Nothing But the Truth

Trailer—Nothing But the Truth

Nothing But the Truth_720p(480P)

source: Nothing But the Truth

I originally rated this 9 stars, but have changed it a bit. Goddard is one of my favorite golden age stars, so seeing her play a nitwit was a bit of a downer. Early in the film there was a cringe-worthy moment when the brokerage firm owner dismisses the adult black man shining shoes (itself a lamentable image) as "boy." Willie Best is also referred as that later on. Times change, but still... The Ghost Breakers is one of my favorite movies (Cat and the Canary is up there, also) but this third re-teaming of Hope and Goddard doesn't age as well. Her costume designer must have been playing an inside joke on her or someone in the production since some of her outfits are ridiculous. Except for the obvious racial lapses I'd say this is innocuous fun.

For his third teaming with Paulette Goddard following the success of "The Cat and the Canary" and "The Ghost Breakers", it seems like the filmmakers might have restrained Bob Hope from his characteristic one-liners and bon mots. I kept waiting for them, but with a few exceptions, this was not the vehicle for his kind of wit and cowardly charm. In fact, stockbroker Steve Bennett (Hope) is so honest, his associates and boss (Edward Arnold) at the Ralston Company dare him into a bet where he must maintain truthful answers to any question posed to him. Ordinarily, this wouldn't have been a big deal, but they all gang up on him with leading questions that would tend to embarrass if he answered honestly. Complicating matters is the fact that he's invested ten thousand dollars of charity money given him by Ralston's pretty niece, Gwen Saunders (Goddard). Treading a fine line in order to tell the truth, Bennett squirms in and out of awkward situations in the hopes of winning over Miss Saunders romantically. It seems to me however, that Bennett did lie at least once before the twenty four hour curfew came up. It was when he stated to Gwen that he didn't put her ten thousand dollars into anything foolish. You could probably take sides on that remark either way, but if betting ten grand on a risky proposition wasn't foolish, I don't know what would have been, except for investing in Las Lomas Quicksilver. Funny how that plot line went nowhere by the end of the story. Eventually, Hope's character comes up on the right side of things when the twenty-four-hour deadline comes up, even when the trio of colluders (Arnold, Leif Erickson and Glenn Anders) attempt to rig the clock by fifteen minutes as a diversion. Bennett's butler Samuel (Willie Best) saves the day with his meticulous timekeeping, and Hope closes out the picture with a romantic kiss and a hug from Goddard. Fortunately for Bob, Bing Crosby was nowhere in sight!

This is one of the funniest Bob Hope movies I've ever seen. In many of his movies he plays a wisecracking, unsympathetic character. In this movie you pull for him, he is forced to keep a bet and he has to tell the truth for 24 hours or lose $10,000 that he's holding for Ms. Goddard. Liar Liar was based on this movie, but I find this movie even funnier. There are many funny scenes, too numerous to mention. All the cast was great in this movie. The end of the movie was especially funny as Ms. Goddard finds out what's going on and helps Bob in his dilemma. I can take or leave many of Bob Hope movies, but this one is one of his best.

In Miami, stockbroker Steve Bennett (Bob Hope) gets hired by unscrupulous T. T. Ralston (Edward Arnold). Ralston's flighty niece Gwen Saunders (Paulette Goddard) needs to double her $10k in 3 days. She recruits Steve's help while keeping it a secret from the rest of the firm. T. T. Tries to dump a bad mine, but honest Steve refuses to sell it to his clients. The guys bet Steve $10k that he can only tell the truth for 24 hours. This is Liar Liar without the magic and with less heart. The premise is a little convoluted, but it still works. Bob Hope does a good forced-truthteller, but he's not as funny as Jim Carrey. It's good, but it ain't great. I'm not completely taken with Steve and that ultimately keeps it from greatness.

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.

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.

Me and my Brother laughed all the way through this movie! One of my favorite Bob Hope films!