The Whole Town's Talking

Arthur Ferguson Jones is an ordinary office clerk. He is never late and nothing ever happens to him. One day he oversleeps, his boss fires him to make an example, and the police pick him up on the street: his face is identical to Mannion, the most wanted killer in the country. Once the mistake is cleared up, Jones is issued a document proving who he is. Then the real Mannion hears about the document. John Ford, known for westerns and drama, shows his comic side here. The construction takes one idea all the way: a single actor playing the same man in two entirely different bodies. Edward G. Robinson had made his name as a gangster type, and here he plays both that type and its exact opposite. Jean Arthur, as Jones's colleague, is the quickest wit in the film. Who it's for: Viewers who like 1930s Hollywood comedy, double-role constructions, and Edward G. Robinson. Who it's not for: Some plot resolutions are too convenient and the ending is rushed. Anyone looking for Ford's familiar manner will not find it here.