Sullivan's Travels (1941)

SYNOPSIS

Perhaps the greatest of Sturges's many great comedies, this balances a gimlet-eyed satire of Hollywood with an unsentimental affirmation of the movies' ability to lift people from their daily lives. When director McCrea tires of the witless comedies for which he has a natural talent, he determines to illustrate on-screen the suffering of the American people in their darkest hour. The studio bosses correctly remind him that he knows nothing about suffering, so McCrea sets out on a mission to acquire firsthand experience of real people's lives. In his first attempt, the studio flacks and his gentleman's gentleman (Blore, in a typically hilarious performance) make a sham of his sincerity, though he hooks up with waitress and aspiring actress Lake. But on his next outing, McCrea loses everything: his money, his name, his memory, and his freedom when he's given the bum's rush by a railroad cop. But in the work camp, McCrea and his hardened, beaten-down companions revel in a Mickey Mouse cartoon, and the director resolves to find a way back to his calling. The script is fast, twisty, and funny, and Sturges's usual supporting characters are magnificent.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).