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Sullivan's Travels - Criterion Collection | Year: 1941 Classification: Comedy Directed: - Preston Sturges Actors/Actresses: - Joel McCrea - Veronica Lake A MOVIE THAT COMBINES COMEDY AND DRAMA. "Sullivan's Travels" tells the story of director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea), who is very famous thanks to his mainstream comedy movies. But now he is tired of making shallow comedies, and decides to start a career of more serious movies. However, Sullivan thinks that because during all his life he has enjoyed special privileges, he doesn't actually know what is the suffering, and he is unable of make a serious social statement in his upcoming film. So he now decides to hit the road, disguised as a tramp, and live in those conditions for a few months, and to experiment in his own flesh the lack of luxuries. In the road he meets "The Girl" (Veronica Lake), an unemployed actress who knows what is to live in those conditions, so now she decides to help him with his experiment. However, not everything is going to be that easy, because in their adventure they are going to find several obstacles that could make difficult to complete Sullivan's movie. "Sullivan's Travels" is a very amusing movie, the director Preston Sturges did a good job, he created scenes where the comedy and the drama are mixed together with satisfying results. The movie has interesting situations, because it has an intelligent story and good performances. Also, "Sullivan's Travels" benefits with the presence of the elegant Veronica Lake Comedy/Drama at its Best! My sister happened to work at a video store in the late 80s and we had the luck of free or discounted rentals to replace what we lacked in cable then. I had always been fascinated with godzila movies, Ben-Hur and Abbott and Costello films on TV at noon on Saturdays on the local channels. I picked up Sullivan's Travels as a start to this fascination with movies beyond the latest release my sisters cherished more than the "movies without color" that I was lately intersted in. This movie and The Philadelphia Story began my love and devotion and romanticism of the 40's romantic screwball comedy. Sullivan's Travels like Philadelphia Story left me not just with a smile but with character. Joel McCrea is the dead pan star which led me through adventures of a man thinking suffering was the way of a true life. He found that laughter was. And that is this movie's point. To make you laugh and enjoy it. Veronica Lake tags along as the girl in her best ever role as simply "The Girl". And the various servents and movie studio people (McCrea plays a Director) who tag along add uproarious humor to the whole story. Look forward to the Luxary Bus Chase. Just smile at the simple church scene toward the end of the picture. In our times of late, laughter for laughters sake is the pointof this film. This movie made me look more at our past film heritage, I think it might make you too...remember these people invented the jokes and situations that you see even now in movies. Also one the kids can appreciate. Beware only of a few stereotypes of 40s nature. But this is one you'll truly feel glad you have around to see. Also a Federal Registry Film Treasure. A Review for Sullivan's Travels Directed by Preston Sturges in 1941, this classic screwball comedy with a message is definitely one worth watching. The film opens with famous Hollywood director, John Sullivan, trying to persuade his bosses to let him make a picture about poverty, O Brother, Where Are Thou? His producers proceed to ridicule him about being privileged and that he knows nothing about troubles. They tell him how they had to grow up selling newspapers to get through college and having to support a widowed mother and three sisters and two brothers. Sullivan realizes they have a point and decides to set out to find some trouble. Of course, as soon as Sullivan leaves the office, the bosses confess they were lying about their troubles, adding a bit of comic relief. Since the bosses feel it would be a liability to them if Sullivan were to travel all alone, they arrange for him to have an entourage following him, writing stories about his travels, and photographing his escapades. Sullivan starts out like a hobo walking alone on the side of the road. A young boy of 13 pulls up and offers him a ride. What next ensues is perhaps the funniest scene in the entire movie. The 13 year old wants to be a tank driver so he sets off like mad, driving insanely fast and wildly out of control. The entourage that has been following Sullivan in a massive bus tries desperately to keep up, hurdling its occupants all over the place. Most funny is the cook who ends up with his head sticking out of the roof of the bus and then falls back down to the floor and gets smacked on the head by the door of the oven. Then a bowl of what appears to be pancake batter falls on his head and he is a royal mess. After the bus plows into a pile of hay, Sullivan orders the 13 year old hooligan to stop and goes back to his entourage and persuades them that their following him is not a good idea. He advises they just go to Las Vegas and wait for him there. Not crazy enough to turn down a work-free vacation, they agree and each party sets off on their own. Sullivan next ventures into a small café where he meets a nameless girl, played by Veronica Lake. She has been trying to make a go at it as an actress, but has given up and has plans to head back home. Seeing Sullivan's misfortunes, she offers to buy him some ham and eggs. Sullivan immediately takes a liking to her and offers to give her a lift back home. Still in Hollywood, he goes and gets his own car to drive her there. The police, seeing a hobo driving a nice car, believe he has stolen it and so both Sullivan and his female companion get arrested. Well, they eventually get released when the police realize their error. Sullivan then fesses up to the lovely Veronica, and tells her his plan of finding trouble. She decides to join him on his journey. They plan to travel east and eventually take her back home. However, Sullivan must first have his butler call the railroad to find out how hobos board trains, another moment of comedic levity. Buy Sullivan's Travels at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  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