John Sullivan, a successful director of light comedy's, wants to make something more meaningful. He wants to make a film about the suffering of poor people. The film company is not amused (they want more of his box office hits) and his producer remarks that John knows nothing about poor people. This remark has not the intended effect, because John decides to roam for a while dressed up as a little tramp a la Chaplin. Eventually he gets into trouble. Learns more about the live of the poor. Sees the joy that a light comedy film can give them, and never makes his "meaningful" film.
The title of "Sullivan's travels" reminds us of the classical book "Gulliver's travels " (1726, Jonathan Swift). Gulliver travels to exotic country's. Sullivan travels in his own country, but the kind of people he meets are not less strange to this upper class director. In this respect there are similarities between "Sullivan's travels" and "My man Godfrey" (1936, Gregory La Cava). In both films upper class people are interfering with poor people without knowing a thing about them. In "My man Godfrey" they see them as a sort of curiosity to be hunted in a scavenger hunt. In "Sullivan's travels" John Sullivan is interested in them in a much more respectful and sympathetic way.
One can interpret "Sullivan's travels" in two ways. The first interpretation looks at the directors. In this interpreation the message to the directors is to take oneself not to seriously. The second interpretation looks at the audience. In this interpretation the message of the film is that people only want "bread and circuses" and that it is a wasted effort to try to interest them for something more substantial.
The second interpreation is a bit haughty and I really don't believe that Preston Sturges intended the film in this way. This second interpretation is in particular contradicted by a brilliant scene in the middle of the film. In this scene (which last for several minutes and is entirly without dialogue) Sullivan (as a tramp) is walking through a dormitory full of homeless people looking for a place to lay his tired body.
Remains the first interpretation, and looked at in this way, "Sullivan's travels" is one of the best films about the film industry, maybe less known than but on par with a film like "Sunset boulevard" (1950, Billy Wilder).
The book John Sullivan originally wants to make a film of (but never does) is titled "O brother where are thou". In 2000 the Coen brothers at long last made a film of this name. In this film they pay tribute to Preston Sturges, but I doubt if this film (based as it is on "The odyssey" from Homer) is the one John Sullivan originally had in mind.
The title of "Sullivan's travels" reminds us of the classical book "Gulliver's travels " (1726, Jonathan Swift). Gulliver travels to exotic country's. Sullivan travels in his own country, but the kind of people he meets are not less strange to this upper class director. In this respect there are similarities between "Sullivan's travels" and "My man Godfrey" (1936, Gregory La Cava). In both films upper class people are interfering with poor people without knowing a thing about them. In "My man Godfrey" they see them as a sort of curiosity to be hunted in a scavenger hunt. In "Sullivan's travels" John Sullivan is interested in them in a much more respectful and sympathetic way.
One can interpret "Sullivan's travels" in two ways. The first interpretation looks at the directors. In this interpreation the message to the directors is to take oneself not to seriously. The second interpretation looks at the audience. In this interpretation the message of the film is that people only want "bread and circuses" and that it is a wasted effort to try to interest them for something more substantial.
The second interpreation is a bit haughty and I really don't believe that Preston Sturges intended the film in this way. This second interpretation is in particular contradicted by a brilliant scene in the middle of the film. In this scene (which last for several minutes and is entirly without dialogue) Sullivan (as a tramp) is walking through a dormitory full of homeless people looking for a place to lay his tired body.
Remains the first interpretation, and looked at in this way, "Sullivan's travels" is one of the best films about the film industry, maybe less known than but on par with a film like "Sunset boulevard" (1950, Billy Wilder).
The book John Sullivan originally wants to make a film of (but never does) is titled "O brother where are thou". In 2000 the Coen brothers at long last made a film of this name. In this film they pay tribute to Preston Sturges, but I doubt if this film (based as it is on "The odyssey" from Homer) is the one John Sullivan originally had in mind.