Sullivan's Travels
Universally acknowledged as Sturges’ masterpiece, Sullivan’s Travels is both a satire of the movie industry and an odyssey through America from the bottom up. Joel McCrea stars as Sullivan, the successful director of frivolous Hollywood comedies who disguises himself as a bum to get a first hand look at the struggles of everyday citizens, and Veronica Lake as the small-time actress who falls in love with him. A poignant and funny cross-country journey teaches Sullivan that, in hard times, making people laugh may be the most meaningful thing one can do.