannion and should be left alone and even gets a job writing for the local newspaper about his experiences being mistaken for Mannion.

Unfortunately for poor Arthur, Mannion shows up and wants to use the pass, which he does, raising complete havoc. He also starts giving Arthur info for the news stories - and the police wonder how it is Arthur knows so much.

One of the funniest parts of the film for me was the newspaper description of Mannion - a cruel mouth, a Neandrathal face, etc., and poor Jones looking at himself in the restaurant mirror trying to look evil.

Robinson is fabulous - so sweet, so gentle, such a hard worker as Arthur and a ruthless killer as Mannion. Jean Arthur, as the outspoken Miss Clark is great - when she's questioned by the police, they assume she's Mannion's accomplice, so they keep asking her questions - who did this, who robbed that, and she keeps saying, using a tough, gun moll voice, "MANNION!" Then they find out it's not Mannion they caught after all.

I thought the movie went on just a tad too long, but otherwise, it was quite good, with fun performances, well directed by a man known for his westerns and bigger films, John Ford.