The absolutely essential Preston Sturges wrote and directed
this sly and hilarious Hollywood comedy. Joel McCrea is a movie
director who resolves to begin making only serious and
meaningful pictures; to learn about the suffering in the world
outside the movie studio, he sets out to experience it for
himself with a dime in his pocket and a hobo's clothes on his
back. While he travels, he learns the real value of
entertainment, whether "serious" or not (to illustrate the
point, the movie switches from breezy farce to something far more
desperate at the two-thirds mark). He also falls in love
with Veronica Lake, who defines "sultry" even when she's
dressed as a boy. The film may have been something of a
manifesto for Sturges, whose own specialty was smart, meaningful
pictures, naturally -- the ones that make people laugh.
Navel-Gazers: 10 Movies
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