Nothing but the Truth (1941)

A man (Bob Hope) pressured into making a super-quick return on a ten-thousand-dollar investment does the only logical thing: He makes a bet he’ll tell nothing but the truth for twenty-four hours.

Seemingly a late entry into the Screwball Comedy genre it also has a rather odd cast.

This is not the sort of vehicle Bob Hope is known for, even when in his early career he experimented quite a bit with different characterizations. The role does not call for a heroic, cowardly or womanizing wisecracker; instead, it calls for the simple, decent, small-town guy who finds himself at odds in a more sophisticated but also very corrupt big city.

Some crossdressing and bedroom hoping scenes give it a sort of Pre-Code flavor.

All of this made me suspect this was a script that had been hanging around for a long time, or simply that this feature is a remake of an old story, (and sure enough, there they are: a 1914 novel and a 1929 feature film.)

There are also other odd aspects to the bet.

The folks who want him to fail have some cash coming their way if they win, but also seem to be taking an awful big risk for the simple pleasure of humiliating this guy they don’t really know, because they all have secrets they want to safeguard. Betting that this guy will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but, puts their own secrets at risk.

On the other hand, he has just come into town. He doesn’t really know anyone, and telling hard or ugly truths to strangers doesn’t personally affect him or their nonexistent relationships. It makes more sense for him not to want to hurt people he’s already acquainted with and whom he already values.

Other than these minor quibbles, there is enough there to milk for laughs, and other than few missteps it’s a solid Comedy.

The conclusion where it all comes to a head can stand up there with any of the classic Screwball Comedies of a decade before.

With Paulette Goddard, Edward Arnold, Leif Erickson, Helen Vinson, and Willie Best, (there are a couple of painful racially based lines and jokes.)