Product Details

• Actors: Edward G. Robinson, Jean Arthur, Arthur Hohl, James Donlan, Arthur Byron
• Directors: John Ford
• Writers: Jo Swerling, Robert Riskin, W.R. Burnett
• Producers: John Ford, Lester Cowan
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Columbia
• VHS Release Date: April 21, 1998
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0800129016
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,092 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very unusual-a comedy crime movie from John Ford, June 4, 2001

By 

JAMES J CREMIN (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Whole Town's Talking [VHS] (VHS Tape)

There was a time when Edward G. Robinson was one of the most imitated personalities of the cinema. His "nyah, nyah, nyah",(his way of saying "I'm not listening to you", acting very sure of himself and behaving quite devilish, being quite the peer of James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. Most people who know John Ford's work as the man most responsible of making John Wayne a superstar, directing Henry Fonda in some masterpieces and being quite the dramatic director. Here, though, he handles a script by Jo Swerling and Robert Riskin and practically plays it with just as much humor as Frank Capra or Howard Hawks. Robinson is given two parts: that a mild bank clerk who is mistaken as the public enemy, no good killer, also played by Robinson. There's absolutely no sublety in the way he's rousted, with multiple guns pointed at him, that would be enough to spook anybody. I believe this is one of Jean Arthur's first co-starring roles and she's just great. Wallace Ford and Donald Meek add their comedic talents to this. My only real disappointment and I've read the scene where bad Robinson captures the love ones of the good Robinson didn't pass the 30's censors is still missing. This omission causes the ending to get wrapped up rather too quickly. Otherwise, if you're a fan of the thirties, Robinson or Ford, I really think you'd enjoyed this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun little movie, July 14, 2006

By 

Chris Ward (Hoboken, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Whole Town's Talking [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I saw this in a revival/fundraiser for the Jersey City Lowes, and I have to say it was fun. Actually, Edward G. Robinson plays two roles, and the tough gangster plays second fiddle to the mild mannered clerk he plays. And I also think the sets or building used for his office may have been used later on in the film "Double Indemnity", which he also played a large part in.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Edward G. Robinson in what amounts to four different roles, March 27, 2010

By 

calvinnme - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Whole Town's Talking [VHS] (VHS Tape)

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.