SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941)

Paramount Pictures

Written and Directed by Preston Sturges. Associate Producer: Paul Jones. Photography by John F. Seitz. Process Photography by Farciot Edouart. Edited by Stuart Gilmore. Art Direction by Hans Dreier and Earl Hedrick. Gowns by Edith Head. Musical Direction by Sigmund Krumgold. Music Score by Leo Shuken and Charles Bradshaw. Running time: 91 min.
Cast: Joel McCrea (John L. Sullivan), Veronica Lake (The Girl), Robert Warwick (Mr. Lebrand), William Demarest (Mr. Jones), Franklin Pangborn (Mr. Casaliss), Porter Hall (Mr. Hadrian), Byron Folger (Mr. Valdelle), Margaret Hayes (Secretary), Robert Greig (Sullivan's Butler), Eric Blore (Sullivan's Valet), Torben Meyer (The Doctor), Vic Potel (Cameraman), Richard Webb (Radio man), Charles Moore (Colored Chef), Almira Sessions (Ursula), Esther Howard (Miz Zeffie), Frank Moran (Tough Chauffeur), Georges Renavent (Old Tramp), Harry Rosenthal (The Trombenick), Al Bridge (The Mister), Jimmy Conlin (Trusty), Jan Buckingham (Mrs. Sullivan), Robert Winkler (Bud), Chic Collins (Capital), Jimmie Dundee (Labor), Harry Hayden (Mr. Carson), Willard Robertson (Judge), Pat West (Counterman -- Road Side Lunch Wagon), J. Farrell MacDonald (Desk Sergeant), Edward Hearn (Cop -- Beverly Hills Station), Roscoe Ates (Counterman -- Owl Wagon), Paul Newlan (Truck Driver), Arthur Hoyt (Preacher), GusReed (Mission Cook), Robert Dudley (One-Legged Man), George Anderson (Sullivan's Ex-Manager), Monte Blue (Cop in Slums), Harry Tyler (R.R. Information Clerk), Dewey Robinson (Sheriff), Madame Sul-te-wan (Harmonium Player), Jess Lee Brooks (Colored Preacher), Perc Launders (Yard Man), Emory Parnell (Man In R.R. Shack), Julius Tannen (Public Defender), Edgar Dearing (Cop -- Mud Gag), Howard Mitchell (Railroad Clerk), Harry Seymour (Entertainer in Air Raid Shelter), Billy Bletcher (Entertainer in Hospital), Sheila Sheldon (Bit Child on Poor Street), Esther Michelson (Woman on Poor Street), Chester Conklin (Old Bum), Frank Mills (Drunk in Theatre), Preston Sturges (Directing Veronica Lake on Movie Set).

Probably the most famous writer/director of the early 1940's was Preston Sturges, who has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in recent years, due to revivals of his works. So great are his plays and screenplays that they are studied and revered by students who are unfamiliar with his genius. Born in Chicago, Illinois on August 29, 1898, he received his education throughout Europe. After trying his hand at numerous occupations, he later turned to writing plays and eventually penned a Broadway hit entitled "Strictly Honorable." It wasn't long before Sturges found himself in Hollywood adapting his play to the screen. There followed a string of successful film hits which bore screenwriting credits for the young Sturges. Films like "The Power and the Glory" (1933; a definite forerunner to Welles' "Citizen Kane"), "The Good Fairy" (1935), "Easy Living" (1937), "If I Were King" (1938), and "Remember the Night" (1940) proved extremely popular with critics and public alike.

However, not content with having others bring his screenplays to life, Sturges begged the Paramount executives to let him direct his next film. Reluctantly Paramount agreed, and allowing him a minimal budget with no big name stars, Sturges wrote and directed a brilliant story called "Down Went McGinty," which eventually was re-christened "The Great McGinty." Again the film won rave reviews and "McGinty" earned an academy award for best screenplay. More classic comedies followed and between 1940 and 1944 Sturges wrote and directed seven hits in quick succession, with Paramount obliging him with bigger budgets and bigger stars like Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Claudette Colbert, and Betty Hutton.

Probably one of his most personal films was SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, which tells the story of comedy film director John L. Sullivan, who would like to produce a more meaningful picture entitled "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Sullivan, through a series of misadventures, comes to his senses at the conclusion of the film, realizing that it's more important to make people laugh than to show the hardships of the world through the eyes of a camera.
Meticulous care was taken in photographing SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, using bright lighting in the comedy sequences and changing the mood completely with vivid, dark shadows filling the screen in the chain gang episodes. John Seitz's cinematography was deservedly hailed by critics and film students alike and Sturges utilized his talents on numerous subsequent occasions.

For the role of Sullivan, Sturges cast his good friend, amiable Joel McCrea, who years earlier had complained to Preston that all the roles that he (McCrea) had been awarded were the ones Gary Cooper had turned down! The young writer promised McCrea that someday he would write a screenplay especially for him and SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS was the result. Production on the film didn't run too smoothly, especially when leading lady Veronica Lake appeared on the set four months pregnant, much to the chagrin of the beleaguered director. Naturally Sturges was ready to oust Lake off the picture. However, Louise Sturges, Preston's wife (and I might add, Preston's pregnant wife and very good friend of Veronica Lake's) intervened, and with the help of costume designer Edith Head, was able to camouflage Lake's tummy discreetly. The rest of the cast consisted of what later became the Preston Sturges `stock company'. Faces like William Demarest, Dewey Robinson, Torben Meyer, Julius Tannen, Alan Bridge and many others were repeatedly cast in his films with delightful results. Only Sturges could successfully write a screenplay depicting a scene where fifteen people are bunched up in one room, talking over one another, and still give each character a distinctly different personality!

As a final note, Sturges had attempted to use a Charlie Chaplin film clip for the scene in which the convicts are invited by the black community to see a movie in their church. However, the Little Tramp was unco-operative, so as a result, the 1934 Walt Disney cartoon entitled "Playful Pluto" was used instead

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