Sullivan joel mccrea, 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 is a celebration of this thing we call comedy, dedicated to the chaplins and marxes and bennys, to the memory of those who made us laughwhose efforts have lightened our burden a little. Sullivans travels 1941 full movie hd sullivans travels 1941 full movie hd sullivans travels 1941 full movie hd. 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. 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.
It is a richly comic movie interspersed with some surprising passages of deeply moving drama. Sullivans travels 1941 successful movie director john l. Disguising himself as a bum, sullivan sets off to see america from the bottom up. Sullivans travels is a gem, an almost serious comedy not taken entirely seriously, with wonderful dialogue, eccentric characterisations, and superlative performances throughout. 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. 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. Released january 22nd, 1941, sullivan s travels stars joel mccrea, veronica lake, robert warwick, william demarest the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 31 min, and received a score of out of. Sturges, a hollywood satirical genius, at his peak had enough boxoffice clout. 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. Much to the chagrin of his producers, he sets off in tramps clothing with a single. The disc has an audio commentary, an interview with sturges widow, a vintage interview with sturges himself, audio recordings of sturges singing and reciting poetry, storyboards. Whatever, sullivan s travels is a gem, an almost serious comedy not taken entirely seriously, with wonderful dialogue, eccentric characterisations, and superlative performances throughout. 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, 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. 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. Sullivan joel mccrea, convinced he wont be able to film his ambitious masterpiece until he has suffered, dons a. 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. My favorite destination ireland my favorite hotels ashford castle, ireland goring hotel, london. En route to enlightenment, he encounters a lovely but nononsense young woman veronica. Hail the conquering hero, miracle of morgans 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. The comedy that its framed as, and the earnest, indeed grim drama, that the story, and for that matter ultimately sullivan himself, repudiate. 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. 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. Advised by his servants that the poor resent having the rich intrude upon them, sullivan escapes his retinue and continues his travels incognito. 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 view the tcmdb entry for sullivans travels 1942. Criterion produced a bluray version, which was released in the u. Sullivan s travels goes for a big change of tone and goes out of its way to get deep dish despite sturges intending the film as an answer to films that he perceived as too much so.
Sullivans travels 1941 is considered by many film historians to be director preston sturges finest film. Preston sturgess selfreflexive 1941 masterpiece of a hollywood satire is, as richard brody of the new yorker points out, two movies in one. Sullivans travels is an old film, but the themes still feel current. 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 was an instant hit when it opened, despite or maybe because of the infamous japanese sneak attack on pearl harbor dominating headlines.
Sullivans travels 1941 a newly available from the criterion collection see product notes sdg original source. Sullivan s travels is a comedy film with a social message, made in 1941, written and directed by preston sturges and starring joel mccrea and veronica lake. Released january 22nd, 1941, sullivans travels stars joel mccrea, veronica lake, robert warwick, william demarest the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 31 min, and received a score of out of. 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. Joel mccrea and sultry veronica lake star in this starkly realistic yet highly humorous satire from oscar winning writerdirector preston sturges. 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. Sullivans travels is a 1941 american comedy film written and directed by preston sturges.
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. Sullivans travels 1941, directed by preston sturges film. The film was rereleased in the uk with a restored print on may 12, 2000. The title is taken from jonathan swifts classic tale of selfdiscovery, gullivers travels 1726. We will build a personal itinerary of the places you wish to visit, with accommodations and friendly hosts for your nights stay. Sullivan and i have been in the travel business since 1990. 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. With joel mccrea, veronica lake, robert warwick, william demarest. Sullivan s travels written and directed by preston sturges, sullivan s travels is one of the greatest hollywood satires ever made. Sullivan s travels is a 1942 1 american comedy film written and directed by preston sturges. It is written and directed by preston sturges, who. 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. This film was selected for the national film registry by the national film preservation board.
Tired of churning out lightweight comedies, hollywood director john l. Sullivan, an idealist who believes you cant accurately direct a screen tragedy unless you live it first. Sullivans 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. Sullivans travels written and directed by preston sturges, sullivans travels is one of the greatest hollywood satires ever made. Sullivans travels is a curious but effective mixture of grim tragedy, slapstick of the key stone brand and smart, triggerfast comedy. 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. 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. My husband john and i started our own travel agency sullivan s travels in 1999. Sullivans travels the current the criterion collection. Your bound itinerary will insure a view of ireland s countryside and cities that will captivate you. Sullivans travels was the fourth of the eight films sturges made between 1940 and 1944, all of which were marked by sophisticated witty scripts mixed with slapstick comedy, together with an affectionate portrayal of eccentric, supporting characters who tend to steal every scene they are in. Sullivans travels 1941 directed by preston sturges. 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.
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. My husband john and i started our own travel agency sullivans travels in 1999. Sullivan dreams of making a film called brother, where art thou, dealing with the misery of the povertystricken, and convinces the studio executives to allow him to do research by traveling crosscountry disguised as a hobo. Nov 09, 2000 sullivan s travels was probably his masterpiece. Aug 15, 20 sullivans travels is a celebration of this thing we call comedy, dedicated to the chaplins and marxes and bennys, to the memory of those who made us laughwhose efforts have lightened our burden a little. 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. Over each of the last twenty days, a different blog has written about a movie that must somehow connect to the previous days film. The coen brothers got the title for their film o brother, where art thou. The mistake in question is a pretentious number called sullivans travels. Sullivan joel mccrea is an idealist filmmaker who decides to make a serious, socially responsible movie instead of his typical comedic fare. The film features one of veronica lakes first leading roles. After his producers point out that he knows nothing of hardship, sullivan hits the road disguised as a hobo. It starts off with joel mccrea s sullivan, a director of farces who wants to get serious with a script called o brother, where art thou.
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. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing sullivans travels near you. Sullivan s travels is an old film, but the themes still feel current. After his producers point out that he knows nothing of hardship, he hits the road as a hobo. Your bound itinerary will insure a view of irelands countryside and cities that will captivate you. Its only the beginning of sullivans adventures including a stint in prison and in that time learns the importance of those lightweight comedies he had so come to hate. Sullivan s travels was not as immediately successful at the box office as. The picture is excellent and the sound is as sharp as a tack. As sully treads the road dressed in a hobo outfit from the studio costume department, a fullyequipped land yacht, complete with. Jan 23, 2015 joel mccrea and sultry veronica lake star in this starkly realistic yet highly humorous satire from oscar winning writerdirector preston sturges. 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. And joel mcrea is just too gary cooperstolid his sneezes cant make up for this compared for instance to what eddie bracken in the aforementioned movies could.
Deserving of eternal veneration as the first screenwriter to decisively break through as a director, sturges paved the way for the likes of john. The snap and crackle of sturges dialogue kicks along perfectly, especially in a number of early scenes, particularly one classic where sullivan meets up with a failed actress veronica lake, as wickedly welltimed in her repartee as she is beautiful, who eventually becomes his travel partner. 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. Sullivan s travels is a 1941 american comedy film written and directed by preston sturges. We started in the chicago area and we are now located in phoenix, arizona. Jun 17, 2014 the coen brothers got the title for their film o brother, where art thou. Criterions dvd of sullivans travels is the perfect way to see this movie. The agency is a proud member of asta and we are fully insured. Sullivans travels, american dramedy film, released in 1941, considered by many to be director preston sturgess finest film. The plot involves john lloyd sullivan played by joel mccrea, a pampered. 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. Sullivans travels veronica lake joel mccrea part 1 video. By activating, you agree that you want to enable cloud technology to access your xfinity stream subscription on additional supported devices like computers and tablets, as well as the tv connected to your settop dvr via comcasts network.
Sullivan s travels is a gem, an almost serious comedy not taken entirely seriously, with wonderful dialogue, eccentric characterisations, and superlative performances throughout. Sullivans travels where to stream and watch decider. Sullivan joel mccrea decides to make o brother, where art thou. Veronica lake reprised her role in a lux radio theatre broadcast on november 9, 1942, costarring ralph bellamy. But sullivans studio transforms his odyssey into a publicity stunt, providing the wouldbe nomad with a luxury van, complete with butler robert greig and valet.