The Awful Truth on AllMovie

1929's The Awful Truth was the second of three film versions of Arthur Richman's 1922 play. Ina Claire (in her talking-picture debut) and Henry Daniell play a wealthy couple whose individual infidelities lead inexorably to the divorce court. Though they subsequently try out other partners, they never truly fall out of love with one another. Each sabotages the other's impending second marriage just before the inevitable reconciliation. Though both are repeating their original Broadway roles, Ina Claire and especially Henry Daniell seem stiff and studied when compared to Irene Dunne and Cary Grant in Leo McCarey's imperishable 1937 remake of The Awful Truth. This was one of several Pathe talking pictures made before that venerable production firm was absorbed by RKO in 1931.