Customer Reviews

Five Screenplays by Preston Sturges

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sturges was brilliantly funny, and these scripts are beautifully constructed. Make a point to see HAIL, THE CONQUERING HERO; it's his best film, and includes arguably his funniest scene (the mayor dictates a speech to his son then his secretary).

These screenplays contain some of the wittiest lines ever written. To my taste, Preston Sturges wrote better dialogue than Shakespeare. This volume contains the screenplay to one of my favorite films, "Christmas in July" -- one of the warmest and funniest fims ever made. Puts Shakespeare back with the shipping news.

Preston Sturges stands out among the writer/directors of the 30's and 40's (how many others were there? I can think only of John Huston) for his wittily jaded takes on politics, the battle of the sexes, art and patriotism. But if you're looking at this review, you're a fan already, so I'll just tell you the titles in this volume:

* The Great McGinty
* Christmas in July
* The Lady Eve
* Sullivan's Travels
* Hail the Conquering Hero

Good films all, and the last two classics.

Super stuff. Recommended for anyone who likes reading or writing scripts of any kind. Classic relationships between characters and inventive action.