Some last thoughts on Sullivan's Travels

I wish I would've had more time for this lovely film from Preston Sturges. His dialogue never gets old for me. I can listen to it over and over, and this is true for Sullivan's Travels as well. Sturges goes beyond the defining points of the screwball comedy with this film and kind of changes the rules a bit by parodying, not a romance, but the film industry instead. So, while we don't have a couple we're rooting for, we still have a hero who must open his eyes to see the truth, in this case, that perhaps comedy is his true calling, instead of that drama he thinks he should make.

Looking back, Sturges is good at setting the pace. The film never drags along and in scenes in which you would think might go slow, Sturges uses visual storytelling to its utmost perfection by showing scenes quickly without dialogue and letting the action move the story along. He does this by scattering bits of everyday comedy into serious scenes so as to not burden the moment with a reality that is depressing. The effect is great because you never think he's making light of the stark circumstances of many people, but instead he tries to show the humor in the little things, like the funny way some of the tramps eat.

Tone is another important factor in any film, and Sturges sets it right away. The opening sequence is filled with so much dialogue between Sullivan and the producers that isn't just quick, but funny. It's like nothing you really get to hear, the dead honest remark of making sure that the film has "a little sex in it" is enough to make people laugh even today. And this tone remains constant, even with the more serious depictions of the hard life the tramps lead, Sturges never lets it dwell too much in sober thought because, again, he shows the funny side of hard times, and in a tasteful manner too.

The lead is rightly cast, something I've mentioned before. Joel McCrea brings the right sort of acting style that Sturges is able to use well. There's something about McCrea that he seems to sort of just deliver his lines, but there's never much rise and fall in his voice. And that isn't to say that he doesn't act because he wouldn't have been able to pull Sullivan off. But there's something in the way he acts that is perfect for the Sturges hero, that sort of wide-eyed wonder that Margaret Sullavan pulls off in The Good Fairy. Sullivan isn't naïve like Luisa Ginglebuscher, but he is quite innocent when it comes to knowing anything about trouble. He assumes it's something he can just go and experiment about and that'll be that, but it's not so simple.

The remaining cast is made up of Veronica Lake--a true delight to see here--and pretty much Sturges' stock company. Again, this is mostly Sullivan's story, but when the supporting cast does get on screen they shine brighter that McCrea. This makes it more entertaining to watch, especially when the lead isn't in the picture. It's that bit of comic relief everyone enjoys. Following Sullivan on that caravan or land yacht, the crew works together with ineffable chemistry and synchronization that doesn't just translate to dialogue, but also to physical comedy. They steal the show in the car chase scene with their bit of slapstick that makes that particular scene enjoyable to watch.

I've read somewhere that Sturges sold the first true spec script. I don't think he was the first writer/director, but he most likely did start a trend in which writers started claiming more creative control of their work. And to be honest, I'm glad Sturges made that leap to writer/director. It's obvious by the strong script he wrote that he had a clear image of the film he envisioned. He wasn't simply a writer, he wrote like a director. And perhaps the script is the greatest strength of the film. Without a good script, you just can't make a good film, not even the best director out there could pull it off.

There's more to discover in Sullivan's Travels, and perhaps if I had more time, I would've managed to get more out of it. But I walk away with a deeper appreciation for Sturges, the detail he took in writing his script, the balance between comedy and drama he brings to the film and still manages to make it his own. I am in complete awe of his creative skills, that he can write dialogue so well and at the same time master visual storytelling, it's something you certainly don't see today. Sturges could make you laugh in any way possible, and that's the big takeaway from this film, and rightly so. The reason why Sullivan's Travels is so successful is because he's telling you there's nothing like a comedy film, and Sturges does so through a comedy film, with no pretenses, because it really does make you laugh. If you haven't taken the time to watch it, it's a must-see for any film fan.

Written and Directed by Sturges

I have to say, I’m a big fan of Preston Sturges, but it wasn’t until now that I’ve sat down and read one of his screenplays. And in reading the script for Sullivan’s Travels, I’m reminded of the Trouble in Paradise script—not that big of a surprise considering Ernst Lubitsch is name-dropped about five times throughout the film. Sturges puts much detail in his script, things are well thought out, and not much is left on the cutting room floor, much like Lubitsch demanded of his scripts.

The first thing that stood out was how well action scenes were written. It's obvious that Sturges wrote this script thinking he would direct it. And although I have already seen the film, I could visualize every image as described. The car chase scene near the beginning, which is pretty much just visual storytelling, describes in one instance objects in the land yacht as being turned over like "potatoes in a skillet."

The montage in the middle of the film, is also well described, like the instance in which Sullivan and the Girl take turns jumping around when a sudden itch strikes their back. But then, in that same scene, when the Girl is at the shower stall, nothing is mentioned except that the action would be devised later on. Sturges couldn't put to paper something for that particular moment, and it goes to show that he was thinking of specific actions, instead of just saying something vague. What I like most about this, is the whole idea of just getting the script done. Sturges didn't let a roadblock stop him. He made a note of it, and moved on so that he could finish the scene.

One thing I like about this script, that I noticed while watching the film, is that it's a sequence film. I never noticed sequence storytelling until I read and watched Trouble in Paradise, and I've become such a big fan of it. I find it to be a much more clearer way of establishing story and I love the fact that each sequence has a goal, that each sequence is like a mini-movie. That being said, the sequence in which Sullivan stays with the two sisters always seemed a bit off to me. When Miz Zeffie calls out to Sullivan from up in the room she was preparing for him, Sullivan has a look of utter irritation. And while it's understandable straightaway that she's a bit unbearable, there is a bit of history behind that look, which is more clear upon reading the script. The last couple of times I've watched the film, I wondered how Sullivan ended up there when it's obvious he doesn't want to be there. In the script, the sequence starts out in a car ride Sullivan gets from the sheriff, who proceeds to drop him off at the sisters' house, lest he be put in jail for being a vagrant. The sheriff suspects Sullivan's just a bum who doesn't work for a living after seeing his hands that haven't seen a day of hard labor. These sequence also extends a bit the last part as well, and I think it was a wise choice to trim it down, because reading it just seemed to drag the story along, and really it isn't too relevant, only to make the point that Sullivan tries to get trouble, and ends up running away and back in Hollywood.

The ending is also different, although my copy had two endings: the finished one and a working one. The working draft one is pretty much the same, only Mr. Burrows talks a bit in the beginning. Then the ending, Sullivan tells the crew his plans to make a comedy, then proceeds to tell them who he will dedicate it to. This dedication is what appears in the final film, only in this ending, as Sullivan says a phrase, it's overlapped with images of different people laughing, the same images we see in the finished film. I never really cared too much either way for the last clips of people laughing, but I do have to agree again with the decision to stick with the finished film's ending. I think the working draft ending would've just dragged it on a bit too much, and it would've seem more Capraesque. With this film, Sturges is satirizing the film business, but he brings enough drama to balance out a serious topic in the 1940s. His serious scenes do evoke Capra, but he never allows them to dwell there because in the next clip, Sturges is showing you physical comedy. The finished film's ending still drives across the point he makes without getting too dramatic.

From my understanding, Sturges had been fighting to direct his own screenplays, and when you read a script like Sullivan's Travels, you see that it wasn't for naught. He had a clear vision and more importantly a unique voice. It makes you wonder how a film like The Good Fairy would've turned out had Sturges taken the helm. Sturges had a gift for dialogue, but also a gift for physical comedy, and he was able to get this across clearly on the printed page. The dialogue doesn't even need direction because the tone is apparent within the actual dialogue. And the action scenes are so well laid out without a lot of wordiness that it almost seems choreographed. Sturges wrote an incredible script and it's worth a couple of careful readings.

Sullivan's Travels as a screwball comedy

Here again is another film that pushes the defining requisites of a screwball comedy. Is Sullivan’s Travels a true screwball? According to what the “rules” are the answer would be no. But perhaps a better answer would be that, like most of the films of the late 30s and early 40s, this film further evolves the genre, and redefines comedy in general.

One of the biggest differences in this film with screwballs is that this isn't a typical love story. You could say that after watching the film, this is Preston Sturges love letter to the comedy, and you could even say that it's Sullivan's romance with comedy. He's done so many comedies and he wants to do something "meaningful" and dramatic, but of course he knows nothing about trouble. And like in most screwballs, Sullivan has to go through a whole lot of screwy trouble to finally realize who he's meant to be with, and in this case, he's meant to be doing comedies.

On the other hand, this film is very much like other screwballs when it gets down to the comedy and dialogue. No one writes dialogue better than Sturges. Some might think he's overrated, but he has an uncanny way of writing satire, parody, and to be able to evoke such performances out of actors who look doe-eyed all the while. Some of the best dialogue is in the opening scene between Sullivan and the film producers. Each producer tries to top one after the other with another greater instance of trouble that is so ridiculous that Sullivan quiets down. Dialogue is also memorable in the first meeting between the Girl and Sullivan. When Sullivan gets a bit too inquisitive, the Girl is quick to shoot back, "I didn't ask you any questions." And while it's not the famous repartee between two romantic leads in a typical film of the genre, the dialogue in this film is still classic and top-notch.

Now, while the screwball hero in this instance is a privileged boy who went to boarding school as a kid, we still sympathize with him, perhaps because of he's crazy scheme. He doesn't know trouble so he's going to find out, and no matter how many times he tries he ends up back in Hollywood, but he's determined. As an innocent of all things trouble, Sullivan is surrounded by tramps who are much "wiser" than him. This differences in classes is again something seen in screwballs, not the way portrayed in this film, but it's still a different way of looking at things. In fact, the big transformation for Sullivan is when he's mugged and loses his memory and ends up in jail. When he actually suffers and sees a comedy picture show and truly laughs, it's like the light bulb goes off in his head and his eyes open wide. He gets that wisdom, and in that he sees he's meant to be with comedies.

What Sturges does with Sullivan's Travels is take the screwball comedy, which parodies the romantic comedy, and instead uses these rules to parody the film business and a picture show director. So you take away the romance, but stay relatively within the boundaries, and you have a type of screwball comedy, although not quite. It's a bit of same but different that Hollywood always seeks, and Sturges makes one funny film by stretching the rules of the genre.

Visual Storytelling in Sullivan's Travels

I’ve mentioned this before but one of Sullivan’s Travels’ strengths is the versatility with comedy. Not only is Preston Sturges a master when it comes to fast and hilarious dialogue, but he has a knack for physical comedy but most importantly visual storytelling. This is something not necessarily pointed out in screwball comedies, in the sense that screwballs tend to highlight more the repartee. But Sturges does it so well that’s it’s worth a mention.

There are a few dialogueless scenes throughout the film. One is the car chase scene that resembles something out of cartoon. Before we even get to it, we hear the crew following Sullivan in his experiment in the caravan going on about the nutty idea. Sullivan himself feels like he’s being babysitted so he hitches a ride with a kid in a drag race car and mayhem ensues. The scene is a wonderful boost of energy and hilarity, and like I said, exactly what you might see in a vintage cartoon or even a silent comedy film. Legs are flying in the air, a cop is thrown mud several times before he can take off on his motorcycle, and things are crashing left and right. Sturges takes what could’ve been a dull moment and entertains; you have to watch it to fully enjoy it. This sort of storytelling also takes advantage of pace, which Sturges uses to it’s utmost extent in another scene.

A bit halfway through the film, there’s a montage of Sullivan and the Girl living as tramps and assimilating to that lifestyle. It is here that Sturges shows a fine balance between funny and serious. The depression is a serious topic as its name suggests, and Sturges doesn’t make fun of it but instead he shows the lighter side of it. For every homeless person eating a meal at a shelter, there’s another image of Sullivan eating the same meal with disgust. You see all the tramps showering, and then there’s the Girl showering in a stall with a look of utter discomfort all over her face. And when they all sleep on the floor, it’s depressing but at the same time comical with hands in all over. The montage gives the effect of a few days having passed by, maybe more, and what is normally a slow-moving detail speeds up quite quickly due to the comedic sides of the experience. What struck me most about this montage is how Capraesque it is in some areas but at the same time Sturges makes it his own by providing the lighter moments and physical comedy. He never gets too serious, which is kind of the point he’s trying to make in satirizing Sullivan’s exploration.

There’s one final bit near the end when Sullivan confesses to killing John L. Sullivan. What could be a bit melodramatic return of Sullivan turns out to be, again, quite comedic. The Girl reads the newspaper and runs to the producers to show them the news that Sullivan is alive, everyone meets and starts celebrating. Sullivan's wife is upset and next thing you know, Sullivan is on a plane back and surrounded by reporters. In a short montage, many events occur to speed the story along, which in this case is needed to wrap up the film. Sturges could've played it all out, but there's really no point since its much more effective, entertaining, and it re-emphasizes the point of using comedy, which is the lesson Sullivan learns in the end.

Visual storytelling is something I wish I'd see more of today in films and it's always refreshing to see it done so well as it's done in Sullivan's Travels. Sturges uses it well to speed up the story and to always keep things light during serious topics. Most importantly, he uses visual storytelling to drive his point across that in times of trouble, laughter is all people have sometimes.

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

There's something that must be said about a good opening scene. It has to grab you by the throat and demand that you stay put in your seat and watch. Some of the best opening scenes start in media res, right smack in the middle of the action and it immediately captures your attention. You become involved whether you want to or not. And the great thing about Sullivan's Travels opening scene is that it has a fight scene on a moving train. And for the firs three minutes or so you don't know what's going on but you're curious as to what's going on.

But the end credits roll and you hear Joel McCrea start taking about films. This sets off what is a purely dialogue-driven scene. The speed in which the dialogue is delivered sets the pace right away in the sense that this is gonna be a fast-moving film. It is funny dialogue, parodying the filmmaking business, which clearly shows the tone of the film. The best line that keeps getting repeated is that the film be "with a little sex in it." But there's talk of Communists and a running joke on Pittsburgh I had no idea dated back at least to the 1940s.

There's no introduction of a female lead at this point, but clearly this film isn't about love, although love does factor in later on. Or rather the love is different. This is, if anything, a love affair Sullivan has with films. He's so dead-set on making a drama about poverty, but doesn't know the first thing about trouble, which the producers make clear to him. This gives him the bone-headed idea to go live as a tramp to find out in order to make that meaningful film he wants to make. So while there is no romantic interest at this point in the form of a female lead, you could argue that Sullivan's romantic interest here is film, or maybe the perfect film he so imagines. The producers push the musical or comedy but he wants none of it, so of course we get the hint that this might just be what is the perfect film for him.

This quick opening scene does just the trick in grabbing your attention. It's clear that Sullivan's Travels is another film that's redefining the comedy genre but still grasping on to screwball roots. The tone and pace is set straight away and we're introduced to the main character and conflict straight off as well. There's nothing ambiguous going on here. On the contrary, we can be sure we're gonna have a great laugh for the next 90 minutes.

Sullivan's Travels (1942)

I saw Sullivan’s Travels for the first time a few years ago and laughed so much, really enjoyed it, but didn’t see it again until recently. And it’s a shame because I really, really like this film. It’s so well made that I can’t say enough about it. And it’s such a good film to kind of wrap up the whole screwball comedy genre, and I’m so upset that I haven’t had time to properly watch this film this past month! So this last week I’m gonna try to take a closer look at it as best as I can.

The thing that stands out admirably so in this film is the way that it's funny. A lot of times you see stories that are funny but there are different types of funny. Some people might enjoy innuendoes while others like gross-out humor, and still others like physical comedy. What Preston Sturges shows in this film is that he's a master when it comes to comedy. He doesn't just have the dialogue so vital to a screwball comedy to back him up, he can also rely on his slapstick humor.

There are many great bits of dialogue throughout, many of which are delivered so deadpan serious that it makes you laugh. Back then at least you didn't really hear or see a parody of the filmmaking business like Sturges manages to do. It's great to see the producers being so candid about a film needing a bit of sex, and delivered with the seriousness of terminal illness. When Sullivan and the Girl meet at the diner, there we see some lovely bit of banter so reminiscent of the genre. And then there's Sullivan's crew who always come back with great one-liners. The film's filled with great dialogue but if you already know Sturges then you expected it.

But just like the dialogue, Sturges executes these great montages. There is so much physical comedy here that works well. There's this car chase scene that's reminiscent of one of those cartoon from vintage Disney or Looney Tunes, but then really thinking about it, it's more like the slapstick of silent films. This is more clear halfway through the film when Sullivan and the Girl are in the midst of the wandering homeless, and trying to survive. Their initial observations and experience are quite hilarious, more so their final reaction which is to run back home.

And what of the leads? I often think not enough love is given to Joel McCrea. He might come off a bit stiff sometimes, kinda just delivering lines a bit, but I think Sturges uses him here marvelously. And who's gonna complain about seeing a shirtless McCrea? I didn't count the times but I probably should next time. Veronica Lake is also lovely. This film was the first one I saw her in and it was refreshing considering I thought she might be a bit of a vamp. She comes off so down-to-earth and funny. I absolutely love the scene in which she and McCrea first share. She can hold up her own against him and I like her for it.

Now, considering this is mostly Joel McCrea's film, the supporting cast does a great job whenever they're on screen. Sturges uses his stock company so well that whenever they're on screen they steal the show. I enjoy watching those scenes so much just to see they're acting. The actors themselves are so in sync with one another that it adds to the hilarity and makes it go so much faster and smoother.

This very funny film is a must see for any classic film fan or comedy fan in general. Sullivan's Travels is one of those films in which you can truly appreciate the effort taken to make the film. That it's not just funny dialogue but funny to watch and with a great cast all around, makes it a memorable film and a good addition to the comedy genre.