Sullivan's Travels

Sullivan's Travels is a 1941 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. It is a satire about Hollywood's top director of comedies, played by Joel McCrea, who longs to make a socially relevant drama, but eventually learns that creating laughter is his greatest contribution to society. The film features one of Veronica Lake's first leading roles. The title is a reference to Gulliver's Travels, the famous 1726 novel by satirist Jonathan Swift about another journey of self-discovery.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) The film satirizes Hollywood pretension and excesses with Sturges' particular brand of sophisticated verbal wit and dialogue, satire and fast-paced slapstick.
 * 2) It cleverly mixes nearly every conceivable cinematic genre type and tone of film possible including tragic melodrama, farce, prison film, serious drama, social documentary, slapstick, romance, comedy, action, and even musical. In fact the studio didn't even know how to advertise such an unusual film for it's time and just said "Veronica Lake's on the take".
 * 3) The film is benefitted from all of it's comedic moments as pretty much a tribute, as it showcases how even a little comedy can brighten someone's mood, which is a pretty sweet message considering the film came out shortly after the Great Depression and the film itself takes place during said Depression.
 * 4) Both Joel McCrea as John L. Sullivan (the fictional director; not the boxer) and Veronica Lake as "The Girl" showcase remarkable performances in the film and the share great chemistry when they're together. McCrea in particular did one of his most memorable roles.
 * 5) The film blurs the boundaries of made-up and real worlds very often.
 * 6) An example is shown at the very beginning where there was a thrilling train scene of two men, representing Capital and Labor, fighting to the death, both finally falling from the train to their deaths in the river below. Then, the lights came up, and it turns out that Sullivan was screening this film at the studio to make his initial case for directing “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
 * 7) Aside from being an entertaining film, it's also surprisingly deep and emotional through moments of irony.

Trivia

 * Preston Sturges initially had hoped to use a clip from a Charlie Chaplin film for the scene in the church, but Chaplin declined to give permission. Joel McCrea later parodied Chaplin’s signature “Little Tramp” character in the film.
 * Sturges wrote the film with Joel McCrea in mind for the lead of the earnest young director.
 * The World War II Office of Censorship disapproved of exporting this film during wartime because of a long sequence showing “the brutality and inhumanity” depicted in a prison chain gang. The U.S. government was wary of exporting any film that could be used as enemy propaganda.
 * Veronica Lake reprised her role in a Lux Radio Theatre broadcast co-starring Ralph Bellamy in 1942.
 * Letters from the Production Code Administration indicate that, among other things, the Hays Office suggested to the filmmakers that the word “bum” would be considered unacceptable by the British censors.
 * Some scenes were shot on location in Canoga Park, San Marino, Castaic and Los Angeles.