Sullivan's Travels

One of the crowning satires that chastise Hollywood for its duplicitous morality and contradictions, Preston Sturges’ comic masterpiece brims with whimsical fun and a deep well of empathy that goes beyond the justification of comedy as an honorable work of art. It starts off with Sullivan, a director of farces who wants to make a serious film about Depression-era poverty. Disguising himself as a hobo to learn about ‘trouble,’ the dilettante soon finds real hardship as he journeys into shantytowns. O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the title of Sullivan’s unrealised film, is later taken by the Coens as an ultimate tribute, alongside Sturges’ ingenious screenplay and timelessly sharp scenes with amusing catchphrases, choreographed guiles and fluent camera direction.

29/10 (Sun): Film talk with Sam Ho