Sullivan's Travels1941
Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Sullivan's Travels Photos
Movie Info
Watch it now
Cast
as John L. Sullivan
as The Girl
as Mr. Lebrand
as Mr. Casalais
as Mr. Jones
as Mr. Hadrian
as Mr. Valdelle
as Secretary
as Secretary
as Sullivan's Butler
as Sullivan's Valet
as The Doctor
as Cameraman
as Radio Man
as Chef
as Ursula
as Miz Zeffie
as Tough Chauffeur
as Old Tramp
as The Trombenick
as The Mister
as Trusty
as Mrs. Sullivan
as The Mister
as Bud
as Capital
as Labor
as Counterman
as Mr. Carson
as Desk Sergeant
as Cop
as Preacher
as Counterman
as One-Legged Bum
as Cop in slums
as Railroad Information Clerk
as Sheriff
as Harmonica Player
as Black Preacher
as Woman
as Entertainer in Air-Raid Shelter
as Old Bum
as Drunk in Theater
as Studio Director
as Cop
as Man at Railroad Shack
as Public Defender
as Mission Cook
as Yard Man
as Entertainer in Hospital
as Truck driver
as Judge
as Harmonica player
as Railroad Clerk
News & Interviews for Sullivan's Travels
Critic Reviews for Sullivan's Travels
All Critics (32) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (0) | DVD (5)
Sturges' dialog is trenchant, has drive, possesses crispness and gets the laughs where that is desired.
A dubious proposition, but in Sturges's hands a charming one, filled out by his unparalleled sense of eccentric character.
Sullivan's Travels is a gem, an almost serious comedy not taken entirely seriously, with wonderful dialogue, eccentric characterisations, and superlative performances throughout.
Hard-nosed, farcical, tender, critical, satirical, elitist and populist all at once.
... the movie road-trips from its scripter's typical cynicality to finding an assured kind of resonance in the third act in the most unlikely of places.
a highly satirical piece, poking fun at Hollywood itself and showing how out of touch it can be
Audience Reviews for Sullivan's Travels
Preston Sturges knows that every joke has a victim and decidedly makes him go through the hardships of poverty and anonymity for our own amusement. The chemistry between Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake is the heart of this hilarious and life affirming meta-cinematic exercise.
Super Reviewer
A wealthy hollywood director gets more than he bargained for when he goes out looking for "trouble" so as to better identify with the common man (and make a better film dramatizing their plight). The director's name is Sullivan (Joel McCrea), and he is more known for goofy slapstick than dramatic human interest. He believes himself to be a noble pursuer of truth and justice, but as his butler Burrows points out, dressing up as a bum and hoboing around is something "only the morbid rich would find glamorous". At first, the studio is intent on following him around (in a giant bus, no less) to document this adventure, but he quickly loses them after making a deal to meet up with them later. Not long after, he's taken in by a girl (Veronica Lake) who buys him a ham-and-egg breakfast as she's on her way east, back home. Sullivan is attracted to her and wants to make a movie with her, only he's still trying to maintain his incognito status, so as a compromise, he goes home and steals his own car so as to give her a ride to whereever she wants to go ("Chicago", she says). After she discovers his ruse, the girl decides to go along with him on his adventure ("How can I be alone if you're with me?" he asks, but to no avail), and the two delve right into the seedy underbelly of America's misfortunes. Riding the rails, sleeping in flophouses, looking for handouts, as if some great and noble purpose could be distilled from abject misery. But as with other martyrs, that nobility is never pure, as they could escape their condition at anytime they so choose, he's never really down and out, he still has his millions waiting for him at home, and so the deception is never fully realized as he knows who he is. Ah, but after he goes back to being Sullivan, and he's clunked over the head and robbed by a hobo and then thrown onto a freight train, well only then does he come to realize the nature of being lowly and without friends. Sullivan comes to realize the irony of socially conscious films is that they do nothing for the people they purport to defend, that watching a film doesn't change anyone's plight. The best a film can hope to do for the lowest rungs of our society is take away the burden of life for a little while, take a person somewhere they've never been before, let them laugh and enjoy themselves, even if it's just for a little while. Throwing their poverty back up in their faces doesn't help them, not even a little bit.
Super Reviewer
Sturges' insight about the relevance of humor in a dog-eat-dog world never gets old, mainly because his insight into humanity itself is spot on. And all his mainstays are here: crisp dialogue, vivid and far-reaching portrayals, a wide cross section of society, Hollywood w/o being Hollywood. And Veronica Lake, too!
Super Reviewer
Sullivan's Travels Quotes
| The Girl: | Where is this train going? |
| John L. Sullivan: | I don't know. |
| The Girl: | Well how long does it take to get there? |
| The Girl: | Where is this train going? |
| John L. Sullivan: | I don't know. |
| The Girl: | Well how long does it take to get there? |
| The Girl: | You've taken all the joy out of life. I was all through with this kind of stuff. I mean, I knew I'd never have it - but there was no envy in my heart. I'd found a friend who'd swipe a car to take me home..., now I'm right back where I started: just an extra-girl having breakfast with a director. Only I didn't used to have breakfast with them. Maybe that was my trouble. |
| John L. Sullivan: | Did they ever ask you to? |
| The Girl: | No |
| John L. Sullivan: | Well then don't pat yourself on the back. |