Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
93%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Sullivan’s Travels is a cinematic masterpiece that seamlessly blends comedy, drama, and social commentary into a delightful and thought-provoking experience. Preston Sturges’ witty and trenchant dialogue is brought to life by a cast of eccentric characters, delivering crisp performances that get the laughs where they are desired. The film’s opening scene is a stroke of genius, satirizing socially conscious melodrama while simultaneously apologizing for crowd-pleasing comedy. Sullivan’s Travels is a celebration of the simple joys of Hollywood comedies, puncturing egos and delivering hilarious moments that will leave you in stitches. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves cinema and appreciates the power of laughter.
Sullivan’s Travels is a classic comedy that satirizes Hollywood in the most hilarious way possible. The characters’ dialogue is so witty and sharp that it feels like the director is talking directly to the audience. The plot is full of twists and turns, making it as unpredictable as Veronica Lake’s curves. The movie manages to balance slapstick comedy with serious social commentary, making it one of the most effective message films of any genre. Overall, Sullivan’s Travels is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good laugh and a clever critique of the film industry.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Criterion Collection, Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1941
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 31m
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Language(s):English
ALL CAST, AUSPICES, AND BELOW THE LINE -
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 28, 1942 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 21, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Robert Warwick, William Demarest, Franklin Pangborn, Porter Hall, directed by Preston Sturges, written by Preston Sturges, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Richard Brody, Variety Staff, Dave Kehr, Geoff Andrew, Steven D Greydanus, Marjorie Baumgarten, Sean Axmaker, André Bazin, Brian Eggert, Danielle Solzman, Roger Moore, MPAA rating, Paramount Pictures, Criterion Collection, produced by Preston Sturges, Hollywood, social commentary, satire, escapism, train ride, hobo disguise, chain gang, socially conscious message, screwball comedy, audience score, Tomatometer, Gulliver’s Travels, Library of Congress, culturally significant, aesthetically significant, Joel McCrea as John L Sullivan, Veronica Lake as The Girl, Robert Warwick as Mr Lebrand, William Demarest as Mr Jones, Franklin Pangborn as Mr Casalsis, Porter Hall as Mr Hadrian, 35mm, Flat (1.37:1), Mono, Paramount Pictures
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Veronica Lake – The Girl
Robert Warwick – Mr. Lebrand
William Demarest – Mr. Jones
Franklin Pangborn – Mr. Casalsis
Porter Hall – Mr. Hadrian
Director – Preston Sturges
Producer – Preston Sturges
Writer – Preston Sturges
Director(s)
Preston Sturges
Writer(s)
Preston Sturges
Producer(s)
Preston Sturges
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (40)
This ingenious plot is brought to life with a remarkable profusion of dialogue: with the characters’ torrential, scintillating verbiage, Sturges seems to leap out from behind the screen to address the viewer directly.
January 16, 2023
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Sturges’ dialog is trenchant, has drive, possesses crispness and gets the laughs where that is desired.
June 27, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
A dubious proposition, but in Sturges’s hands a charming one, filled out by his unparalleled sense of eccentric character.
June 27, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Sullivan’s Travels is a gem, an almost serious comedy not taken entirely seriously, with wonderful dialogue, eccentric characterisations, and superlative performances throughout.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
The genius of this classic opening scene is that Sullivan’s Travels is both screwball comedy and socially conscious melodrama — as well as a satire of socially conscious melodrama, and a serious apologetic for crowd-pleasing comedy.
September 12, 2003 | Rating: A
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films
TOP CRITIC
…a plot with more curves than Veronica Lake.
March 10, 2003
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
The celebration of the simple joys of Hollywood comedies may seem like a self-serving defense of Sturges’ art, but it’s so magical and genuine and full of hilarious ego-puncturing moments that it overcomes the overly sentimental finale.
December 3, 2022
Sean Axmaker
Stream on Demand
It has enough merits and takes enough risks for us to consider it one of the most sensational productions of the last ten years.
October 25, 2022
André Bazin
L’Écran Français
Sullivan’s Travels remains an unconventional comedy, a blend of slapstick and drama, and one of the few effective message films in any genre.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Preston Sturges’s 1941 comedy, Sullivan’s Travels, doesn’t just satirize Hollywood but is the gold standard for satires about Hollywood.
December 27, 2021
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
The most moving scenes are “Grapes of Wrath” accurate depictions of homelessness and the African-American church the prison inmates are ushered into…a preacher calling for sympathy for “those less fortunate” as they’re led in
May 8, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Roger Moore
Movie Nation
It’s a dynamic storyline, ultimately serving as a celebration of laughter – that unalienable element of universal appeal.
August 15, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
A successful movie director dons a hobo disguise and sets off on a journey to “know trouble” first-hand, but ends up in more trouble than he bargained for when he loses his memory and ends up a prisoner on a chain gang in Sullivan’s Travels.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have any goofy or funny comments about the film Signed in.
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