The Awful Truth (1937)

Pride can talk you out of almost anything, including the very thing you want most. Leo McCarey's "The Awful Truth," based on Arthur Richman's play, introduces Jerry (Cary Grant) and Lucy Warriner (Irene Dunne), a sophisticated couple whose trust is wearing thin. Jerry suspects Lucy of a night out with her dashing music teacher (Alexander D'Arcy), while Lucy is convinced his "trip to Florida" was anything but. They file for divorce and, with the decree pending, rush into new romances - Lucy with a folksy Oklahoma oilman (Ralph Bellamy), Jerry with a society heiress (Molly Lamont). The couple's biggest dispute is over custody of their beloved fox terrier, Mr. Smith, played by Skippy, the dog better known as Asta from "The Thin Man." Of course, neither has actually fallen out of love, so each sets out to sabotage the other's plans. Jerry crashes Lucy's recital, and in the film's most hilarious scene, Lucy shows up at the heiress' family home posing as Jerry's tipsy, showgirl sister. Much of the comedy was improvised on set by McCarey, who won the Oscar for Best Director. The film earned six nominations in all, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Dunne. You'll be rooting for them to figure it out.