The Great McGinty

There's something worryingly ominous about Preston Sturges' The Great McGinty. The titular McGinty (Brian Donlevy) rises amongst the political ranks through means of bribery and other dirty means. At first he only uses his position in office as a title. It's once he starts developing something of a conscience that he starts getting into some hot water.

This being Sturges' first time in the director's chair, The Great McGinty displays the traits found in his later works. Being made in a time of looming unrest (the United States' involvement in World War II was just around the corner), he knew that moviegoers -- as he would examine in Sullivan's Travels -- wanted to escape from everyday life periodically. (They didn't want reminders of what was happening beyond the theater's exits.)

An interesting bit of trivia about The Great McGinty for you. Sturges sold the script to Paramount Pictures for $10 (which is under $200 in today's money) on the condition that he directs it as well. He had already spent several years in Hollywood so Paramount must've had faith in Sturges. (Him winning an Oscar for the script also helped his budding career.)

In a way, The Great McGinty bears resemblance to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington from the previous year. Both Dan McGinty and Jefferson Smith are thrown head-on into a corrupt political circle. The main difference is that Smith's ideals are unwavering; it's when McGinty starts listening to the people that his initial beliefs begin to shift.

The Great McGinty provided audiences a glimpse of what to expect from Sturges in the coming years. With a mix of satire and slapstick, it's clear that its director and writer wasn't going to suffer fools gladly by those more privileged than him. He would cut them down to his level.

My Rating: ****

The Palm Beach Story

If there was one director who could do screwball comedies the best, that director would be Preston Sturges. I myself have only seen one other of his films (Sullivan's Travels), but I know excellence when I see it.

I opted to see The Palm Beach Story starring Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea, both actors I previously saw in one other film each. (Colbert in It Happened One Night, McCrea in Sullivan's Travels.) That said, I knew both were very good at what they do.

I saw somewhere that The Palm Beach Story provided some influence for Some Like It Hot seventeen years later. Indeed a few moments in Sturges' film could be viewed as reference points for Wilder's film, but both films and directors' styles are completely different. Still, just felt like bringing that up.

Speaking of directors' styles, I think what made Sturges so notable was that his comedies could be completely over the top and no one would mind. Oh, and the dialogue is so wonderful to hear coming from the actors' mouths. It's just the simple things that make a film fun to watch.

The Palm Beach Story is a very amusing film to watch unfold because you simply don't know what'll happen. The banter between Colbert and McCrea provides some very good entertainment. This is comedy at its finest.

My Rating: *****

Sullivan's Travels

Movies about Hollywood aren't a new thing, but each one about them adds something. Like Sullivan's Travels for example.

Director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea), fed up with his past cheerful productions, wants to make a movie about the common man. Being inexperienced in that field, he masquerades as a hobo to know how they live.

Even though what he wants to know is bleak, it takes a few tries before he gets off on the right foot. As he starts it up again, Sullivan meets a girl (Veronica Lake) that joins him on his journey.

Sullivan's Travels was directed by Preston Sturges, who also made The Lady Eve. Like The Lady Eve, Sturges has snappy dialogue throughout Sullivan's Travels (especially lines between McCrea and Lake). Again, even though the subject matter is bleak, Sturges is able to throw in a few screwball moments to make it all worthwhile.

My Rating: *****

The Lady Eve

Henry Fonda is known for playing the good guy. Famous for his roles in The Grapes of Wrath and 12 Angry Men, he also got noticed for his against-type role in Once Upon a Time in the West. But he's always known for being the good guy.

Con woman Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck) sets her sights on her next target: the rich but unsophisticated Charles Pike (Fonda). Only problem is she falls in love with him.

There's a certain saying that fits Pike: "There's a sucker born every minute." Wow, he falls for Jean and her ploys hook, line and sinker. And Fonda just fits that role. Stanwyck actually reminded me of her later work in Double Indemnity as the cunning dame. It doesn't mean I don't like it; it shows that Stanwyck is skilled with that type of role. All in all, I very much enjoyed The Lady Eve.

My Rating: *****