Rien que la vérité

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.

Bob Hope swears he will tell "Nothing but the Truth" in this 1941 comedy also starring Paulette Goddard, Edward Arnold, Helen Vinson, Leif Erickson, and Willie Best. This was Hope's and Goddard's third film together. They made a good team.

Hope plays a broker, Steve Bennett, who agrees to invest Goddard's money for a charity and double it. He's not sure how to do it until he gets into a discussion with his fellow brokers about lying versus telling the truth. Steve feels the same things can be accomplished by the truth rather than lying. He puts up his $10,000 to bet that he can tell the truth for 24 hours.

It's not going to be easy, and seeing Hope forced to tell the truth in social situations is pretty funny. When he is asked if a matronly woman looks 30, he answers in Spanish but eventually is forced to translate -- to paraphrase, no way can she look 30. When his fellow brokers find a sexy black nightgown in his apartment, Steve admits it's his from a college show.

Most of the film takes place on a yacht, where, thanks to truth-telling, there is a lot of misunderstanding, hiding, and sneaking around.

Hope is cute and funny, and Goddard is gorgeous and vivacious. Entertaining film, based on a play from the World War I era.

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!

Steve Bennett, a new recruit on a brokerage firm in Miami, gets an interesting proposal from Gwen Saunders. She has ten thousand dollars that belong to a charity organization and wants Steve to double the money because her uncle, who is the head of the firm will double the amount if it is done properly. At the same time, his new boss and his inner group make Steve a counter proposal if he will not lie once during the weekend.

This funny Paramount comedy of 1941 was a vehicle for Bob Hope, who at the time was at one of the best moments of his career. It helps that he was paired, once again with the gorgeous Paulette Goddard, who had been his screen partner before to excellent results. Both Mr. Hope and Ms. Goddard do fine work as they show a natural talent for this type of comedy. Others in the cast included Edward Arnold, Leif Ericson, Glenn Anders and Grant Mitchell.

"Nothing But the Truth" was directed by Elliott Nugent who paced the comedy at the right speed making one of Mr. Hope's best film appearances.

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.