Preston Sturges was a talented writer and director. Sullivan's Travels is probably his best known and most renowned film. While I find it overall very good, I think Sturges did better movies like The Lady Eve and The Palm Beach Story. But this is still nonetheless a worthwhile film.
I always seem to forget that at one point Joel McCrae was a popular and well respected actor before he was regulated to cheap westerns by the end of his career. But he does a good job in this film. As does Lake, but she is unconvincing as a homeless person. The film is shot well and competently edited. No issues there. I do appreciate the satirical nature of the film. Sullivan wishes to make a powerful and depressing social drama about human suffering. Great! But he's a super privileged white guy whose never been on the streets. Sturges films always seem to poke fun at the rich upper class and we see plenty of that satire here. The screenplay is witty and funny. But I don't really see this film as a comedy. It's seems way to serious for its own good and the chain gang sequences give us little to laugh about. I must say I do like the church sequence. Outcasts Of modern society coming together for a life. Even if I find the message problematic, this scene was well done and very sweet.
Honestly, I have a problem with the way it presents poor people. That hasn't aged well. And I have a small problem with the message of the film. Yes, laughter is a wonderful thing and we could all use a good laugh each day. But is laughing gonna pay the bills? No it won't unfortunately. I'd like to know what Sullivan's social drama would have been like honestly.
I find it odd that this is the movie that many Sturges fans point as his best. It's quite good, but I personally have to give The Lady Eve That title. That being said, Sullivan's Travels and an interesting film of its era, featuring talent at the height of their abilities.
I always seem to forget that at one point Joel McCrae was a popular and well respected actor before he was regulated to cheap westerns by the end of his career. But he does a good job in this film. As does Lake, but she is unconvincing as a homeless person. The film is shot well and competently edited. No issues there. I do appreciate the satirical nature of the film. Sullivan wishes to make a powerful and depressing social drama about human suffering. Great! But he's a super privileged white guy whose never been on the streets. Sturges films always seem to poke fun at the rich upper class and we see plenty of that satire here. The screenplay is witty and funny. But I don't really see this film as a comedy. It's seems way to serious for its own good and the chain gang sequences give us little to laugh about. I must say I do like the church sequence. Outcasts Of modern society coming together for a life. Even if I find the message problematic, this scene was well done and very sweet.
Honestly, I have a problem with the way it presents poor people. That hasn't aged well. And I have a small problem with the message of the film. Yes, laughter is a wonderful thing and we could all use a good laugh each day. But is laughing gonna pay the bills? No it won't unfortunately. I'd like to know what Sullivan's social drama would have been like honestly.
I find it odd that this is the movie that many Sturges fans point as his best. It's quite good, but I personally have to give The Lady Eve That title. That being said, Sullivan's Travels and an interesting film of its era, featuring talent at the height of their abilities.