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Mutual Amusement in “The Awful Truth” (1937)

Subtext: Conversations about Classic Books and Films
Subtext: Conversations about Classic Books and Films
Episode • Dec 21, 2020 • 1h 10m

It’s a romance that begins with a divorce. Lucy and Jerry Warriner suspect each other of affairs, so they file suit, battle for custody of their dog, see other people, and generally go wild. Despite the spectre of infidelities— real or imagined— Lucy and Jerry learn a surprising truth: that the only person they enjoy “fooling around with” is their spouse. How are all relationships a kind of performance? And how might finding a mate mean finding not just a co-star, but one’s best audience? Wes and Erin analyze the 1937 classic comedy of remarriage, The Awful Truth.

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Thanks to Nick Ketter for the audio editing on this episode.

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