Aug 29, 2014 sullivans travels 1941 a classic essential comedy from writerdirector preston sturges about a movie director joel mccrea who sets out with one thin dime to find out what people are really like in order to make a more meaningful film than he has been. The second ship of the united states navy to be named for the five sullivan brothers george, francis, joseph, madison, and albert sullivan, aged 20 to 27 who lost their lives when their ship, uss juneau, was sunk by a japanese submarine in november 1942 in the naval battle of guadalcanal the first ship named for them was uss the sullivans dd537. Jun 30, 2015 sullivans travels is a film thats aged extremely well. It is a satire about a movie director, played by joel mccrea, who longs to make a socially relevant drama, but eventually learns that comedies are his more valuable contribution to society. His bosses arent convinced and want him to continue making his popular light comedies. Brazil, canada, colombia, cote divoire, egypt, france, germany, hong kong. I have my certification as a certified travel counselor ctc, as well as being a graduate of the irish tourist board shamrock club, and a certified sandals specialist. After his producers point out that he knows nothing of hardship, he hits the road as a hobo.
With joel mccrea, veronica lake, robert warwick, william demarest. Sullivan s travels was not as immediately successful at the box office as. Joel mccrea and sultry veronica lake star in this starkly realistic yet highly humorous satire from oscar winning writerdirector preston sturges. Uss the sullivans is the second ship in the navy named after the five sullivan brothers. If sullivans travels mounts an argument for anything, its complexity and ambition in filmmaking, as practiced by an artist who is, unlike sullivan, rather smarter than he lets on. Much to the chagrin of his producers, he sets off in tramps clothing with a single.
Jun 17, 2014 the coen brothers got the title for their film o brother, where art thou. With such an aura of legend around it i expected a lot and it delivered. Nov 09, 2000 preston sturges was a writerdirector the like of which we havent seen since. Sullivans travels is a 19421 american comedy film written and directed by preston. The title is taken from jonathan swifts classic tale of selfdiscovery, gullivers travels 1726. A portion of writerdirector preston sturges extended sequence in which hollywood director sullivan joel mccrea and the girl veronica lake get their fill of life on the road in sullivans travels, 1942. Joel mccrea and sultry veronica lake star in this humorous. Sullivan becomes determined to know the experience of the real downtrodden of america, leaving tinseltown with a only a dime in his pocket.
Sullivans travels poster for 1942 paramount film with veronica lake. The first part of the film, which details the botched attempts of idealistic film director john sullivan joel mccrea to leave hollywood, smoothly blends outrageous slapstick with. Preston sturgess selfreflexive 1941 masterpiece of a hollywood satire is, as richard brody of the new yorker points out, two movies in one. Over each of the last twenty days, a different blog has written about a movie that must somehow connect to the previous days film. Sturges might have conceived the film as a journey that would lead you to the belief that he was a simple workman, unconcerned with developing his artbut i. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The creator of lady eve brings you his latest and most lilting laughfest sullivan is a successful, spoiled, and naive director of fluff films, with a heartogold, who decides he wants to make a film about the troubles of the downtrodden poor. We got married in 1997, honeymooned in italy our first trip abroad and ever since then our passion to see all that this wonderful earth has to offer has only gotten stronger thankfully, we are lucky enough to be able to travel a few times a. She was the daughter of constance charlotta trimble and harry eugene ockelman, who worked for an oil company as a ship employee.
Tired of churning out lightweight comedies, hollywood director john l. Overview of sullivans travels, 1942, directed by preston sturges, with joel mccrea, veronica lake, robert warwick, at turner classic movies. Her father was of half german and half irish descent, and her mother was of irish ancestry. Sullivans travels is a 1941 american comedy film written and directed by preston sturges.
Sullivans travels 1941 opening title sequence youtube. He was a wellconnected anarchist in a system that frowned on such tendencies unless they made money. Sullivans travels 1941 directed by preston sturges. In the midst of the brutality and despair, the young director makes a valuable discovery that what the downtrodden need most is laughter. The acting is amazing, especially from the stunning veronica lake, and theres so much packed into a 90minute package. Sullivan, an ambitious bigshot director known for his successful feelgood comedies, insists he must make a more important film exploring real issues, namely the grinding poverty that many americans still face even though the great depression is supposedly over. This o brother has been called a comic epic of the american south ruppersburg. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. Sullivan, convinced he wont be able to film his ambitious masterpiece until he has suffered, dons a hobo disguise and sets off on a journey, aiming to know trouble firsthand. Sullivans travels 1941, directed by preston sturges film. Instead, sullivan is coldcocked by a tramp, who steals sullivan s clothes and identification.
Sullivan s travels is an old film, but the themes still feel current. The title was a nod to jonathan swifts novel gullivers travels, which people in 1941 probably understood, because people in 1941 read books. Paramount wanted to put the two of them in i married a witch1942 but. When the tramp is run over by a speeding train, the world at large is convinced that the great john l. Veronica lake born constance frances marie ockelman. Sullivans travels is a curious but effective mixture of grim tragedy, slapstick of the key stone brand and smart, triggerfast comedy. Sullivans travel s1941 is considered by many film historians to be director preston sturges finest film. The most ambitious of preston sturges string of 1940s classics, sullivan s travels is a brilliant mixture of genres, combining giddy comedy with often brutal realism, made all the more powerful by the contrast. Sullivans travels 1942 movie clip o brother, where. Deserving of eternal veneration as the first screenwriter to decisively break through as a director, sturges paved the way for the likes of john huston. The bbc is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Mar 22, 20 sullivan s travels 1941 90 min adventure comedy drama december 1941 usa a director of escapist films goes on the road as a hobo to learn about life. Sullivans travels has an entry in so many best of or top ten lists that to name them would be ridiculous. Known for the long tresses obscuring one eye, lake was forced to cut off her locks when imitators working in factories were injured. Sullivans travels 1941 full movie hd sullivans travels 1941 full movie hd sullivans travels 1941 full movie hd. Even though grounded in 1930s depressionera anxieties, hobo camps and issues, the film still charms today maybe even more so, considering how much range of emotion writerdirector preston sturges evokes, from hilarity to horror, while. It is not the deep dish panorama of suffering that. With its almost shakespearean combination of uproarious comedy and grim tragedy, sullivan s travels is sturges masterpiece and one of the finest movies about movies ever made. Paramount wanted to put the two of them in i married a witch 1942 but. In march 1942, secretary of the navy frank knox asked mrs. Veronica lake was born as constance frances marie ockleman on november 14, 1922, in brooklyn, new york. Sullivans travels furthered my love of veronica lake who i grow to enjoy with every film and convinced me to seek out the rest of preston sturges films. But sullivan s studio transforms his odyssey into a publicity stunt, providing the wouldbe nomad with a luxury van, complete with butler robert greig and valet. Sullivans travels 1941 a newly available from the criterion collection see product notes sdg original source.
Sullivans travels the current the criterion collection. Criterion produced a bluray version, which was released in the u. Sullivan s travels is a 1941 american comedy film written and directed by preston sturges. The title is a reference to gullivers travels, the famous novel by satirist. The family now regularly made the front pages in waterloo, and the city knew tom and alletas children as the navys five sullivans. Sullivan s travels, starring joel mccrea and veronica lake is the story of a hollywood director who s tired of making feel good films and decides to travel america as a hobo so that he can truly understand the tragic situation of the poor lower classes so that he can make a powerful drama. Actors veronica lake and fredric march appear on the poster for the 1942 comedy film. Sullivan s travels joel mccrea veronica lake robert warwick 1942 a hollywood director s desire to produce a film about real people and human suffering leads him on an odyssey as a hobo. It is a satire about hollywoods top director of comedies, played by joel mccrea, who longs to make a socially relevant drama, but eventually learns that creating laughter is his greatest contribution to society. The comedy that its framed as, and the earnest, indeed grim drama, that the story, and for that matter ultimately sullivan himself, repudiate. Pdf download sullivans city the meaning of ornament for louis sullivan norton. Sullivan s travels was an instant hit when it opened, despite or maybe because of the infamous japanese sneak attack on pearl harbor dominating headlines. Whatever, sullivan s travels is a gem, an almost serious comedy not taken entirely seriously, with wonderful dialogue, eccentric characterisations, and superlative performances throughout. Sullivan joel mccrea is an idealist filmmaker who decides to make a serious, socially responsible movie instead of his typical comedic fare.
The plot involves john lloyd sullivan played by joel mccrea, a pampered. Sullivan and i have been in the travel business since 1990. Sullivans travels, american dramedy film, released in 1941, considered by many to be director preston sturgess finest film. The film was rereleased in the uk with a restored print on may 12, 2000. Advised by his servants that the poor resent having the rich intrude upon them, sullivan escapes his retinue and continues his travels incognito. Lake won both popular and critical acclaim for her role in sullivan s travels and for femme fatale roles in film noirs with alan ladd, during the 1940s. En route to enlightenment, he encounters a lovely but nononsense young woman veronica. Sullivan s travels written and directed by preston sturges, sullivan s travels is one of the greatest hollywood satires ever made. The coen brothers got the title for their film o brother, where art thou. Sullivans travels influenced the coen brotherss playful version of the tragicomic corrective in o brother where art thou, the film that takes its name from the abandoned project in sullivans travels. Sullivan s travels is a 1942 1 american comedy film written and directed by preston sturges. Sullivan joel mccrea decides to make o brother, where art thou.
Preston sturges was a writerdirector the like of which we havent seen since. Sullivans travels veronica lake joel mccrea part 1 video. Sullivan s travels is a gem, an almost serious comedy not taken entirely seriously, with wonderful dialogue, eccentric characterisations, and superlative performances throughout. The film features one of veronica lakes first leading roles. Sturges, a hollywood satirical genius, at his peak had enough boxoffice clout. When all he finds is a train ride back to hollywood and a beautiful blonde companion, he redoubles his efforts, managing to land himself in more trouble than he bargained for when he. Sully wont be swayed, and sets out on a research trip dressed as a tramp to experience real. Weve been together since 1995 and mutually, discovered our love for travel. Sullivan s travels has the reputation as sturges best film, which is a shame, because it is the formal changes of tone that impresses more than much of the content. The sweetest, most generoushearted satire of the hollywood film industry the town has ever produced, sullivans travels was the fourth of the eight films preston sturges made during his astonishingly prolific streak between 1940 and 1944.
Hailed by critics as preston sturges masterpiece, sullivan s travels reveals the wonderful insight and artistry of one of hollywoods finest directors. Sullivans travels has the reputation as sturges best film, which is a shame. My husband john and i started our own travel agency sullivan s travels in 1999. Writerdirector preston sturgess third feature, 1941s sullivans travels. It is written and directed by preston sturges, who. Sullivan s travel s1941 is considered by many film historians to be director preston sturges finest film. Sep 02, 2011 with its almost shakespearean combination of uproarious comedy and grim tragedy, sullivan s travels is sturges masterpiece and one of the finest movies about movies ever made. False starts and hollywood hangerson bog him down, but after meeting an aspiring actress veronica lake in an allnight diner, sullivans travels begin to take shape and meaning. Director john sully sullivan wants to make his mark with a socially responsible film, o brother where art thou. Media in category sullivan s travels film the following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total. Hail the conquering hero, miracle of morgan s creek and also the palm beach story and christmas in july, on the other hand, are sturges at the top of his game in the wit and.
An escapist comedy about a hollywood director known for making only lightweight comedies who now wants to make a socially responsible film about human suffering and hardship during depression era america, holds up quite well today and contains many memorable sequences. 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. I had to hold myself back from comparing it alongside todays film studios and mores which proves that its timeless. Catholic digest the comic genius preston sturges believed that laughter is the best medicine, and that what people in hard times want is to forget their troubles and escape for 90 minutes or so into a world of lighthearted comedy, snappy repartee and slapstick silliness.
Aug 23, 2014 sullivans travels 1942 this is my contribution to the build your own blogathon hosted by the fantastic classic film and tv cafe. Sullivan joel mccrea is reunited with the girl veronica lake and his staff, and reconsiders filming o brother, where art thou, in the final scene from preston sturges sullivan s travels, 1942. American actors john mccrea and veronica lake in sullivans travels the story follows the. A hollywood director, john l sullivan, sets out to experience life as a poor, homeless person in order to gain relevant life experience for his next movie. Meanwhile, the dazed sullivan, dressed like a bum with no identification on his person, is arrested and put to work on a brutal southern chain gang. After his producers point out that he knows nothing of hardship, sullivan hits the road disguised as a hobo.
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