This week’s mystery movie has been the 1940 Warner Bros. film “The Man Who Talked Too Much,” with George Brent, Virginia Bruce, Brenda Marshall, Richard Barthelmess, William Lundigan, George Tobias and John Litel. The screenplay was by Walter DeLeon and Earl Baldwin, from a play by Frank J. Collins, photography by Sid Hickox, art direction by Hugh Reticker, gowns by Howard Shoup, makeup by Perc Westmore, music by H. Roemheld, arrangements by Ray Heindorf and musical direction by Leo F. Forbstein. Directed by Vincent Sherman.
”The Man Who Talked Too Much” has never been commercially released, as far as I can determine. It does air on TCM occasionally.
Writing in the New York Times (June 29, 1940), Bosley Crowther said:
“The Man Who Talked Too Much” talks too much too. For a straight gangster picture, which should be fast and concise, it is ponderously slow and windy and as transparent as a goldfish bowl. There are two identically suspenseful sequences, at the beginning and at the end, when innocent men linger painfully in the shadow of the electric chair while people rush around madly to save them. And that’s about all the suspense there is.
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: Long-suffering Irish mother No. 1 is Lottie Williams.
For Tuesday, we have another mystery woman.
Update: Long-suffering Irish mother No. 2 is Mary Gordon.
Note to Gary: This is the long-suffering Irish mother you’re thinking of. Our mystery movie has several of them.
For Wednesday …. Hey, wait a minute, Lefty…. Be a pal.
Update: Lefty – yes, the character is named Lefty – is Marc Lawrence.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (Tuesday’s mystery Irish mother), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery Irish mother), Megan, Thom and Lee (Tuesday’s mystery Irish mother — you guys keep changing it up on me!) Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery Irish mother) and Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery Irish mother).
Note to Gary: Apparently the costume department only had one Irish mother’s hat. And no, they weren’t!
Note to Mike Hawks: Have fun and hurry back!
Thursday’s mystery guest is having some grapefruit.
Update: This is Richard Barthelmess.
Brain Trust roll call: Benito (Wednesday’s mystery gunman), Don Danard (Wednesday’s mystery gunman), B.J. Merholz (Wednesday’s mystery gunman), Jenny M. (Wednesday’s mystery gunman), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Sue Slutzky (Tuesday’s mystery Irish mother and Wednesday’s mystery gunman), Megan, Thom and Lee (Wednesday’s mystery gunman), Sylvia E (Tuesday’s mystery Irish mother and Wednesday’s mystery gunman) and Bob Hansen (Wednesday’s mystery gunman).
For Friday, we have the leads in the final scene….
Update: This is George Brent, William Lundigan, Brenda Marshall and Virginia Bruce.
Here’s a better look.
Update: William Lundigan and Brenda Marshall.
And a bonus mystery guest who provides laughs for an upbeat ending.
Update: George Brent, Henry Armenta and Virginia Bruce.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery Irish mothers, Wednesday’s mystery gunman and Thursday’s mystery grapefruit guy), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery grapefruit guy), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery grapefruit guy), David Inman (Thursday’s mystery grapefruit guy), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery Irish mother and Thursday’s mystery grapefruit guy), Rick (Wednesday’s mystery gunman), Thom, Lee and Megan (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery grapefruit guy) and Sylvia E (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery Irish mother and Thursday’s mystery grapefruit guy).
ladailymirror.com 
This is Mary Gordon as the quintessential long-suffering Irish mother in Angels With Dirty Faces …or some such similar thing.
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Margaret Seddon.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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A guess. Helene Thimig?
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An interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Fay Holden?
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Interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Are we in the neighborhood of John Ford’s “Pilgrimage”?
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An interesting guess, but it’s a different state.
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Lucile Watson?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Bodil Rosing.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Mary Gordon for Tuesday.
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Mary Gordon
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Our guess for today is Mary Gordon.
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Mary Gordon. I am off to Mostly Lost 7. Good luck everyone.
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In re: Monday/Tuesday. Not only do they use the same hair and make up person, they share a hat. I assume they were never on screen at the same time.
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Mystery Lady – Mary Gordon.
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Marc Lawrence today? Over 220 imdb credits
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I say it’s Marc Lawrence today.
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Marc Lawrence.
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Marc Lawrence
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Monday: Lottie Williams in THE MAN WHO TALKED TOO MUCH (1940)
Wed: Marc Lawrence
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Is Tuesday’s guest Mary Gordon?
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Wednesday: Marc Lawrence?
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Marc Lawrence for today.
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I’m guessing that Tuesday is Mary Gordon.
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And for Wednesday, Marc Lawrence (Laurence?)
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I think it’s The Man Who Talked Too Much 1940
Thurs. might be Richard Bathelmess
Monday – maybe Lottie Williams
Eager to see the rest of the story and if I’m right, Friday will be George Brent and Virginia Bruce.
Thanks. This was fun.
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That’s Marc Lawrence on Wednesday, I believe.
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It’s Richard Barthelmess today.
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THE MAN WHO TALKED TOO MUCH. Lottie Williams Monday and Mary Gordon Tuesday.
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Marc Lawrence Wednesday and the back of George Brent on Tuesday.
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Richard Barthelmess, back at Warners, after the unfortunate eye surgery.
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Richard Barthelmess
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Richard Barthelmess today?
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A few days late, but is Monday’s guest Lottie Williams?
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Thursday: Richard Barthelmess
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Wednesday – Marc Lawrence
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Is the movie “The Man Who Talked Too Much”?
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Today we have Richard Barthelmess and the movie is “The Man Who Talked Too Much”.
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Yay! Thanks for throwing in Henry Armetta! George Brent in bed, with William Lundigan, Brenda Marshall, and Virginia Bruce surrounding him.
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I’m sorry to see that George Brent is not well. And that Henry Armetta brings him around. (William Lundigan looks too thin. Is he too not well?) Oh …The Man who talks too Much.
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George Brent, William Lundigan, Brenda Marshall, Virginia Bruce and mirthful Henry Armetta.
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William Lundigan and Brenda Marshall aka Mrs Wm Holden in The Man Who Talked Too Much 1940
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Friday: George Brent, William Lundigan, Brenda Marshall, Virginia Bruce and Henry Armetta
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