Fun Preston Sturges Film
Added 7/2/2009
I found it interesting that this film was made in the early 40's when we were still at war. I suppose the country needed this kind of light hearted entertainment, just as it did during the depression era. Right now I find it still good medicine as we face the biggest economic downturn since the 30's and wars are erupting everywhere. The outrageousness of the wonderful female lead, played by the beautiful Claudette Colbert is refreshingly politically incorrect. She knows that a good looking "girl" with long legs can get what she wants by her female charms and isn't afraid to use them. She can't cook or sew but is ravishing and not afraid to accept the gifts of the many men who offer them. Still, she is good hearted and pure in her love for her big, strong, handsome, hunky man.
This isn't my favorite Sturges film but it's still very good. He manages screwball comedy without going over the top, which was probably not an easy thing to do. All of the characters are likeable, too, which makes the film easy to watch. The Rudy Vallee character could have been played as dreadful but he was quite lovely. His "Goodnight Sweetheart" serenade is almost worth the price of the film. Likewise, his much married sister, played by Mary Astor, was so fun loving and light hearted that you had to like her. There was no malice anywhere!
Gordon Macrae, who shone so brightly in Sullivan's Travels is a little dull here but the rest of the cast makes up for it. Travelling by train seems delightfully exotic to us these days. The Fifth Avenue apartment and the Palm Beach house are all wonderfully decorated. Remember dressing tables with round mirrors? The times surely had their terrible aspects but this film just shows us the froth on top and sometimes it's fun to have some froth.
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A review for fans of Preston Stuges movies. The Palm Beach
Added 6/24/2009
Story by way of comparison, is in the top half of all his movies. I find it better than his two most celebrated movies, Hail the Conquering Hero & Miracle of Morgan Creek. They were made a little later & were rah rah World War II movies, hence their popularity. Before Palm Beach was The Lady Eve in '41. Excellent acting & perhaps his best. Sullivan's Travels was right before Palm Beach in '42 & they are equally good. Both have the virtue of the steady influence of Joel McCrea as the star. In Palm Beach he is Tom. His wife Gerrie is played by Claudette Colbert. He is a broke dreamer with big ideas. She is hot to trot. Her plan is to divorce him & find a rich sugar daddy to finance his dreams. She feigns indifference & boards a train leaving for Florida. It seems that Preston Sturges could get away with a lot more in his movies than the censors might have allowed in the forties. There was plenty of sexual innuendo, adult content & satire attacking wealth in this one. Adultry was implied. First he was subtle. So subtle that this movie has a family friendly air about it. More important he always incorporated a lengthy, absurd, ridiculous comedy scene. It would be madcap, funny, slapstick & even silly. These scenes must have distracted stupid censors. The Ale & Quail Club was a fraternity of old, rich guys. They were on convention from New York to Florida in a party car of a the train. They assisted Gerrie who was broke & without any clothes. The drunken fools were so out of control that their car is detached from the train enroute. Gerrie has escaped to the pullman sleeper & meets the fabulously wealthy John Hackensack III played by heart-throb crooner of the 20's, Rudy Vallee. He's lower she's upper but they get to know each other. You know he's going to break out in song sometime during the movie. By the time they get to Jacksonville & his yacht he's in love. They are met by Hackensack's sister Centimitia, played by Mary Astor. She is a predator & has her heart set on Tom who has persued Gerrie down to Palm Beach. The ending is a bit of a cop-out. But Struges uses all the latitude he is given to good use.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Cute & Funny
Added 1/30/2009
This movie is hilarious! Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea are awesome. The antics she uses in trying to leave him only make him want her more. This is a beautiful, yet funny love story! Even if you don't usually like old movies, you will enjoy this one ~ it is a classic!
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A great family comedy
Added 11/21/2008
A terrific comedy for the whole family. It takes place in the 1940s but the story and acting is superb. A great addition to any DVD library!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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THE PALM BEACH STORY
Added 10/13/2008
This is a great comedy to add to anyone's DVD movie library. I have watched it a couple of times because it is so funny and I loved hearing singer, Rudy Vallie's rendition of "Goodnight Sweetheart" with a full orchestra. Of course the leading actors, Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea did an outstanding job in their roles.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Fun Preston Sturges Film
Added 7/2/2009
I found it interesting that this film was made in the early 40's when we were still at war. I suppose the country needed this kind of light hearted entertainment, just as it did during the depression era. Right now I find it still good medicine as we face the biggest economic downturn since the 30's and wars are erupting everywhere. The outrageousness of the wonderful female lead, played by the beautiful Claudette Colbert is refreshingly politically incorrect. She knows that a good looking "girl" with long legs can get what she wants by her female charms and isn't afraid to use them. She can't cook or sew but is ravishing and not afraid to accept the gifts of the many men who offer them. Still, she is good hearted and pure in her love for her big, strong, handsome, hunky man.
This isn't my favorite Sturges film but it's still very good. He manages screwball comedy without going over the top, which was probably not an easy thing to do. All of the characters are likeable, too, which makes the film easy to watch. The Rudy Vallee character could have been played as dreadful but he was quite lovely. His "Goodnight Sweetheart" serenade is almost worth the price of the film. Likewise, his much married sister, played by Mary Astor, was so fun loving and light hearted that you had to like her. There was no malice anywhere!
Gordon Macrae, who shone so brightly in Sullivan's Travels is a little dull here but the rest of the cast makes up for it. Travelling by train seems delightfully exotic to us these days. The Fifth Avenue apartment and the Palm Beach house are all wonderfully decorated. Remember dressing tables with round mirrors? The times surely had their terrible aspects but this film just shows us the froth on top and sometimes it's fun to have some froth.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
A review for fans of Preston Stuges movies. The Palm Beach
Added 6/24/2009
Story by way of comparison, is in the top half of all his movies. I find it better than his two most celebrated movies, Hail the Conquering Hero & Miracle of Morgan Creek. They were made a little later & were rah rah World War II movies, hence their popularity. Before Palm Beach was The Lady Eve in '41. Excellent acting & perhaps his best. Sullivan's Travels was right before Palm Beach in '42 & they are equally good. Both have the virtue of the steady influence of Joel McCrea as the star. In Palm Beach he is Tom. His wife Gerrie is played by Claudette Colbert. He is a broke dreamer with big ideas. She is hot to trot. Her plan is to divorce him & find a rich sugar daddy to finance his dreams. She feigns indifference & boards a train leaving for Florida. It seems that Preston Sturges could get away with a lot more in his movies than the censors might have allowed in the forties. There was plenty of sexual innuendo, adult content & satire attacking wealth in this one. Adultry was implied. First he was subtle. So subtle that this movie has a family friendly air about it. More important he always incorporated a lengthy, absurd, ridiculous comedy scene. It would be madcap, funny, slapstick & even silly. These scenes must have distracted stupid censors. The Ale & Quail Club was a fraternity of old, rich guys. They were on convention from New York to Florida in a party car of a the train. They assisted Gerrie who was broke & without any clothes. The drunken fools were so out of control that their car is detached from the train enroute. Gerrie has escaped to the pullman sleeper & meets the fabulously wealthy John Hackensack III played by heart-throb crooner of the 20's, Rudy Vallee. He's lower she's upper but they get to know each other. You know he's going to break out in song sometime during the movie. By the time they get to Jacksonville & his yacht he's in love. They are met by Hackensack's sister Centimitia, played by Mary Astor. She is a predator & has her heart set on Tom who has persued Gerrie down to Palm Beach. The ending is a bit of a cop-out. But Struges uses all the latitude he is given to good use.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Cute & Funny
Added 1/30/2009
This movie is hilarious! Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea are awesome. The antics she uses in trying to leave him only make him want her more. This is a beautiful, yet funny love story! Even if you don't usually like old movies, you will enjoy this one ~ it is a classic!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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