Sullivan's Travels Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Sullivan's Travels
Year: 1941
Director: Preston Sturges
Country: US
Language: English

Born Edmund Preston Biden, Preston Sturges (1898-1959) was a prolific American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He is best known for reinventing the screwball comedy by writing dialogue  that was not only mature but also felt natural. Sturges is often regarded as the first Hollywood figure to establish success as a screenwriter and then move into directing his own scripts. In a famous story, Sturges reportedly sold his Oscar winning script The Great McGinty for $1 and the ability to direct the picture. 

John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea)  is usually a director of escapist films, but this time he wants to make a picture about the poor of the world. His producers point out that the man doesn't know a thing about poverty; to Sullivan this seems like a challenge. He hits the road as a hobo to experience poverty first hand and gets a reality shock. 

Sullivan's Travels reminds me of Charlie Chaplin's filmography. It is comedic in tone, has a variety of serious scenes, and intends to convey an important socio-political message. Unlike Chaplin, who gave a daring middle finger to the Nazi Regime with The Great Dictator just a year prior, Sturges is a little more covert. Made during the height of World War Two, this picture seems like Sturges' identity crisis. Should he make serious films for an audience or should he give them escapist comedy? Which is the most moral thing to do in a world full of uncertainty and dread? 

This was the moral dilemma of all of Hollywood at the time. On one hand Directors like Frank Capra left the Screen Directors Guild to enlisted as a major in the United States Army and create propaganda films like The Negro Soldier to boost morale. On the other hand some were content to assist people in ignoring the problems of the world and create fantasies like Victor Fleming's Wizard of Oz. Both were remarkably important and increasingly necessary. Conceived as a self-justification for the creative path Sturges, and many other directors, had chosen, this film will both tickle your funny bone and pluck at your heartstrings. 

In conclusion, though Sullivan's Travels was not initially successful, it eventually earned its status as one of the greatest films ever made. The underlying message is sincere and does not attempt to be "Capra-corn" (a mix of naive, sentimental and condescending) Far from condescending, Sturges gives us an honest glimpse of the politics of the time. 
Praise it! 5/5