Preston Sturges was at the top of his craft when he directed this film. The wonderful cast he put together for " The Palm Beach Story" exceeds all expectations and made this a winning screwball comedy, typical of the times.
Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea made a fantastic couple. Both of the leading actors were excellent comedians; they do amazing work together. The supporting cast is first rate. Mary Astor and Rudy Valee are excellent as the rich siblings falling in love with the estranged Jeffers. In minor roles, Sig Arno, Robert Dudley, and the rest of the cast perform wonders and respond to Mr. Sturges' direction.
The only things that don't work as well with the rest of the film are the prologue and the ending. The end seems to indicate that Preston Sturges was running out of ideas. The multiple weddings are a bit hard to accept as they don't seem real. The existence of a pair of twin siblings we knew nothing about while watching the film, appear to have been added out of desperation and thus make an ending to accommodate both rich Hackensackers.
As a curiosity note, throughout the film Ms. Colbert is seen only on the right hand side of the screen because of her desire of being photographed from the left side only. This actress had the uncanny ability to change herself to that side of the screen without anyone realizing what she's doing. She might start with her whole face in front of the camera on the left hand side of the screen, but she always does something to change places with whoever is playing opposite her and wind up with her left profile for us to see.
Still, this is one of the best films by Preston Sturges, perhaps a notch behind "Sullivan Travels" and "The Lady Eve".
Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea made a fantastic couple. Both of the leading actors were excellent comedians; they do amazing work together. The supporting cast is first rate. Mary Astor and Rudy Valee are excellent as the rich siblings falling in love with the estranged Jeffers. In minor roles, Sig Arno, Robert Dudley, and the rest of the cast perform wonders and respond to Mr. Sturges' direction.
The only things that don't work as well with the rest of the film are the prologue and the ending. The end seems to indicate that Preston Sturges was running out of ideas. The multiple weddings are a bit hard to accept as they don't seem real. The existence of a pair of twin siblings we knew nothing about while watching the film, appear to have been added out of desperation and thus make an ending to accommodate both rich Hackensackers.
As a curiosity note, throughout the film Ms. Colbert is seen only on the right hand side of the screen because of her desire of being photographed from the left side only. This actress had the uncanny ability to change herself to that side of the screen without anyone realizing what she's doing. She might start with her whole face in front of the camera on the left hand side of the screen, but she always does something to change places with whoever is playing opposite her and wind up with her left profile for us to see.
Still, this is one of the best films by Preston Sturges, perhaps a notch behind "Sullivan Travels" and "The Lady Eve".