Director: Preston Sturges
Starring: Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Robert Warwick, William Demarest, Franklin Pangborn, Porter Hall, Byron Foulger
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Certificate: PG
Extras: Audio commentary by Terry Jones, Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer, Kevin Jackson on Sullivan’s Travels, The Preston Sturges Stock Company, Safeguarding Military Information,
Going back in film over 70 years, it is amazing to find features that still resonate today. SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS is a film with both a brave and important message which can still speak to filmmakers and film audiences today. The message it contains is brave, as it challenges those that wish to tackle suffering, but have never suffered themselves, and asks “What is suffering and what is happiness?”
Joel McCrea plays the titular Sullivan, a film director celebrated for his delightful comedies that certainly fill out the picture houses. However, this is just not enough for Sullivan, who wants to make miserable pictures about suffering. After his producers force him to realise he has never suffered himself, Sullivan decides to go on an undercover trip across America as a hobo. With his pockets filled with nothing but good intentions, Sullivan fails to realise that he could never emulate real suffering, as he’s just a phone call away from hot showers and big breakfasts.
The film challenges those who would suggest they know anything about suffering by supplying us with very fresh and hilarious comedy at first. Sturges whips out some fast paced and witty dialogue, brilliantly exaggerated slapstick, and bizarre surreal moments such as facial expressions in paintings changing. Later, as Sullivan begins to learn his lesson, the film becomes excruciatingly dark. This sudden change in tone will certainly upset many, but it shows how Sullivan’s experiment would never give the results he wanted. It also allows for the ending to be so powerful, where Sullivan realises that his escapist comedies are probably more important to the poor and hard done by, than films which highlight their struggles. The scene in which inmates laugh at a Disney cartoon is exceptionally moving.
SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS will certainly put any viewers through their paces, making them chuckle before bringing on the more depressing moments, but it’s a thankfully rewarding journey too. This may seem mostly like a director’s journey of self discovery, but it also says a lot about not only being fortunate, but how misplaced pity can be a damaging trait. The actors are both comedic and dramatic and McCrea and Lake have wonderful chemistry. A wide range of interesting extras make this another must buy from Arrow.
[usr=4]SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS is released on Blu-ray on 26th May via Arrow Video.
