

The Whole Town's Talking
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Ordinary man-in-the-street Arthur Ferguson Jones leads a very straightforward life. He's never late for work and nothing interesting ever happens to him. One day everything changes: he oversleeps and is fired as an example, he's then mistaken for evil criminal killer Mannion and is arrested. The resemblance is so striking that the police give him a special pass to avoid a similar mistake. The real Mannion sees the opportunity to steal the pass and move around freely and chaos results.
Where to watch The Whole Town's Talking in United States
Click a service to open The Whole Town's Talking there. Availability last verified on June 21, 2026.
Where is The Whole Town's Talking streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Criterion Channel | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| United Kingdom | — | Amazon Video |
| Canada | Criterion Channel | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube |
About The Whole Town's Talking
The Whole Town's Talking is a 1935 English-language comedy and crime film directed by John Ford. The cast is led by Edward G. Robinson, Jean Arthur, Arthur Hohl. It has a runtime of 1h 33m. Viewers rate it 6.9/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.
The Whole Town's Talking was produced by Columbia Pictures and made in United States of America. It was released on February 22, 1935.
- Director
- John Ford
- Writers
- Robert Riskin, Jo Swerling, W.R. Burnett
- Release date
- February 22, 1935
- Original language
- English
- Status
- Released
- Country
- United States of America
- Production
- Columbia Pictures
The Whole Town's Talking cast & crew
The Whole Town's Talking was directed by John Ford and written by Robert Riskin, Jo Swerling, and W.R. Burnett.
The cast features Edward G. Robinson as Arthur Ferguson 'Jonesy' Jones / 'Killer' Mannion, Jean Arthur as Wilhelmina 'Bill' Clark, Arthur Hohl as Det. Sgt. Michael F. Boyle, James Donlan as Detective Sergeant Patrick J. Howe, Arthur Byron as Spencer, and Wallace Ford as Healy.
Behind the camera, cinematography is by Joseph H. August and it was produced by Lester Cowan and John Ford.
Is The Whole Town's Talking worth watching?
The Whole Town's Talking holds an audience score of 6.9/10 from 60 ratings, a solidly received comedy films.
At 1h 33m, it's an easy, time-light watch.
If you enjoy comedy and crime, The Whole Town's Talking is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Whole Town's Talking
In United States, you can stream The Whole Town's Talking on Criterion Channel, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The Whole Town's Talking

Edward G. Robinson
Arthur Ferguson 'Jonesy' Jones / 'Killer' Mannion

Jean Arthur
Wilhelmina 'Bill' Clark

Arthur Hohl
Det. Sgt. Michael F. Boyle

James Donlan
Detective Sergeant Patrick J. Howe

Arthur Byron
Spencer

Wallace Ford
Healy

Donald Meek
Hoyt

Etienne Girardot
Seaver

Edward Brophy
'Slugs' Martin

Paul Harvey
'J.G.' Carpenter

J. Farrell MacDonald
Prison Warden (uncredited)
Ralph Remley
Sam Dixon
The Whole Town's Talking — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Whole Town's Talking in United States?
The Whole Town's Talking is streaming on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸Is The Whole Town's Talking on Criterion Channel?
Yes — The Whole Town's Talking is currently available on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸What language is The Whole Town's Talking in?
The Whole Town's Talking is originally in English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Whole Town's Talking?
The Whole Town's Talking runs 1 hours 33 minutes (93 minutes).
▸What is The Whole Town's Talking rated?
It holds a 6.9/10 audience score from 60 ratings.











