The Talk of the Town (1942 George Stevens & prod)

Irwin Shaw and Sidney Buchman were Oscar nominated for their adaptation of Sidney Buchman's Oscar-nominated story (in itself a quite unusual occurrence?) which tackles the theme of justice and the law by pitching escaped suspect Cary Grant against sober law professor Ronald Colman - and throwing in a dose of Jean Arthur between them for good measure.  Meanwhile the police and corrupt officials are on their tails..

Neither Colman nor Arthur are quite my favourite actors and yet there's something most watchable about the three of them, e.g. in fireside conversation:

The two men have taken to each other instantly in talky but engaging film, thoughtful, humorous and gripping.

Nominated for Best Picture, Ted Tetzlaff's photography, Friedrich Hollander's music, Otto Meyer's editing and the interior design.

I have to say, however, that 'Dilg' is an absurd name and so is 'Brightcap' - the latter supposedly a reference to a shrewd thinker, but just made me think to myself throughout 'Get a nightcap for Brightcap'.

Quite simply filmed and reserving the close-ups for maximum impact (though in one, Colman's manservant Rex Ingram seems to shed a tear over Colman shaving, which is frankly odd).

With Edgar Buchanan (attorney on their side), Glenda Farrell, Charles Dingle (corrupt official), Leonid Kinskey (Polish butcher), Tom Tyler, Don Beddoe.

While we were watching it our Cary Grant-loving neighbour gave birth to her first child, which we though most appropriate.