Sullivan’s
Travels (Preston Sturges, 1941)
A director of escapist films goes
on the road as a hobo to learn about Life...which gives him a rude awakening. – IMDb
This masterpiece by Preston
Sturges is perhaps the finest movie-about-a-movie ever made. Hollywood director
Joel McCrea, tired of churning out lightweight comedies, decides to make O Brother, Where Art Thou—a
serious, socially responsible film about human suffering. After his producers
point out that he knows nothing of hardship, he hits the road as a hobo. He
finds the lovely Veronica Lake—and more trouble than he ever dreamed of. – Criterion Collection
Written and directed by Preston Sturges Sullivan’s Travels is a delight as a
comedy and a very autobiographical view of the show business about Sturges
himself. Sturges is one of the many talented but oft-overlooked comedy
directors that gained respect later in his career like Howard Hawks. In the case of Sturges, his films were recognized for
their quality much later after his death. One of the first directors to only
direct his scripts written without any collaborator and working with a “troupe”
of actors. Just like Todd McCarthy
wrote in his film essay about Sullivan’s
Travels, Sturges was the first director to fully embrace and deserve the
authorial billing on the title card.
The satirical comments towards Hollywood and the
filmmaking business are some of the most personal elements Sturges has included
in his movie. Making Sullivan (Joel
McCrea), the director, more opaque than himself, he achieve to take his
successful comedy director and plunge him into the lower depths just like Charles Chaplin put his little tramp. The
obvious admiration of Joel & Ethan
Coen towards Sullivan’s Travels
brought them to make a film named after the film Sullivan was researching about
with his travels: O’Brother Where Art
thou?.
Sullivan’s
Travels starts as a comedy but slowly merges into drama. It brought
a degree of sophistication that few comedies have ever reached. It is self-conscious
of itself, while playing on the unlucky and unwealthy consciousness of people
who lived a difficult life, Sturges sees and defines comedy. He demonstrates how
this Art is essential to everyone’s lives. It might not be his most hilarious
film but it is a very thoughtful and keen film.
One of the most inviting elements of Sullivan’s Travels is the pleasant
presence of Veronica Lake. This beautiful
blonde was nineteen years old at the time she starred in Sullivan’s Travels. She was that young and that sexy but one thing
people don’t know was the fact that she was six months pregnant during the
shooting. But it was all covered up with brilliant costumes and camera
trickery. Lake also brings the right counter balance to Joel McCrea’s earnest
performance. Plus, her presence lifts the beauty of the film.
This masterpiece is a must see especially for any fans
of comedies. I highly recommend it.
One of the most inviting elements of Sullivan’s Travels is the pleasant
presence of Veronica Lake. This beautiful
blonde was nineteen years old at the time she starred in Sullivan’s Travels. She was that young and that sexy but one thing
people don’t know was the fact that she was six months pregnant during the
shooting. But it was all covered up with brilliant costumes and camera
trickery. Lake also brings the right counter balance to Joel McCrea’s earnest
performance. Plus, her presence lifts the beauty of the film.
After having seen Preston Sturges' The Lady Eve that he made the same year, 1941, I was charmed by his slapstick comedy, his style, his dialogues, and the accessibility of his films. In Sullivan's Travels Joel McCrea plays a director who's tired of making the same old films and he wants to make the story of a hobo. So he tries to live like a hobo and in his journey he finds what the real people like to see in the theater. He also finds a girl, "There's always a girl in the story!".
