Directed by Preston Sturges

Witty. Comical. Relatable. Let’s talk about American playwright, screenwriter, and director Preston Sturges. Director Billy Wilder has often been the focal point of today’s conversation when discussing mature comedies of Old Hollywood, but we cannot forget the genius that is Preston Sturges. He turned the genre of screwball comedy on its head with a high level of refinement, maturity, and relatability making him a unique director of the 1940s.

Preston Sturges had a short directorial career in films from 1940 - 1955, but it is important to note that most of these films he was also the screenwriter for. His dialogue was always sharp and fast-paced. He also produced and/or wrote many films for other directors from 1930s - 1956. He showcased immense independence when he held the role of director which caused enormous resentment from Paramount Studio bosses who were over him. A key conflict was the fact that he utilized the same actors in each of his films—both small and big names. This is an endearing quality of his films in watching them today but caused drama in his career.

It is unfortunate that Preston Sturges’ did not have a longer directorial film career, but the films that he did make still hold up today and have such perfect comedic timing, a naturalness and element of humanity that a lot of Old Hollywood films lack. His films are currently on Criterion Channel until the end of the month. I highly recommend having a Sturges’ marathon accompanied with a fabulous cocktail! I will share some of my favorite films of his in this post.

1.) The Lady Eve (1941) starring Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, and Charles Coburn. This film was my first introduction to Preston Sturges’ films and what a joy of a watch it is! Stanwyck plays Jean Harrington, a beautiful wisecrack who is a con artist with her father “Colonel Harrington” (Coburn). She is on a ship with Fonda’s character, Charles Pike, who is a snake expert born into a wealthy family. He is naive and lacks skills in the romance department. Of course love blossoms between them on the ship, but things become complicated when Charles Pike discovers Jean Harrington’s reputation.

In true Preston Sturges’ fashion there is a series of comedic twists and turns that are absurd yet somehow believable due to Henry Fonda’s skillful ability to act earnest and naive and Barbara Stanwyck’s ability to seduce and encourage sympathy from the audience due to her likability. These two actors were not Preston Sturges’ first choices as he originally wanted two of his key actors—Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea—to star in this film. It is hard to envision this film with anyone else but Stanyck and Fonda who have a great deal of chemistry and superb comedic timing.

And we cannot forget Charles Coburn who plays the perfect con artist of a father who has his own code ethics that add to the comedy of the film.

Close up shots are Sturges’ specialty. No fancy camera work and yet each shot feels meaningful. And in true Preston Sturges’ fashion we cannot help but root for the “bad guys” because he always shows us the flaws of the upper crust. There is no right or wrong or good and bad in his films—only human beings.

2.) Christmas in July (1940) starring Dick Powell and Ellen Drew is an endearing comedy. This film was Preston Sturges’ second film in which he served as both writer and director. This is the kind of movie that you watch and reflect on days after your first viewing. This is a comedy that holds much sentimental value in areas of class (a common theme in his movies) and the desire for one to make it in this world.

Dick Powell plays Jimmy MacDonald a low-income office worker who lives with his mother. His primary goal in life is to validate himself by becoming financially well off to take care of his family and finally have the opportunity to marry his girlfriend, Betty Casey (played by Ellen Drew), whom he cannot even buy an engagement ring for.

Jimmy is cynical when it comes to matters of “making do” with where he is status wise and wants to make it big to prove himself. He enters into a contest hosted by a coffee company, Maxford House Coffee, in which contestants have to come up with a witty slogan for the company in order to win a cash prize of $25,000. (Note: His slogan is the nonsensical, “If you can’t sleep at night, it’s not the coffee, it’s the bunk.”)

Coworkers at the office Jimmy works at play a trick on him that causes him to believe he is the winner of the contest. This insensitive prank leads to a number of fortunate and unfortunate events that happen to Jimmy and his family with dashes of comedy and quick pace. This is not a flashy film but is a quick and lovely watch that I highly recommend for its humaneness.

3.) Sullivan’s Travels (1941) starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake is one of Preston Sturges’ most well received films. McCrea plays John L. Sullivan, a successful director who wants to create a film about the current problems of the country—lack of jobs, poverty, etc. He decides to pose as a vagrant man in order to get what he perceives as firsthand experience for his film.

Of course he comes across a beautiful blonde, Veronica Lake (who plays “The Girl”), with her peekaboo long wavy side-parted hair and quick wit and quirk. She insists on joining him in his adventure.

A common theme in Sturges’ films is the unraveling of a plan. Sullivan’s plan to gain experience that he felt he needed for his film leads to a number of misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and an alleged death. On the surface, Sullivan’s Travels is a satire film on the movie industry. It is considered a comedy but definitely holds cultural significance especially for its time.

This film is perhaps one of Preston Sturges’ more serious films. I believe Sullivan’s Travels poses the question of what exactly is the job of film meant to be? Is film supposed to provide escapism or realism? I can’t help but wonder if Sturges’ was examining his own work and questioning his use of comedy. I believe he was able to capture both escapism and realism in his work and this film brilliantly showcases that juxtaposition.

4.) Last but not least Unfaithfully Yours (1948) starring Rex Harrison and Linda Darnell. This is a film that I had no prior knowledge of until Criterion Channel showcased the film on their app. I am so grateful that I gave this screwball black comedy a watch. Harrison plays Sir Alfred de Carter, a world-famous symphony conductor who travels often and is returning from a visit out of the country. Darnell plays his loving (and much younger wife), Daphne.

Upon returning home, Sir Alfred de Carter discovers that his brother-in-law hired a detective to spy on his wife and it is reported that she was seen entering Alfred’s male secretary’s (a man closer to her age) hotel room in her negligee and left after about 40 minutes in the middle of the night. The detective implied infidelity. Sir Alfred de Carter becomes plagued by immense jealousy and rage. He plots to murder his wife and/or her perceived lover. He visualizes a number of scenarios to accomplish his goal. He then tries to make one his visualizations come into fruition

The film is a madcap film in which Rex Harrison delivers a superb performance of a man conflicted by his own delirious, blinding jealousy/insecurity and his love for his beautiful wife. This is a film that will constantly have you on your toes, unsure of what will happen next.

Side Note: All of Preston Sturges’ films incorporate absolutely beautiful costume design from high-level costumers of the time such as Edith Head, Bonnie Cashin, and Oleg Cassini. 1940s fashion at its finest!

I highly suggest giving his films a watch if you’re in the mood for something light and comedic but thought-provoking. Thank you so much for tuning in and I will see you next week!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the photographs in this post.