The 16th Anniversary of A Shroud of Thoughts

If A Shroud of Thoughts was a human being, it would now be old enough to drive. It was sixteen years ago that I launched this blog. At the time I did not realize I would be writing this blog so long. In fact, I have been writing A Shroud of Thoughts longer than any job I have held outside of writing. In some ways this blog has become my life's work.

For those of you who may have forgotten or are simply too young to remember, between 2002 and 2005 blogging was something of a fad at the time. Blogs had actually been around for a while. Jorn Barger coined the term weblog in December 1997 and Peter Merholz shortened weblog to blog in the spring of 1999. It was in the years between 2002 and 2005 that the media really began to take notice of blogging. Eventually it seemed as if everyone and their brother had a blog.


Among the people who had a blog at the time was a lady friend of mine. It looked like fun so I decided to start my own blog. At the time the fashion in blog titles was to have some variation of the word thought in them. I took the phrase A Shroud of Thoughts from a line in Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage canto iii stanza 113 (I won't quote here, as over the years I think I have quoted it enough). If I had it all over to do again I would have settled on a name more fitting for a blog dedicated to pop culture and nostalgia. Had I known of the word retrophilia at the time (which Collins Dictionary defines as "a strong liking for things from the past"), I probably would have named it that. While I would eventually consider changing the blog's name, by that time A Shroud of Thoughts had something of a readership and I worried it would confuse people if I changed the name.

Of course, here I must point out that A Shroud of Thoughts is not the only blog that has been around for years.  Immortal Ephemera is older than this blog, going back to 2002. Inner Toob is about a month and a half older, starting in April 2004. Both The Stop Button and Laura's Miscellaneous Musings date to 2005. The Rap Sheet dates to 2006. My friend Raquel started Out of the Past in 2007.  Blogs older than a decade are hardly common, but they are not as uncommon as some people might think!  By the way, I strongly recommend that you visit all of these fine blogs (they've lasted so long for a reason).

A good deal has happened in my life the past year. It was in July that I travelled to Los Angeles to scatter the ashes of my dearest Vanessa Marquez with her mother Delia and a few friends. While there I also attended a screening of Stand and Deliver (1988).  In September, Turner Classic Movies held their TCM in Your Hometown event in St. Louis, with a special showing of Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) at the Tivoli Theatre there. I got to attend a Meet and Greet at the Moonrise Hotel where I met Margaret O'Brien herself and Ben Mankiewicz in person. I also got to meet Diana Bosch of TCM and Yacov Freedman of TCM Backlot. Of course, I also finally got to meet some of my fellow TCM fans in person, including Annette of Hometowns to Hollywood and Jeff, who is another TCMParty member. In December I was featured in TCM Backlot's Member Spotlight. Sadly, not all of my memories of the past year are happy. In March (curiously, the day before the Los Angeles District Attorney election) the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office released their report on Vanessa's death. To say that I was angered and upset by the report would be an understatement. There are many things about the report that do not make sense to me and for me it creates more questions than it offers answers. It certainly contradicts some of what I know to be true. As a freelance writer and an introvert, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had little impact on me other than being unable to get Dr Pepper for a month. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's TCM Classic Film Festival was cancelled, but Turner Classic Movies scheduled a TCM Classic Film Festival: Special Home Edition from April 16 to April 19 2020. I enjoyed that immensely, particularly as I got to host the TCMParty for A Hard Day's Night (1964). I figure it will be as close as I will get to hosting the screening of a film at the TCM Classic Film Festival!

Anyway, each year I pick my favourite posts from the past year. Here are my favourites for this year.

"The 75th Anniversary of D-Day," June 6 2019
"The 50th Anniversary of Judy Garland's Death," June 22 2019
"The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)," July 1 2019
"The Radio Show Revival of the Seventies," July 19 2019
"Genevieve (1953)," August 3 2019
"The 50th Anniversary of Sharon Tate's Death," August 9 2019
"The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)," August 15 2019
"The Phantom of the Opera (1925)," August 24 2019
"One Year Later," August 30 2019
"The Count of Monte Cristo," September 7 2019
"The 60th Anniversary of Bonanza," September 12 2019
"ER Turns 25," September 19 2019
"Border Incident (1949)," September 22 2019
"The 60th Anniversary of Dobie Gillis,"  September 29 2019
"The 60th Anniversary of The Untouchables," October 15 2019
"Horror Hosts," October 26 2019
"The Crow (1994), Putting the Wrong Things Right," October 28 2019
"Aniki Bóbó (1942)," November 12 2019
"The 60th Anniversary of Rocky and Bullwinkle," November 19 2019
"The 70th Anniversary of Holiday Affair (1949)," December 17 2019
"The 51st Birthday of My Beloved Vanessa Marquez," December 21 2019
"A Charlie Brown Christmas," December 23 2019
"Marvel Comics Westerns Part One: The Beginning," January 8 2020
"Marvel Comics Westerns Part Two: The Fifties," January 9 2020
"Marvel Comics Westerns Part Three: Riding Off into the Sunset," January 10 2020
"The 70th Anniversary of What's My Line?," February 2 2020
"Maverick: 'Shady Deal at Sunny Acres," February 3 2010
"A Brief History of the Fantastic Comedies of the Sixties Part One," February 21 2020
"A Brief History of the Fantastic Comedies of the Sixties Part Two," February 22 2020
"A Brief History of Fantastic Comedies of the Sixties Part Three," February 23 2020
"In Defence of Vanessa Marquez," March 6 2020
"The 30th Anniversary of Twin Peaks," April 8 2020
"The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)," April 16 2020
"The Ziegfeld Follies (1946)," May 15 2020
"The 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back," May 21 2020

For the Victims of Police Violence

A photo by Gordon Parks of a protest in Harlem in 1963

 "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid any more." Cesar Chavez

The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, who knelt on Mr. Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, has brought attention to the often unjustified killings of minorities by police officers. Unfortunately, the unjustified killing of minorities by police officers is nothing new and has been going on for literally decades. What is more, it is not simply a matter of concern for the African American community. Latinos and Native Americans are also killed in disproportionate numbers when compared to white people. It is a subject with which I am all too familiar, having lost the person dearest to me to police violence.  As someone who is part Cherokee and has paid an all too high price because of police violence, I then stand with the African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans who are affected by such brutality.

What follows is a list of African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans who were the victims of police violence. There are around 100 names, but it is important to remember that the actual number of minorities killed unjustifiably by police officers is much, much greater.

Matthew Ajibade - Edgar Alvarado - Tanisha Anderson
Anthony Ashford - Julio Bald Eagle -Sandra Bland - Freddie Blue
Jamie Lee Brave Heart - Rumman Brison - Michael Brown
Robert Carillo- Paul Castaway - Philando Castille
William Chapman III - Miguel Chavez-Angles - Alexia Christian
Jamar Clark - Stephon Clark - Terence Crutcher
Anthony Jose Vega Cruz - Michelle Cusseaux - Albert Joseph Davis
Renee Davis - Rolando Delgado - Manuel De La Cruz - Manuel Diaz
Jordan Edwards - Salvado Ellswood - Andrew Esquivel
Joseph Finley Jr. - George Floyd - Ezell Ford - Peter Gaines
Eric Garner - Brendon Glenn - Vincente Gonzalez - Akai Gurley
Mya Hall - Eric Harris - Richard Herrera Jr. - Osmon Hernandez
Anthony Hill - Sherrisa Homer - Corey L. Jones - India Kager
Corey Kanosh- Victor Manuel Larosa - Chassady LeClair
Allen Locke - Andy Lopez - Guzman Lopez - Marcelo Luna
George Mann -  Joseph Mann - Vanessa Marquez
Laguan McDonald - Natasha McKenna - Lance McIntire - Carolos Mehia
Gustavo Nujera - Anthony Nunez - Paul O'Neal -
Abraham Ortiz  - Dante Parker - Jaso Pero - Nathaniel Harris Pickett
Baltazar Ramos - Michael Ramos -  Eric Reason
Jerame Reid - Danny Rendon - Tamir Rice
Tatanka Iyotanka (Sitting Bull) - Tony Robinson - Jesse Romero
Michael Sabbie - Phillip Salazar - Jacquline Salyers - Magdiel Sanchez
Nicolas Sanchez - Jonathan Sanders - Frank Smart - Walter Scott
Alvin Silversmythe - Alozno Smith -  Syville Smith - Alton Sterling
Breonna Taylor - Terrill Thomas - Willie Tillman - Mario Torres
Mary Truxillo - Loreal Tsingine - Carlos Valencia - Phillip White
Alteria Woods - Antonio Zambrano-Montes - George Zapata
Ricardo Diaz Zeferino

Anthony James Passes On

Character Anthony James died on May 26 2020 at the age of 77. The cause was cancer.

Anthony James was born James Anthony on July 22 1937 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His parents were Greek immigrants. His father, who owned and operated a restaurant called The Mayflower, died when he was only 8 years old. It was when he was 18 years old that he and his mother moved to Los Angeles. In order to pay for acting lessons he cleaned restrooms. He reversed his name to create his stage name, Anthony James.

Anthony James made his debut with one line in an episode of the short lived series T.H.E. Cat in 1966. He made his film debut as Frank in In the Heat of the Night (1967). In the Sixties he guest starred several times on Gunsmoke, and in four episodes he played the hillbilly Elbert Moses. He also guest starred on the shows The High Chaparral, Cimarron Strip, The Big Valley, Hawaii Five-O, and Bonanza. He appeared in the movies P.J. (1968), Sam Whiskey (1969), and tick...tick...tick (1970).

In the Seventies Anthony James guest starred on such shows as Ironside, The Mod Squad, Search, The Streets of San Francisco, The Rookies, Police Story, S.W.A.T., Charlie's Angels, Starsky and Hutch, Man from Atlantis, Vega$, Quincy M.E., and Tenspeed and Brownshoe. He appeared in the movies Vanishing Point (1971), Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972), High Plains Drifter (1973), The Teacher (1974), Hearts of the West (1975), Burnt Offerings (1976), Return from Witch Mountain (1978), Texas Detour (1978), The Fifth Floor (1978), and Ravagers (1979).  He appeared in the mini-series Rich Man Poor Man.

In the Eighties Anthony James guest starred on such shows as Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Matt Houston, Knight Rider, V, Riptide, Hunter, The A-Team, The Fall Guy, Sledge Hammer, Simon & Simon, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Beauty and the Beast. He appeared in the movies Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. (1981), Wacko (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), Nightmares (1983), World Gone Wild (1987), and Mortuary Academy (1988).

In the Nineties he guest starred on the TV shows Father Dowling Mysteries and Married with Children. He appeared in the movies The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Unforgiven (1992).

Mr. James retired in the Nineties and moved to the Boston area where he pursued his career as an abstract painter. In 1994 he published the book Language of the Heart, a collection of artwork and poems. In 2014 he published his memoirs, Acting My Face.

Anthony James is well known for playing a long line of sleazy, often outright evil characters. He was the racist cook Ralph in In the Heat of the Night. He was the outlaw Cole Carlin in High Plains Drifter. In Blue Thunder he played one of the worst of the bad guys, Grundelius. Although it might have seemed that way, not every character played by Anthony James was necessarily a villain. While Elbert Moses on Gunsmoke was not particularly honest, he was not particularly evil either, a much more humorous character than most played by Mr. James. Anthony James was a very talented actor who gave several great performances.

HBO Max Is Somewhat Disappointing

Today I started the free trial of HBO Max, the new subscription streaming service from WarnerMedia Entertainment. Sadly, I am not particularly impressed with it, particularly given a subscription costs $14.99 (compared to $8.99 for Netflix's Basic Plan and $5.99 for Hulu's Basic Plan). In my opinion, it's not really worth $14.99.

That is not to say there aren't things I like about HBO Max. I have to say that I am impressed with their selection in the Turner Classic Movies section. It is true that they have a lot of classics that most classic film buffs have already seen and seen multiple times at that. As might be expected, they have The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Casablanca (1942), Gone with the Wind (1939), King Kong (1933), and so on. That having been said, they also have quite a few movies that some classic film buffs might not have seen. They have a good selection of classic foreign films, such as The 400 Blows (1959), 8 1/2 (1963), Cries and Whispers (1972), and Seven Samurai (1954). Their selection of silent movies could be better. While they have quite a few Charlie Chapliin movies, they are missing Buster Keaton's The General (1926), The Navigator (1924), and other key films. They are lacking many other well known, classic, silent movies as well. Regardless, HBO Max has more classic movies than most streaming services around.

I also have to say that, as might be expected, they do have a good selection of HBO originals. If one wants to watch Boardwalk Empire, Deadwood, Game of Thrones, or Six Feet Under they can. They also have quite a good selection of HBO's original movies. If I have only one complaint with their selection of HBO originals, it is that they don't have some of their older made-for-cable movies. While it is nice to be able to re-watch many of HBO's original shows, it would also be nice to watch some of their older movies as well.

I have to admit that HBO Max does have a good selection of recent movies. They have all of the Harry Potter movies and such recent films as Wonder Woman (2017). I can't see anyone complaining too much about their offerings of recent movies, although there are some obvious titles missing (why do they have Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, but not Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?). 

While HBO Max does fairly well with regard to classic films and HBO originals, it falls down in other areas. Their selection of TV shows leave a lot to be desired, with the only shows pre-dating the Nineties being Hanna-Barbera cartoons such as Josie and the Pussycats and Jonny Quest. Given HBO Max belongs to WarnerMedia, I was hoping that they would have a big selection of television shows from the history of Warner Bros. Television. Where is Maverick? Where is 77 Sunset Strip? Where is ER? Their selection of television shows leaves a lot to be desired for a classic television fan. Indeed, I can still watch Friends on about two or three channels on my cable system! I don't need a streaming service for that. I would like a streaming service for many of the classic Warner Bros. Television shows, particularly the older ones.

Sadly, HBO Max also fails with regards to their selections of DC properties as well. There are some movies and television shows based on DC characters that are not available on HBO Max for some reason. The classic 1966 Batman TV series is missing, as are the classic Lynda Carter Wonder Woman TV series, the Christopher Reeves Superman movies, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Batman The Animated Series, and several others. As a lifelong DC Comics fan, I am seriously disappointed in their offerings under the DC section.

In the end, I can't help but be disappointed in HBO Max. It would be one thing if the streaming service was more inexpensively priced, but at $14.99 I was expecting much, much more. In fact, HBO Max makes me think it would have been a better idea for WarnerMedia to have revived the streaming version of the Warner Archive and stocked it with classic films from the various film libraries owned by Warner, the classic Warner Bros. Television shows, various DC Comics shows, and so on. I think something like that would be much better than HBO Max the way it is now. I would certainly be much more likely to subscribe to a service like that! As it is, I have already cancelled my HBO Max subscription

Jazz in Film on TCM This June

The Nicholas Brothers in Stormy Weather

Next month the TCM Spotlight is on Jazz in Film. Turner Classic Movies airs movies touching upon jazz in some way, shape, or form each Monday and Thursday night in June.

Each night is devoted to different categories of films. Monday, June 1, is devoted to classic jazz scores. Among these movies are A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959). Thursday, June 4 really has no category, but it features two movies with primarily African American casts: Cabin in the Sky (1940) and Stormy Weather (1943). Stormy Weather is a must see. Not only does it feature  performances by Lena Horne, Ada Brown, Mae E. Johnson, Fats Waller, and Cab Calloway among others, but what I consider the greatest dance number in any film--the Nicholas Brothers performing to Cab Calloway's "Jumpin' Jive."

The category on Monday, June 8 is "The Life of a Jazz Musician," including Young Man with a Horn (1950) and Some Like It Hot (1959). The category fo Thursday, June 11 is Battle of the Big Bands and features such films as The Glenn Miller Story (1954) and The Gene Krupa Story (1959).

On Monday June 15, the theme is Jazz Noir and includes such films as Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975). On Thursday, June 18 the focus is on International Jazz and features such films as Elevator to the Gallows (1958) and Knife in the Water (1962).

Monday, June 22 focuses on Real Jazz and Art House Jazz, and features such films as Thelonius Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988) and Blowup (1967). Thursday, June 25 is the final night of the TCM Spotlight on Jazz in Film. The categories that night are Billie Holiday Double Feature and Blues in the Night, including the films New Orleans (1947) and Pete Kelly's Blues (1955).

The 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back

In general, sequels do not have good reputations. The majority of them are not only considered inferior to the original movies upon which they are based, but often they are considered vastly inferior. For that reason, there are very few sequels that are considered superior to their predecessors, and even in some cases it might be a matter of some debate. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) is generally considered better than Frankenstein (1931), but insisting that The Godfather Part II (1974) is superior to The Godfather (1972) can result in arguments. Another sequel that is considered superior to its predecessor is Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), more simply known as The Empire Strikes Back. While there are those who will insist Star Wars (1977) is the better movie, one will find many who will insist The Empire Strikes Back is the superior of the two.

Even before Star Wars (1977) was released, George Lucas had considered the possibility of a sequel. Science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster had been hired to write a novelization of Star Wars (which was credited to George Lucas). As part of his contract he was also required to write a second novel that could provide the basis for a low-budget sequel to Star Wars (1977) provided the film did poorly at the box office. As it turned out, Star Wars (1977) not only proved to be a smash hit, but the highest grossing movie of all time at that time (it is still currently the second highest grossing film of all time when adjusted for inflation, after Gone with the Wind). Given the phenomenal success of Star Wars (1977), a sequel to the movie was most assured.

It was in August 1977 that George Lucas began creating an outline for the sequel, then titled Star Wars: Chapter II. Writing the first movie had not been the most pleasant task for Mr. Lucas, so to write the sequel he hired science fiction writer Leigh Brackett in November 1977. George Lucas planned for the screenplay to be something of a collaboration between him and Miss Brackett, with Mr. Lucas providing her ideas while she did the actual writing. Story conferences for Star Wars: Chapter II began on November 28 1977. During this period George Lucas came up with several ideas for the sequel, some of which would never be used and others which would not be used until the third sequel, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983).

Leigh Brackett would deliver her treatment on February 21 1978. For the most part Leigh Brackett's treatment was very similar to the film as it was finally produced, with one major difference. In the treatment the characters of Anakin Skywalker (Luke's father) and Darth Vader were still two different characters. In the treatment Anakin Skywalker appears as a Force spirit to train Luke. George Lucas was disappointed with Leigh Brackett's treatment and wanted to discuss it with her. Unfortunately, she died of cancer on March 18 1978 before he could do so.

George Lucas then wrote the next draft of the sequel by himself, drawing upon Leigh Brackett's treatment to do so. It was with this second draft that Darth Vader became established as Luke Skywalker's father, as opposed to being an entirely separate character from Anakin Skywalker. Not only would this revelation entirely change the audience's interpretation of Star Wars (1977), but it would also entirely change the direction of the Star Wars movies. It was also with this second draft that George Lucas decided that The Empire Strikes Back would be the second film in the second trilogy out of two trilogies. It was then that the movie officially became Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. As Star Wars (1977) was now the first film in that second trilogy, it became Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.

The Empire Strikes Back premiered at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C. on May 17 1980 as part of a benefit for the Special Olympics. It would have its premiere in the United Kingdom at the the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square in London on May 20 1980 as a Royal Charity Premiere. The following day, May 21 1980, it went into general release in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

It might come as some surprise given its status as a classic and a sequel considered superior by some to the original Star Wars (1977), but The Empire Strikes Back received mixed reviews. Richard Combs of The Monthly Film Bulletin gave a largely negative review, writing, "With the revelation that Lucas has such a series in mind, even the genuinely ‘fun’ elements of the first film – its comic-strip eclecticism, its movie-serial dash and narrative tropes – are pedantically filled out and institutionalised, much as the galactic landscape is by effects technology," and "That story counts for less than gimmicks, and characters less than both, might be judged from the lack of resonance in the one narrative revelation, concerning Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker." Vincent Canby of The New York Times gave The Empire Strikes Back a much more positive review, but still dismissed the movie. He wrote, "The Empire Strikes Back is not a truly terrible movie. It's a nice movie. It's not, by any means, as nice as Star Wars. It's not as fresh and funny and surprising and witty, but it is nice and inoffensive and, in a way that no one associated with it need be ashamed of, it's also silly." Gene Siskel of The Chicago Tribune gave The Empire Strikes Back a much more positive review, giving it three and a half stars and saying, "It's a nearly flawless movie of its kind." Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times and Mr. Ebert's co-host on the TV show Sneak Preview, actually included The Empire Strikes Back in his list of the Best Movies of 1980.

While reviews for The Empire Strikes Back may have been mixed, it proved to be a box office smash. In its first run it earned $181.4 million in the United States and Canada. While this was less than Star Wars (1977), it easily made it the no. 1 movie of 1980. Currently it is still the 13th highest grossing film of all time when adjusted for inflation.

In the end The Empire Strikes Back would prove to be a pivotal film in both cinematic history and the history of the Star Wars franchise. Indeed, if The Empire Strikes Back had failed miserably at the box office, it is very possible that there may have been no further Star Wars movies and, quite possible, little in the way of a Star Wars franchise at all. Beyond the fact that the success or failure of the then nascent Star Wars franchise depended upon The Empire Strikes Back, the movie would have a major impact on the franchise in other ways.

Of course, the biggest of these was the revelation that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's father. Although common knowledge now, it was one of the most shocking reveals in the history of cinema at the time. Furthermore, it has shaped the Star Wars franchise ever since. The first trilogy was not conceived until George Lucas decided that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's father, and ultimately the first trilogy would be the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. While the third trilogy would be conceived by people other than George Lucas, the revelation of Luke Skywalker's parentage would shape it as well.

Beyond the revelation that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father, The Empire Strikes Back would introduce characters who would prove pivotal to the franchise. Chief among these was Yoda, the Jedi master who trains Luke in the movie. Yoda would not only play a central role in the second trilogy, but in the first and third trilogies, as well as Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Lando Calrissian would not be as pivotal to the Star Wars franchise as Yoda, but he would prove to be one of the franchise's most popular characters. He would be the protagonist of a series of novels and appeared in both the TV series Star Wars: Rebels and the final film of the Skywalker Saga The Rise of Skywalker. While bounty hunter Boba Fett would prove to be a popular, his impact on the Star Wars franchise would be less than either Yoda or Lando. He would appear in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and has appeared in a number of novels.

Forty years after its release, The Empire Strikes Back is regarded by many not only as being better than Star Wars (1977), but as being the best Star Wars film ever made. Even among those who do not regard it as being better than Star Wars (1977), it is still respected as one of the best films in the franchise. Certainly, without the success of The Empire Strikes Back, we would not have the Star Wars franchise as we know it.

The Whole Town's Talking (1935)

When people think of Edward G. Robinson, they are inclined to think of his roles as gangsters in such films as Little Caesar (1931) and Smart Money (1931) or his roles in such film noirs as Double Indemnity (1944), The Woman in the Window (1944), and Scarlet Street (1945). That having been said, Edward G. Robinson also made comedies, such as The Little Giant (1933), A Slight Case of Murder (1938), and Brother Orchid (1940). Among Edward G. Robinson's best comedies was The Whole Town's Talking from 1935.

The Whole Town's Talking was based on the short story "Jail Breaker" by W. R. Burnett published in Collier's in August 1932. If the name "W. R. Burnett" sounds familiar, it is because he also wrote the novel upon which the movie Little Caesar was based. Despite being adapted from source material by the same author, Little Caesar and The Whole Town's Talking are entirely different types of films. While Little Caesar is a serious gangster movie, The Whole Town's Talking is a fast paced comedy. In The Whole Town's Talking, Edward G. Robinson plays meek office clerk Arthur Ferguson Jones, who aspires to be a writer and has secret crush on his co-worker Wilhelmina Clark (played by Jean Arthur). Unfortunately for Jones, he is also a dead ringer for vicious gangster "Killer" Mannion (also played by Edward G. Robinson. When Mannion breaks out of prison, the soft-spoken Jones finds his life complicated in ways he never expected.

By 1935 Edward G. Robinson had already played several gangster roles and was not eager to play more. When he learned from his agent and gossip columnist Louella Parsons that Warner Bros. was loaning him to Columbia Pictures for The Whole Town's Talking, he was not particularly happy. It was after he read the screenplay and learned that he would be playing dual roles (the meek office clerk and the vicious gangster) that he changed his mind. The Whole's Town's Talking was directed by John Ford, who is not particularly known for his comedies. Author W. R. Burnett said that at story conferences Mr. Ford did not say anything and the author commented, "I don't even know why he took the picture." Regardless, Edward G. Robinson got along with John Ford, as well as his co-star Jean Arthur. In his autobiography All My Yesterdays, Mr. Robinson wrote of Miss Arthur, "She was whimsical without being silly, unique without being nutty, a theatrical personality who was an untheatrical person. She was a delight to work with and to know."

If John Ford seemed uninterested in The Whole Town's Talking as W. R. Burnett thought, it certainly didn't show on the screen. The Whole Town's Talking did very well at the box office, grossing $3.1 million domestically. It also received positive reviews. The New York American called the movie, "...the best thing Mr. Robinson has done since the unforgettable Little Caesar."Andre Sennwald in The New York Times wrote of the movie "Pungently written, wittily produced and topped off with a splendid dual performance by Edward G. Robinson, it may be handsomely recommended as the best of the new year's screen comedies." Variety commented that, "Robinson will derive a heap of benefits from this assignment. It hands him some dazzling moments of acting..."

The Whole Town's Talking remains not only one of Edward G. Robinson's best movies, but one of John Ford's best films as well. Easily the best thing about the movie is Edward G. Robinson's dual roles as the meek Arthur Ferguson Jones and the brutal "Killer" Mannion. In particular, his performance as Jones could well be one of the best in his career. Mr. Robinson is convincing as the office clerk with a tendency to be overly polite and vacillating. Not only does Edward G. Robinson do a good job in the film, but so do the supporting cast. Jean Arthur is great as the frank but charming Miss Clark. The script, by Jo Swerling and Robert Riskin, is a remarkable piece of work. The films moves at a good clip, with realistic complications arising from the movie's somewhat implausible premise.

The Whole Town's Talking may not be one of the best known comedies of the Thirties, but it is definitely one of the best comedies of the decade. Benefiting from bravura performances from its cast and a sterling script, it really should be seen more often than it is.