"Nothing But the Truth" is very funny and one of Bob Hope's best films. Hollywood even matched the title perfectly with the story. Or rather, it didn't change it from the play and the 1914 novel it's based on - by Frederic Isham (1865-1922). The story is considerably updated in time. From newspaper reviews I've read, this film follows the book much closer than the stage play or a 1929 film based on it.
Hope's Steve Bennett is hired by an investment firm in Miami Beach. He meets the boss, Edward Arnold (as T.T. Ralston) and his son-in-law partner, Glenn Anders (as Dick Donnelly). Steve has heard T.T. talk about a great deal in a quicksilver mine in New Mexico, but he thinks it's no good. In a discussion with one of the firm's clients, Leif Erickson (as Tommy Van Dusen), Steve says that he believes in telling the truth -- always.
The three men challenge Steve to bet any amount of money, saying that he can't go 24 hours without telling a lie - including the least little fib. He doesn't have any money of his own, but he's holding $10,000 in cash that he had just been handed for a quick investment. He got it from Paulette Goddard (as Gwen Saunders), who is T.T.'s niece. She's a little scatter-brained but big-hearted woman who is always raising money for local charities.
Steve had met Gwen just before this, when T.T. and Dick had ducked to keep from seeing her. She told Steve that she was shy on her pledge to the charity drive to raise $40,000. But, if she could just raise $10,000 more, uncle T.T. would match the $20,000 and she'd have the full amount. She gave the cash to Steve for a quick turn-around investment while she was being pursued by Grant Mitchell (as Mr. Bishop) who heads the charity drive for The Seaside Home.
Steve is so honest and confident in his honesty, that he puts the $10,000 he is holding up for the bet. But no one else is to know about it for the next 24 hours. The three men plan to keep a close eye on Steve and try to trip him up with questions. The humor ramps up when they all adjourn to T.T.'s yacht for the weekend. They will be joining a small company of guests he had already invited. The yacht, which T.T. calls his "houseboat," is docked in the harbor.
Among the guests is Clarence Kolb (as Mr. Van Dusen), who publishes the Miami Journal newspaper, and his wife, played by Catherine Doucet; and a famous Austrian psychiatrist, Dr. Zarak (played by Leon Belasco). A hilarious sub-plot develops around Dr. Zarak as he observes the strange behavior of the men. As the men try every trick to get Steve to tell even a white lie, the situations on the boat get hilarious at times. The more the men corner Steve to tell the truth, the more lies they tell.
There are a number of other mini-plots woven into the story that feed much humor into it. Donnelly has been seeing an actress on the side, and Helen Vinson plays Linda Graham very well. Tommy is the son of Mr. Van Dusen, and he has been after Gwen to marry him; but she's not sure. And Willie Best as Steve's valet, Samuel, contributes much to the comedy and story.
One other humorous thing in this film concerns the Los Lomas Quicksilver mine. T.T. Ralston apparently got sucked into acquiring its stock. The type of mine is used here for comical purposes. Quicksilver is a common name for mercury, but it's also an idiom for something slippery, and hard to hold onto. T.T. shows how slippery he is, when he says, "All right, Los Lomas isn't any good at all. But there's quicksilver somewhere in New Mexico and somebody's liable to find it. I've told many a lie that I've had come true."
This is a wonderful comedy that everyone should enjoy, from older children on up. The ending has the best whopper of the entire film - and guess who tells it. Here are some favorite lines.
T.T. Ralston, on the phone, "Hello, J.P., this is T.T."
T.T. Ralston, on the phone, "Oh, by the way, Joe, uh, I've got to show my gratitude in some way. Ever hear of Los Lomas Quicksilver?... Hello... Joe... Joe..."
Gwen Saunders, on the phone with the office, "Well, then give Mr. Bennett this message. It's terribly, terribly important. Tell him that something's come up and that the... the thing that I gave him to do something with, he's not to do that with them at all, and that, uh, he's to hold the thing, and I have to have 'em back right away. Now, that's clear, isn't it?"
Mrs. Harriet Donnelly, "Will you establish your office here permanently, doctor?" Dr. Zarak, "Dear lady, there are as many diseased minds here as in Bucharest. And much more money."
Mrs. Ralston, "Well, I'll say one thing for Mr. Bennet - he's different." Gwen Saunders, "So was Jack the Ripper."
Dick Donnelly, "Oh, brandy... and candy... isn't that dandy?"
Gwen Saunders, "Go on! Go on! Don't leave me out. I'm here. What would you like to do to me?" Steve Bennett, " I'd like to kiss you till your ears fly off."
Samuel, "Look what came up, Miss Saunders." Gwen Saunders, "Oh, go soak your head."
Samuel:, "Hey, boss, I got a great big..." Steve Bennett, "Oh, why don't you fall overboard?" Samuel, "What a short Christmas."
Gwen Saunders, "Tea time. Tea Everybody. It's almost four o'clock. Time for tea. Tea for T.T.?" Utter chaos ensues. T.T. Ralston, "We don't want any tea." Dick Donnelly, "Take that stuff away from him." Gwen Saunders, " I'll serve you myself, Mr. Bishop." She pours the tea on his pants leg.
