Rien que la vérité

Nothing But The Truth with Bob Hope became Liar Liar with Jim Carrey in the '90's, I know which I prefer. Carrey's take was a slicker more professional affair but too syrupy for my taste; this hasn't got the syrup but unfortunately it also hasn't got enough gags in it either.

The gang was all there: Hope, Goddard and Best, surrounded by Edward Arnold and some of the best supporting actors/actresses around in a film directed by Elliot Nugent with high Paramount production values in attendance. The story itself takes over, with some great possibilities in it (as Carrey exploited) but it's so wordy that ultimately the whole thing backfires. Too many plot or behavioural explanations stopped any flow and make the 90 odd minutes seem a mite too long a running time. Be warned if you're a sensitive soul - the racial stereotypes are out in force from the first to the last minute.

Having said all that, I've seen it a couple of times now and enjoyed it thoroughly. The only problem is I don't feel I'll be able to watch it again too soon, rule no. 1 being Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder!

The comedic trio of Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard and Willie Best reprise their partnership from THE GHOST BREAKERS in this screen adaptation of the perennial play. Everyone is fine in their roles and Paramount has mounted an impressive cast in support. The story is an amusing one and the writers have made some interesting choices in updating it to 1941 -- although they use the nominally Floridan setting of the movie to minimal effect. Most of the work of covering the show's stage origins is managed by fast cuts and frequent point of view changes. More than good enough.

However, while this is an amusing comedy and well performed at good speed, by a capable crew, it's not what I look for in a Bob Hope movie: I want Bob Hope, that fast-talking, cowardly, lecherous fellow given to asides. It was always a wonderful comic persona and he played it beautifully in many movies. Not in this movie, though, so if that's what you're looking for, you won't find it here. Even though you will find a few laughs along the way.

"Nothing But the Truth" is very funny and one of Bob Hope's best films. Hollywood even matched the title perfectly with the story. Or rather, it didn't change it from the play and the 1914 novel it's based on - by Frederic Isham (1865-1922). The story is considerably updated in time. From newspaper reviews I've read, this film follows the book much closer than the stage play or a 1929 film based on it.

Hope's Steve Bennett is hired by an investment firm in Miami Beach. He meets the boss, Edward Arnold (as T.T. Ralston) and his son-in-law partner, Glenn Anders (as Dick Donnelly). Steve has heard T.T. talk about a great deal in a quicksilver mine in New Mexico, but he thinks it's no good. In a discussion with one of the firm's clients, Leif Erickson (as Tommy Van Dusen), Steve says that he believes in telling the truth -- always.

The three men challenge Steve to bet any amount of money, saying that he can't go 24 hours without telling a lie - including the least little fib. He doesn't have any money of his own, but he's holding $10,000 in cash that he had just been handed for a quick investment. He got it from Paulette Goddard (as Gwen Saunders), who is T.T.'s niece. She's a little scatter-brained but big-hearted woman who is always raising money for local charities.

Steve had met Gwen just before this, when T.T. and Dick had ducked to keep from seeing her. She told Steve that she was shy on her pledge to the charity drive to raise $40,000. But, if she could just raise $10,000 more, uncle T.T. would match the $20,000 and she'd have the full amount. She gave the cash to Steve for a quick turn-around investment while she was being pursued by Grant Mitchell (as Mr. Bishop) who heads the charity drive for The Seaside Home.

Steve is so honest and confident in his honesty, that he puts the $10,000 he is holding up for the bet. But no one else is to know about it for the next 24 hours. The three men plan to keep a close eye on Steve and try to trip him up with questions. The humor ramps up when they all adjourn to T.T.'s yacht for the weekend. They will be joining a small company of guests he had already invited. The yacht, which T.T. calls his "houseboat," is docked in the harbor.

Among the guests is Clarence Kolb (as Mr. Van Dusen), who publishes the Miami Journal newspaper, and his wife, played by Catherine Doucet; and a famous Austrian psychiatrist, Dr. Zarak (played by Leon Belasco). A hilarious sub-plot develops around Dr. Zarak as he observes the strange behavior of the men. As the men try every trick to get Steve to tell even a white lie, the situations on the boat get hilarious at times. The more the men corner Steve to tell the truth, the more lies they tell.

There are a number of other mini-plots woven into the story that feed much humor into it. Donnelly has been seeing an actress on the side, and Helen Vinson plays Linda Graham very well. Tommy is the son of Mr. Van Dusen, and he has been after Gwen to marry him; but she's not sure. And Willie Best as Steve's valet, Samuel, contributes much to the comedy and story.

One other humorous thing in this film concerns the Los Lomas Quicksilver mine. T.T. Ralston apparently got sucked into acquiring its stock. The type of mine is used here for comical purposes. Quicksilver is a common name for mercury, but it's also an idiom for something slippery, and hard to hold onto. T.T. shows how slippery he is, when he says, "All right, Los Lomas isn't any good at all. But there's quicksilver somewhere in New Mexico and somebody's liable to find it. I've told many a lie that I've had come true."

This is a wonderful comedy that everyone should enjoy, from older children on up. The ending has the best whopper of the entire film - and guess who tells it. Here are some favorite lines.

T.T. Ralston, on the phone, "Hello, J.P., this is T.T."

T.T. Ralston, on the phone, "Oh, by the way, Joe, uh, I've got to show my gratitude in some way. Ever hear of Los Lomas Quicksilver?... Hello... Joe... Joe..."

Gwen Saunders, on the phone with the office, "Well, then give Mr. Bennett this message. It's terribly, terribly important. Tell him that something's come up and that the... the thing that I gave him to do something with, he's not to do that with them at all, and that, uh, he's to hold the thing, and I have to have 'em back right away. Now, that's clear, isn't it?"

Mrs. Harriet Donnelly, "Will you establish your office here permanently, doctor?" Dr. Zarak, "Dear lady, there are as many diseased minds here as in Bucharest. And much more money."

Mrs. Ralston, "Well, I'll say one thing for Mr. Bennet - he's different." Gwen Saunders, "So was Jack the Ripper."

Dick Donnelly, "Oh, brandy... and candy... isn't that dandy?"

Gwen Saunders, "Go on! Go on! Don't leave me out. I'm here. What would you like to do to me?" Steve Bennett, " I'd like to kiss you till your ears fly off."

Samuel, "Look what came up, Miss Saunders." Gwen Saunders, "Oh, go soak your head."

Samuel:, "Hey, boss, I got a great big..." Steve Bennett, "Oh, why don't you fall overboard?" Samuel, "What a short Christmas."

Gwen Saunders, "Tea time. Tea Everybody. It's almost four o'clock. Time for tea. Tea for T.T.?" Utter chaos ensues. T.T. Ralston, "We don't want any tea." Dick Donnelly, "Take that stuff away from him." Gwen Saunders, " I'll serve you myself, Mr. Bishop." She pours the tea on his pants leg.

The third and final teaming of Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard occurred with Nothing But The Truth, an ancient Broadway chestnut by James Montgomery that ran for 332 performances in 1916-17. There were two previous films made of this comedy, one in Sweden and the other in France.

As this was done during World War I, I'm betting that a great deal had to be modernized to get it up to 1941 speed. It must have been quite the stage farce in its day. It bares a great deal of similarity to No No Nanette and that shouldn't surprise because the guy who produced it on Broadway was the same Harry Frazee who sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees from the Red Sox to get the dough.

Just as Nanette was on a 24 hour bet to not say yes, Bob Hope is on a bet with Edward Arnold, Glenn Anders, and Leif Erickson to tell Nothing But The Truth from 4 pm. to 4 pm. It's a little sticky though because Hope didn't bet with his money, he bet with Paulette Goddard's and Goddard is Arnold's niece. To make sure Hope hews to the truth, the three men stick to him like flypaper, even as they're all invited to spend time on Clarence Kolb's yacht.

The bulk of the film takes place on the yacht and I imagine it was the same on stage. Glenn Anders's wife Rose Hobart is there and so is his mistress Helen Vinson which gives him a scary moment or two. All in all it's rather impossible to describe the proceedings, but the lines and situations come out of nowhere.

Funniest performance in the film for me is visiting psychiatrist Leon Belasco who catches Hope in a few compromising positions and is ready and willing to offer his services to what will be a fascinating patient.

But the whole cast does well and Paramount did well by the box office with Nothing But The Truth. It holds up very well today and could even use a remake. I can see Steve Martin doing a modern version.

This is Hope's and Goddard's third and final comedy together. Similar to the musical NO, NO NANETTE it is the story of Hope who makes a bet he can say the truth for twenty-four hours. If he is successful, he wins a large sum of money that he has lost, given to him for safe keeping by Paulette.

In the attempt to get him to say the truth there are all sorts of situations and people who become involved with his escapades.

TRUTH is a wonderful screwball comedy, directed by Elliott Nugent, and the team of Hope and Goddard, fresh from CAT AND THE CANARY and THE GHOST BREAKERS, all big hits, once more brought the two stars together. They worked well together and were both by now reaching the top of their careers.

The story, however, didn't do much. Much too much the same thing about tricking Hope to say the truth. Some funny scenes where Hope, in drag, tries to sneak out of Goddard's state room on board the yacht they were guests. Some funny scenes between Hope and Willie Best, that wonderful black actor, fresh from their work together in GHOST BREAKERS, as Hope's sidekick.

Also in the cast are Edward Arnold and Leif Erickson.

This 1941 Paramount comedy is available on VHS.