Preston Sturges directs Harold Llyod & Frances Ramden on the set of The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947, aka Mad Wednesday) airing tonight on TCM
“There are some wonderful pictures to be made, and God willing I will make some of them.” – Preston Sturges
The talented director, screenwriter and producer Preston Sturges, was often referred to as a ‘genius’ during his heyday and continues to be lauded as one of the original Hollywood auteurs. Sturges only directed 13 films but he provided screenplays, dialogue and original story ideas for 40 productions between 1930 and 1955. His influence was enormous and today his smart screwball comedies continue to inspire filmmakers such as Woody Allen and Joel and Ethan Coen.
Tonight TCM is airing six of Sturges’ most lauded films beginning with The Lady Eve (1941), a sexy madcap comedy starring Henry Fonda as a naïve Ophidiologist (aka snake expert) who is seduced by a glamorous con artist (Barbara Stanwyck). Afterward you can catch Joel McCrea in Sullivan’s Travels (1942) playing a Hollywood director who learns about life and love while masquerading as a hobo accompanied by the lovely Veronica Lake. McCrea also appears in The Palm Beach Story (1942) where he plays an indigent inventor trying to stop his wife (Claudette Colbert) from divorcing him. Next up Eddie Bracken, stars in Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) as a sickly shipyard employee mistaken for a WWII hero. It’s followed by The Great McGinty (1940) featuring Brian Donlevy as a down-on-his-luck tramp persuaded into a political career by corrupt bosses. The last film airing tonight is The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947) starring silent screen comedian Harold Lloyd. Sturges was a great admirer of Lloyd and the director coaxed the funnyman out of retirement to reprise his role from The Freshman (1925).
If you are new to Preston Sturges work this is a great opportunity to play catch up with some of the funniest and sharpest movies made in the 1940s. And if you’re a longtime fan, just sit back and enjoy the fun! To accompany tonight’s programming I thought I would compile a gallery featuring poster art from the Sturges’ films airing tonight.
