Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Whole Town's Talking
Arthur Ferguson Jones (Robinson) is a mousey office worker who has never been late to work in 8 years. He secretly yearns to be a writer and worships his coworker Wilhelmina "Bill" Clark (Arthur), a wisecracking blonde. On the day his alarm clock fails and "Jonesy" is fired, he is also mistaken for "Killer" Mannion, an escaped gangster he closely resembles.
After the mistake in identity is corrected, Jones is given a safe passage letter by the police. A journalist also persuades Jones to put his name on a series about Mannion's career. But the existence of the safe letter is revealed in the newspapers, so Mannion shows up at Jones's apartment and forces him to give it up. This allows the killer to hide in the flat as well as move about with impunity in public and kill the man who betrayed him. Eventually, Mannion's gang kidnaps "Bill" and Jones has to outwit them. This 1935 movie was directed by John Ford before he hit his stride with Westerns.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
Edward G. Robinson plays both Arthur Ferguson Jones, a shy, mousey worker at a publishing firm, and Killer Mannion, a wanted mafioso serial murderer. Jones is mistaken for Mannion and arrested. Once the error has been cleard up, Jones is set free, but not before Mannion finds out he has a double. Upon threat of violence, Mannion forces Jones to switch places with him at night so he can commit more murders. Finally, Jones is pushed too far. He gains courage and turns the tables on Mannion, becoming a hero and winning the love of the girl of his dreams.
--Judy Berman, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of The Whole Town's Talking
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 10% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 60%
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- journalist
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
- short/standard wavy (man)
Body type
- fat (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- aggressive
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- soggy whimpering jelly muffin
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) short/butch/lez
Body type
- ample bosom & buttocks (woman)
- average (woman)
How much in movie?
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
- (man) short/standard curly
Body type
- fat (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- non-gory references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- encouraged
- excited
How many deaths in film?
- 4-8
- 8 or more
Kind of violence:
- guns
- knives
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
