Review of Sullivan's Travels (1941) by Kevin H — 15 Oct 2008

An interesting concoction, the film begins as a witty satire on the questionable authenticity of Hollywood productions with rapid-fire wordplay and colourful supporting characters. But in its second act, abruptly changes pace, becoming more of a wrenching drama as the protagonist is submitted to misfortune after misfortune, which, giving his earlier self-righteous quest to "find real trouble", feel strangely fitting though hard to watch.

Finally, the film's ending abruptly flips to an ending celebrating the importance of film comedy, which feels simultaneously heartwarming and a smarmy joke at once. It is difficult for the most part to decipher exactly what Sturges' motivation for approaching his subject matter from such unconventional angles is, but the power of his work cannot be argued, and the flipping from comedy to drama feels far more functional than imbalanced, strangely enough.

An oddity worth seeing, but better to approach not expecting it to be a comedy.