THE AWFUL TRUTH is the quintessential romantic comedy based on a misunderstanding between the protagonists. Jerry and Lucy Warriner (Irene Dunne & Cary Grant) are a married couple who get a divorce--their only point of contention appearing to be the custody of their dog "Mr Smith"--because Jerry thinks Lucy cheated on him with her vocal coach Duvalle (D'Arcy). The theme of the film is that a marriage must be built on trust, without doubt and suspicion. What's odd, then, is that Jerry spends the first half of the film trying to win Lucy back--when *he* was the one who hadn't trusted her in the first place. Lucy spends the second half trying to win Jerry back, after he falls for the same misunderstanding again when he happens upon Duvalle hiding in the other room in her apartment. What strikes me as odd is that the misunderstanding the entire film is based on is so small as to be insignificant. Why doesn't Lucy just come right out and *say* that she didn't do anything wrong? What's so difficult about saying, "My vocal coach came over this afternoon after I ran away to see if I was alright"? Why shove him in a room only to have the farce start all over again? (I suppose, in the end, that is the point. She doesn't clear up the misunderstanding as most sensible adults would because then the film itself wouldn't exist.)<br /><br />So the plot of the film isn't particularly strong--what is its saving grace? It's probably got to be the performance given by the leading members of the cast--Cary Grant is everything you'd ever want Cary Grant to be. Charming, debonair, gleeful, playful, mischievous, vulnerable, hurt: every emotion that Grant so skilfully and mesmerisingly displays through his career is available here, possibly for the first time in one irresistible package. Irene Dunne is beautiful and very funny in her role as well (mild spoilers ahead), especially when she assumes the role of Lola Warriner to mess up Jerry's situation with Barbara. A real pleasant surprise is Ralph Bellamy as Dan: he plays the perfect country bumpkin, and practically steals the picture with his constant singing of "Home On The Range", his fervent hug-swinging of Lucy, and declaring that he's so happy that, why, he could eat three steaks!<br /><br />Most of the film feels like set-pieces strung together to showcase the comedic talents of the stars. The film itself most certainly suffers for it (since the plot twists don't often make sense), but the performances are absolute classics. Some of the best moments include Lucy's breakfast chat with her acerbic aunt (played delightfully by Cecil Cunningham); Dan's "cup-winning" turn around the dance floor with Lucy; and Duvalle hightailing out of Lucy's apartment with Jerry right on his heels. The ending as well is played out in a delightfully suggestive and sexy way, something that could only have been done with the inventiveness needed to get around the Hays Code in those days. <br /><br />If you're looking for laugh-a-minute comedy, you'd be better off with BRINGING UP BABY. And if it's romance you're after, you probably couldn't do better than THE PHILADELPHIA STORY. (Both Cary Grant classics.) But this film does a pretty good job of melding the elements of comedy and romance into one coherent whole. THE AWFUL TRUTH is definitely one for true Grant aficionados, but it is no doubt a great way to spend a couple of hours.