True Confession

1937
Approved
1h 25m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, and Fred MacMurray in True Confession (1937)

A lawyer defends his wife, a pathological liar, in a murder trial.A lawyer defends his wife, a pathological liar, in a murder trial.A lawyer defends his wife, a pathological liar, in a murder trial.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

1.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
During filming, Una Merkel rescued a movie prop man named Arthur Camp from drowning at Lake Arrowhead, California, when the backwash from her motorboat upset his skiff. She caught his suspenders with a boat hook and held him until help arrived from the shore. Camp was unable to swim.

Goofs
John Barrymore's pant's legs are wet to the knees when he pushes off from the lake shore in his row boat, showing that there was previous action (film takes) where he got wet.

Quotes
Ballistic Expert: I got the call about 10 o'clock Wednesday morning from the homicide bureau. I found the defendant, I mean, er, the deceased, laying, er, lying face down on the floor, I mean the rug. So I examined the uh, rug, or, er, uh, the body, and found that death was caused by two bullets, fired into his range, I mean, two bullets fired at close range into his lead, er, head.

Connections
Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: Fred MacMurray (1961)

Soundtracks
True Confession
Music by Friedrich Hollaender (as Frederick Hollander)
Lyrics by Sam Coslow

A rare gem! One of the first, brilliant screwball/black comedies! One of Carole Lombard's daffiest portrayals!

A witty, original black comedy made at the height of the screwball comedy era of the 1930's. Carole Lombard's role originates the wacky wife that became a staple in films and television. Her efforts to make her husband (Fred MacMurray)a successful lawyer offer a still-relevant critique of what Americans tolerates of people "making it" and "getting ahead" in American society, in addition to sharp, witty comments on the meaning of celebrity in American society. The playing of MacMurray and Lombard as husband and wife is vibrant, sexy, wholly believable. They radiate a sense of joy playing off each other. The teaming of MacMurray, Lombard, and John Barrymore makes for one of the most memorable screen teamings ever. Una Merkel is sharp as Lombard's best friend. Beautiful, sunny, often noirish photography enhances the beauty of the stars and the black aspects of the plot.