Starring Joel McCrae and Veronica Lake
Written and directed by Preston Sturges
USA 1941
90 mins
In the difficult times we are living through cinema has a unique power to transport us - to take us out of the present situation and for a few hours to immerse us in another time and place. This classic Hollywood comedy from Preston Sturges is one of the finest and funniest you will ever see - an effortless and uplifting road movie with sparkling dialogue and beautifully modulated performances from two actors who were huge stars at the time but have since been lost to film history.
The film tells the story of John Sullivan - a successful director of Hollywood comedies who longs to make 'serious' art films. Disguising himself as a tramp he sets out to get some real world experience - before long he has teamed up with a struggling actress and together they find themselves in all sorts of trouble...
Veronica Lake was often cast as a femme fatale - her trademark 'peekaboo' hairstyle and slinky beauty made her a popular box office attraction in films noirs and detective pictures. Lake's career was comparatively short - barely extending beyond the 1940s - unlike her co-star who made films for over 50 years. Joel McCrae was a handsome easy-going actor and a natural comic performer who began his career in the silent era and went on into the 1960s - working with Hitchcock and many other top directors along the way.
But the true star of Sullivan's Travels is its director Preston Sturges - a matchless creator of romantic screwball comedies including 'The Palm Beach Story' and 'The Lady Eve'. His characters, plotting and witty lines mean his films seem as fresh today as when they were made - smart, relevant and wise as well as joyfully funny.
Settle back and enjoy...
