Top 5 Preston Sturges Films

1. Sullivan's Travels - In re-watching this proud defense of comedy (with a little sex in it) I was reminded of how similar it's ending is to Hannah and Her Sisters'.



2. Hail the Conquering Hero - You could say Eddie Bracken plays it too big. That he overacts. You'd be wrong. He's brilliant, broad or otherwise.



3. The Lady Eve - I'm not sure anyone use the literal pratfall with the frequency that Sturges uses it. Henry Fonda makes the most of it too.



4. The Palm Beach Story - For my money, The Wienie King is Sturges' most hilarious character.



5. The Miracle of Morgan's Creek - Opening with a callback to his first film, The Great McGinty, with Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamiroff reprising their roles as the Governor and The Boss, could have been a little clunky and indulgent, but Sturges executes it with ease. It feels perfectly organic to the story at hand and Tamiroff holding a phone to each ear is as funny as any moment in the film.