"To the memory of those who made us laugh: the motley
mountebanks, the clowns, the buffoons, in all times and in all nations, whose
efforts have lightened our burden a little, this picture is affectionately
dedicated."
Thus reads the prologue title page of Preston Sturges’ 1941 film,
Sullivan’s Travels.
Dedicated to those who make
us laugh, Sturges' film explores a complex concept: the purpose of film. A particularly interesting topic to examine in a film itself.
Sullivan's Travels asks the questions: what should people get out of a movie? Should it make them laugh or make them think?
The film opens with Hollywood director, John Sullivan (Joel
McCrea) announcing that he wants to forsake his typical light-hearted comedic
films, and make a serious film that will "be a commentary on modern conditions." His goal is to document the current, desolate state
of humanity, and "hold a mirror up to society." His producers, however, quickly remind him that he has never experienced
the harsh suffering or struggles of the less fortunate. So Sullivan decides to
set out on his own with nothing but the clothes on his back and 10 cents in his
pocket, in order to truly experience misery. Along the way Sullivan meets a
down-on-her-luck aspiring actress (Veronica Lake) who, despite Sullivan's protests, joins him on his travels.
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| Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake on set. Via. |
Sturges’ witty writing is what makes this film; he includes
an entire range of comedic devices. From pratfalls, to goofy car chases, to the witty
banter between McCrea and Lake- the film keeps you laughing and in good spirits. Even though some of it is expected and silly, it's like Veronica Lake's line, "Oh, that was a wonderful scene. Of course it was stupid, but it was wonderful." Sure there are silly scenes- some of which are on the verge of being stupid- but it also made me laugh, which means it did its job.
Sullivan's Travels is also a fantastic satire on Hollywood, which is one of the reasons why this film was so personal for Sturges. As Sullivan explains that he wants his next film to be a "true canvass of human suffering," his producers beg him to add “a little bit of sex”
to it, and “how about a musical?” Ever the Hollywood businessmen. Sullivan himself is hilarious as well, trying on
various coats with his butler to decide which one looks the most authentic
and hobo-like for his travels. It is obvious that these scenes are Sturges' personal reflections on the ridiculousness of Hollywood- reflections that are still relevant today.
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| Sullivan trying on his hobo-looks with his butler. Via. |
About 3/4th of the way into the film however,
Sullivan's Travels takes an unexpectedly serious turn, when Sullivan is attacked and consequentially sent to a labor prison. It's a sudden change in tone that is a stark juxtaposition to the previously light-hearted and fanciful comedic scenes. Sturges made the prison scenes realistically dismal, not glossing over the abusive nature of the prison system. For once Sullivan can no longer call upon his Hollywood backup to get him out of a situation; he finally has to suffer true hardship and experience firsthand the struggles he wants to depict.
Ironically,
Sullivan’s
Travels is for the most part (with the exception of the prison scene) the type of movie McCrea’s character, Sullivan, doesn't
want to make. It’s a lighthearted film with goofy scenes, "a little bit of sex", and even a musical number worked into it (the Gospel
church scene.) And as Sullivan himself says, "There's always a girl in the picture; haven't you ever been to the movies?" In this case "The Girl" (which literally is the only way her character is ever referred to) is nineteen year old Veronica Lake.
Knowing Lake mostly as a cool and mysterious femme fatale, it was
interesting to see her in such a light-hearted and somewhat unglamorous role. As a New York Times journalist
wrote in a
1942 review, Lake proves that she "is a person when she comes out from behind her hair.” Not only is she relatable, Lake is absolutely charming in the role of Sullivan's silly sidekick. Her and McCrea's chemistry is perfect and their banter is entertaining throughout the film. However, Veronica Lake's behind-the-scenes relationship with her co-star and their director was not as ideal.
As the story goes, Sturges fought hard to get Lake for the
role of The Girl, and was very disappointed, and more than a little outraged, to
find out only a couple weeks into filming that Lake was 6 months pregnant.
Before Sturges had secured Lake the role, he confronted her in person about the
rumors he had been hearing that she was pregnant. He explained the role was very physical and would be too exhausting for a pregnant woman to take on.
Lake, who desperately wanted
the role, lied to Sturges face promising him there was no truth to the rumors. For
a while, the only person on set who knew of her 6 month pregnancy was costume designer
Edith Head, who was designing flowing and loose-fitting costume to help hide Lake’s
secret disposition. According to Lake’s autobiography, Sturges literally had to
be held back from attacking her when he found her out. Lake filmed
Sullivan’s Travels through to the 8
th
month of her pregnancy. And Sturges was right; the role was very physical and involved a lot of stunts; Lake spent most of the time on set exhausted and miserable- and effectively made the rest of the cast and crew just as miserable.
Sturges himself is another interesting character behind the
scenes of
Sullivan’s Travels. He was
one of the original behind-the-camera triple threats: a screenwriter, director,
and producer. Sturges entered the directing scene around 1940 and went on to make numerous
screwball comedies.
Sullivan’s Travels is considered his most personal and ambitious film. According to Sturges, the driving
force behind the film was “an urge to tell some of my fellow filmwrights that
they were getting a little too deep-dish and to leave the preaching to the
preachers.”
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Veronica Lake, Joel McCrea, and Preston Sturges behind the scenes of Sullivan's Travels.
Via. |
"There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did
you know that's all some people have? It isn't much but it's better than
nothing in this cockeyed caravan." - John Sullivan
In the end though, Sturges didn't actually agree with the conclusion his character, John Sullivan, comes to. By the end of the film, when Sullivan gets out of the labor prison, he announced he wants "to make a comedy." He no longer wants anything to do with serious "message" film he was planning, believing that there's enough hardship and heartache in the world already. Sturges' however said that did not agree that screwball comedies were the only type of films that needed to be made; "I don't believe that now [the remaining days of the
Great Depression and the start of World War II] is the time for comedies or
tragedies or spy pictures or pictures without spies or historical dramas or
musicals or pictures without music," he explained. "I believe that
now is the time for all forms of art, and that now is always with us."
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| Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake in Sullivan's Travels. (Notice Lake's protruding baby bump). Via. |
Personally, I couldn't agree more with Sturges. Although film is a form of escapism, and many people go to the movies escape their current problems, film is also an artistic form. Sometimes art is meant to entertain, sometimes it's meant to make you think, and sometimes it's purpose is to remind you that you're not alone out there in your suffering. There is no right or wrong; as long as you leave the theater with some sort of emotion- whether that be happy, sad, contemplative- the film has made you feel. And, to me, that's the overall purpose of film.
Lisa Helene.
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