Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Andres Mendez
Student’s email: amendezconsulting@gmail.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 93%
This was my first time watching Sullivan’s Travels and I really enjoyed the film. It was interesting how the comedy of the film was like that of a old Disney cartoon. It had a very animated sense of humor where actions were over exaggerated and not how they would happen in real life. I haven’t seen many films from the early 1900’s but I feel that this was a common theme in older films. The director did a great job of screenwriting to produce a good story line as well.For some reason I expected the cinematography to not be that great but there were plenty of strong and well executed shots. For example the shot of Sullivan and the girl in the car was a great shot that portrayed the relaxed manner of Sullivan because he was not really poor. It showed that even though he was supposed to be “roughing it” he was still living a very comfortable life because at any moment he could just go back home to his normal life. The film’s falling action was crucial to the story and keeping the audience engage because as viewers we were wanting Sullivan’s friends to know that he really isn’t dead. Not only that but you want him to break away or get released so that he can go back to Hollywood.At the end he reaches his goal of living like those in poverty working hard labor jobs and he gets not what he asked for but what he need. Overall I really enjoyed the story line of this movie.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Alex Naumann
Student’s email: alexnaumann@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Even though Sullivan’s Travels was released in 1942, it still holds up rather well with modern audiences. It, to me, provides a commentary on the income inequality that was present in America while still keeping audiences entertained and making them laugh.
The film editor, Stuart Gilmore, did a great job editing together the chase scene between the teenager’s racecar and the RV. While it is very probable that the shots of the inside of the RV were done in a studio or a sound stage, you would never know it because of Gilmore’s editing. The way it cuts between the inside of the RV, the outside of the RV, and the racecar is completely seamless.
I really liked the composition in the scene where John Sullivan and ‘the girl’ first walk into his mansion. The room the scene takes place in is gigantic, and when the couple does walk into frame, they look very, very small. It is clear that a wide-angle lens was used to film this shot. I think this was shot this way to convey to the audience that Sullivan has an insane amount of money compared to most other people in the world.
I thought it was an interesting choice by the screenwriter to have Sullivan’s moment of realization take place in an all black church while watching a Disney cartoon. I think he chose Disney because it is something that everyone is able to relate to and because of this, the audience gets a better understanding of why he changed his mind on comedy films.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Mollie Meyer
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was the first time I saw Sullivan’s Travels, and I really enjoyed it; it is still pretty relevant, although a little idealized. What I thought was very interesting was that the leading lady (played by Veronica Lake) had no name; she is just “the girl.” Also, the only other woman in the film was a “secretary” (played by Margaret Hayes). This film seemed to focus on income equality, but probably wasn’t thinking too much about gender equality. The main character, Sullivan, did ask the girl if she slept with a director; it was a short little line, but seemed to imply she would have made it farther in Hollywood had she been willing to ‘go there’. Which I saw as a comment on what did (and maybe does?) happen in Hollywood at the time.
Although this film was in black & white, the lighting was noticeable. I especially liked the way they used lighting to create the extra dark and ominous scene when Sullivan was jumped by the “old tramp.” We had seen some night scenes prior to this one, but this was extra dark; they used silhouettes and shadows to create that spooky “something bad is going to happen” feel.
I did like that the film itself was a comedy, and that Sullivan was so against making a comedy, but ended up wanting to film a comedy because he finally realized how people needed it more. It was a great message, that is still relevant today – that people’s struggles are difficult and consuming, so we all want to escape reality every now & then and just have fun. Sullivan had this epiphany in a church among other inmates and a church congregation, who probably didn’t have very much but still welcomed these men as their guests. This epiphany was reiterated at the end of the film, which I thought was in a cheesy way (especially for a comedy) with the picture overlay of Sullivan & the church congregation/inmates laughing. But perhaps this technique wasn’t seen as cheesy at the time the film was first made.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Caleb B
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a very well written comedy that has clearly influenced many filmmakers such as the Coen brothers. My favorite shot in the movie is of the marquee that lists 4 movies: Beyond These Tears, The Valley of the Shadow, The Buzzard of Berlin, and Swingo. The first 3 have hilariously depressing titles, just like O Brother, Where Art Thou. Although Swingo sounds like a fun movie, that maybe features swing dancing. This theme of making fun of tragic stories is repeated throughout the film. The story structure is excellent and the stakes are consistently raised for Sullivan until he ends up in a prison camp. I believe that this point is a twist, which is another reason why it is funny that Sullivan says “This story could use a twist.” He is unhappy with the real plot twist and now wants another twist to get him out. I thought that Sullivan confessing to his own murder was a clever solution to the final conflict. The use of soundstage in some shots seemed to fit since it had a fake ending at the beginning and it was about a filmmaker wanting to make a movie. There are many levels of comedy in the film, from the witty dialogue to the more slapstick moments. This also helps to reinforce one of the themes that we should have more respect for comedies. The scene with everyone laughing at the Disney cartoon puts Banksy’s Dismaland into a new perspective.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: ifenna chukwuemeka
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
though it was my first time watching the movie, it was interesting for a movie made in 1942. although the movie was was in black and white, you cant tell lighting was used. thought this movie was made in the 1900s it still applied to today world
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 04
Student’s name: Miguel Garcia
Student’s email: MiguelGarciaKC18@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%
I have always had an appreciation for older films such as this movie, Sullivan’s Travels. There was no CGI the humor could genuine and appreciated, the actors did their very best. The entire story was well written i believe. This physical comedy was quite well structured. Camera techniques were well executed given the time era this was made in. Fuzzy images and a tilting camera gave us the sense that something strange happened to Sullivan at one point. Being that this movie was about a man who makes movies there were nods to things like plot twists which gave me as the viewer as moment of “aha!” The underlining principles of the film were also seamlessly woven into the overall film were greatly used. Seeing Sullivan’s character growth was quite rewarding in the end. And character growth i myself very much appreciate in any well written movie such as this/
Gulliver’s travel was a very enjoyable film. It used many of the techniques that we’ve discussed in class. The use of medium range shots placed emphasis on the characters and forces you to focus on their story, not the things going on around them. The use of angled camera and split shots that gave a sense of disorientation gave clues about Sullivan’s memory loss even before it was stated in the film. Also, the use of music by the editors in the background set the tone for many of the scenes. You could always tell when something awful was happening and vise versa.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Savannah Jossart
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels in my option threw its self together at the end. It main plot of a Hollywood director wanting to create a movie about the working class so he becomes a hobo to get the experience was interesting. However the end seemed rushed. At the end of the film Sullivan decides to make his movie a comedy because laughter is the only thing some people have. The only part of the film that lead up to Sullivan’s sudden epiphany was the last ten minutes. The story tried to hard to make a conflict by “killing” Sullivan causing the falling action of the film to happen to fast. The pacing of the film was a little off; too much time was spent with Sullivan and the girl trying to be hobos. Overall I believe that the content of the story was good but the form of the story was sloppy.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Madeleine Hedenland
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time seeing Sullivan’s Travels and I rather enjoyed it. It was serious yet comedic and I think Preston Sturges did a good job at expressing what he set out to do. At the beginning of the movie Sullivan began his travels because he wanted to make a movie about the poor, so he set out to try and live like them. I feel at the beginning when he started it was almost as a joke that he was doing all this for the movie. It wasn’t until he was actually immersed in the culture when he was in prison that he realized that is was something people don’t need to know about, and that happiness and laughter is the only thing some people have in the world.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Blia Yang
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
_Sullivan’s Travels_ is a lovely film with a touch of humor and darkness—it’s aesthetically pleasing, old fashioned fun, and ultimately meaningful. The script is witty and filled with humor. The main actors were good, as well as gorgeous, which is generally an advantage. Furthermore, the actual composition of the film flows appropriately to the context of what is happening on screen. For example, when Sullivan and “the girl” have a more intimate conversation discussing “the girl’s” desire for their relationship to lead to marriage, what we the audience see is their physical closeness as well as hear their lowered voices. This composition contrasts with the scene “the girl” discovers that Sullivan is still alive (this scene, too, is composed appropriately as we can easily distinguish what is moving and what should move us to laugh). We see “the girl” running, fast forwarded to create a comedic effect like that of the very Disney cartoon that Sullivan had watched in the black church. That scene, too, of Sullivan laughing at the cartoon has an appropriate composition; Sullivan watches the cartoon of the dog physically running around and he responds physically by laughing. It easily conveys to us that there is humor in the scene. However, that scene and Sullivan’s epiphany because of the cartoon, that laughter is important to the impoverished, opens a door to the darker aspects of the film. The darker aspects, being those that make the film meaningful beyond something pretty and comedic, are the film’s commentary towards the treatment of different classes through its writing, its characters, and its plot. Essentially, the film comments that all the poor has is humor, that the wealthy are treated better compared to the poor, and that, that latter is confirmed through the plot’s ending of Sullivan basically getting away with assault because he is rich and famous. It is generally true that the poor in the world are treated differently and often unjustly than the privileged, but, the film does not attempt to sugar that truth. And, in doing so, the film meaningfully observes and emphasizes this class gap that is still relevant today.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: James Vaughn
Student’s email: jvaughn661@yahoo.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Not being a fan of older films, I think Sullivan’s Travels inspired me to watch more movies from the past. I enjoyed the film and liked how the Sullivan changed from wanting to make a serious movie to a comedy. I discussed the film with my father who’s 67. I briefly described the story, and he said he remembered all the people laughing in the church which I think is cool that this movie had left some kind of an imprint on his mind. One thing I enjoyed about the film was how it went from a comedy to more of a serious film. Like how we discussed in class the first two acts can be kind of goofy, but in the third it’s serious bussiness.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Bryanna Moreno
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time watching Sullivan’s Travels and I really enjoyed it. Like we talked about in class it followed the story arch. In the beginning it quickly set up the rest of he movie where Sullivan wishes to make a movie about suffering and sets out to experience suffering as he has had a fairly privileged life. Before the end of the third sequence we meet all the important characters including The Girl. After that, in each sequence leading to the end there is tension like will they make it on the train, will they get fed, and are they going to finish the journey? Just as they complete what they were set out to do and everything looks like its going to turn out another obstacle appears for our hero and at this point we wonder if there will be a happy ending. The audience has to watch as The Girl and Sullivan’s co worker think he’s dead while he is unconscious on a train and the tension rises as the audience know what the characters in the movie don’t know. But it ends well with Sullivan in a church full of inmates and churchgoers all from different backgrounds laughing hysterically at the same thing and he realizes that people don’t need suffering but need laughter and joy in their lives. This movie with its slapstick comedy also served that purpose.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Marty Manseau
Student’s email: mmanseau0821@gmail.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels is a very interesting satire on the state of Hollywood in the early 20th century. The film follows John Sullivan, a movie director who is tired of making inane romance films. After a failed attempt of making a meaningful movie, he decides to take to the streets to learn what it is like to lead a hard life. However, after all of his struggles, he decides to continue making his typical Hollywood fluff because it comedies, in his opinion, are completely unifying.
Watching Sullivan’s Travels in 2015 makes writer/director Preston Sturges seem as prophetic as the Greek Oracle. Hollywood became what it is today because Sullivan chose to shy away from topics that he originally wanted to cover, such as poverty, starvation, and loneliness, in favor of the easy romantic comedy that is guaranteed to make money at the box office. Sullivan was motivated to make a happy film because he found that happiness and laughter unified many different types of people. However, films like Sullivan’s that are made in the 21st century feel more soulless. Sullivan’s Travels serves as a message to modern directors who are too scared to challenge the medium.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 04
Student’s name: Jina Park
Number of questions: 13
Percent correct: 100%
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jina Park
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This film has beautiful mise-en-scene as an old cinematography. The white and black framing has deep depth, and this makes me feel elegant. Especially, in the train scene, the contrast between inside and outside of train is obvious. Also, this difference of brightness makes female character more attractive and prettier and makes male character sturdier.
Actors have clear character and their own voices, so they let the color of film rich. There are two good examples: in the pool scene, Sullivan, main actress, and servers have their own character and personality and make funny story with both verbal and body languages; in the jail, Sullivan meets violent prison officer and kind prison officer.
The framing and development of story have the feature of Disney, and this creates good comedic scenes. In addition, juxtaposition between the scene of the poor life and luxurious life does not get the audiences to be bored. That is, the audiences can emotionally draw ups and downs within the plot, the gap of ups and downs become bigger with characters in the film, and the audiences can finally get catharsis when main actress go back to his home from prison.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Eva Hoch
Student’s email: eva.hoch@yahoo.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time watching Sullivan’s Travels and I really enjoyed it. I think this older movie made it seem so authentic and the humor was easy. While watching this movie, I compared it to modern Romantic Comedies. This movie was so much more real than new age movies. The Humor and because it is an older black and white movie, it can across with a warming tone. This movie makes fun of old hollywood, where in today most movies do not focus on that of the poor. This movie focuses on simpler forms of happiness such as watching cartoons. This scene seems to be rather important in illustrating that the pleasures of hollywood do not produce happiness, as the directer exemplifies.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Daniell Reeser
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels delivers a message that is very meaningful to me, and it also served as a wonderful model for the screenwriting patterns we examined in class. The subject of wanting to bring attention to strife, and to bring outrage and action against it, is still incredibly relevant to artists today. Every artist and piece has its part to play, and I appreciated how the film inevitably concluded that there is no reason to feel guilt over making art that lifts the spirits rather than point out the darkness of the world, if that is one’s calling. It also hinted at the moral issue of how it may be better to let those who are actually part of a group tell the masses about themselves, rather than be described by outsiders with little true understanding of their conditions.
The film followed the pattern of sequences in script writing quite well, and I found it interesting to note which points occurred directly because of Sullivan’s choices, and which happened to him. I noticed that the primary loss of his agency occurred in the “getting further from the goal” sequences, the downhill slope of Act 2 into the first part of Act 3. Then his agency made a stark and triumphant return in “the twist” when he decides to accuse himself of his own murder to get attention. I think this protagonist-driven pattern may be an American cultural value that reinforces individualism and the idea that if you are just driven enough, you can always change your situation.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Joseph LeClaire
Student’s email: leclairejoe@comcast.net
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time viewing Sullivan’s Travels and although I did like it to an extent there is no denying that it was very well made. I enjoyed the irony of the screenplay. The way that Sullivan was always dragged back to Hollywood in the beginning only to finally get what he wanted later in the film. I believe it was a good move sending Sullivan to prison only to have him discover what kind of entertainment he really wanted to make. Good writing with an excellent twist kept me wanting to watch this movie.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Natalie De La Mora
Student’s email:
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels explores the struggle of one man’s attempt to create a film of realistic depth and substance in a consumer and commercial driven Hollywood. His attempt to document the strife faced by the poor and destitute is met with resistance from the executives of the studio that push him to continue to make money producing romantic comedies. In the beginning as he is pitching his idea to make a film surrounding real world issues to two executives; the dark room they are in is illuminated by the single light from the projector that is focused on Sullivan. Likewise, Sullivan is featured in a white suit whereas the executives are in dark suits. This is an exemplification of the commendable and good director attempting to shed light on a meaningful subject matter while fighting against evil corporate Hollywood. Essentially Sullivan is the rare good in a dark Hollywood only concerned with money. Similarly, every time the studio was demanding that he continue directing more traditional films they are standing over Sullivan who is often seated. This is giving the executives the power in the scene and the appearance that they are bullying him into doing what they ask. This adds to the strength of Sullivan as a protagonist when he decides to maintain his convictions and stands up literally and metaphorically above the studio individuals. His annoyance with the entirety of the movie going experience is demonstrated when he attends the movie with the older women. Every diegetic sound is heightened as the shots alternate between him looking towards the sound and a zoomed in shot of the origins of the noises; each shot of his facial features growing progressively more exasperated.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Karla Argumoza
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a very interesting film to me because it kept me engaged with the characters throughout the whole movie. There were some parts in the film that I hoped and feared would happen. This film used the popular sequences that every Hollywood film has used before. In the first act we were introduced to the characters, and their goals. Sullivan was the protagonist that wanted to know how it was to be like the working class, but he kept getting back to Hollywood. In the second act, we see the rising action of the film. Sullivan finally gets to see what it is really like being a working class person with a companion, the girl. In the third act, all fails. Sullivan is mistaken by a working class man and is sent to a workers labor camp because he hit a man with a rock. He tries to tell everyone that he is actually a movie director, but no one listens. Now he is stuck here being someone he is not. In the last part of this act, Sullivan claims that he was the one who killed the famous movie director and then is recognized for who he really is, and is released from the camp. What the film explained here was that he was a rich white man, so he did not have to “pay” for what he did to the man that he hit with a rock. Social economic status in this time showed that anyone could get away with anything if they had the money. One last thing that the film left me hoping for was that Sullivan and the girl would become a couple, but the film never showed the two characters in that state. Other than the last part I really enjoyed the movie.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Zara Dawson
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
I love the Coen brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou so it was very interesting to me to see that it was an homage to this film. I enjoyed Sullivan’s Travels. It was pretty entertaining. Although maybe it was just me but I thought the characters talked really fast, which was pretty typical and characteristic of films made in the ’30s and ’40s.
I also found it interesting when comparing with O Brother Where Art Thou that Sullivan’s intent is to make a film with that very same title, but in the end he decides not to make it, at least not in the dramatic, serious way he was intending. So when the Coen brothers make O Brother Where Art Thou 70 years later, its a comedy.
It was also interesting in class when we paired the movie with the screenwriting formula to see how it holds up. Just looking at the screenwriting formula itself, it looks so complicated and you doubt that a Hollywood film that’s purely for entertainment purposes would follow the formula that rigidly, but surprisingly, when you compare various films and analyze them on the basis of the formula, they really do follow.
The film definitely has a social commentary, how Sullivan is arrested when no one knows who he is and he is treated very poorly and sent to the chain gang, but when it is revealed who he really is, that he is a rich film producer from Hollywood, he gets off the hook and is totally free and clear despite what he did. Although I liked Sullivan as a character. I think his intentions were honorable and in the right place, but he was just a little naïve in the execution.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Molly Greco
Student’s email: molly_greco@comcast.net
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
“Sullivan’s Travels” is a satirical film, which mocks the idea of hollywood, while being a hollywood film itself, and experimenting with different styles of film. The sound effects were greatly exaggerated in this film. A few examples of this are Sullivan’s sneezes, cars going by, and train whistles. The script follows the basic rules for the Three Act Structure. The dialogue is quick-wit, and very entertaining, all while being seemingly effortless, with good conversation flows. There are some great editing effects for 1941. One effect that stood out to me, was the blurring of the picture after Sullivan had woken up from getting hit in the head. This method shows the confusion that was going on Sullivan’s mind. Another effect that stood out to me, was at the end of the film, when there was an image of Sullivan and the girl, and a picture over-lap of a flashback to the laughter in the crowd from the church. This also exaggerates the theme of what is important to Sullivan through film: laughter and enjoyment.
‘Sullivan’s Travels’ addresses the issue of poverty. The exposition of the film is revealed when Sullivan is talking to two producers after a screening. The audience, through the dialogue, get a sense of his backstory as growing up in a wealthy family, not knowing what trouble is. The rising action starts when he gets the idea to become poor. He dresses like a hobo and lives homeless in order to understand living a hard life to make a better film. Also a key component to the rising action is when he meets a girl who wants to come along with him on his adventure. Throughout the film they are pursuing the goal of living a hard life. They finally reach that goal when they are living in a shelter and get to the point of searching for food in the garbage. I think the climax of the film takes place when Sullivan is hit over the head by a homeless man after handing people money in the streets. The falling action is when he is in the prison camp. The film shows the obvious difference in wealth and poverty. Because people thought Sullivan was poor they gave him a speedy trial and he was sent to prison camp for attacking the man by the train, but after they find out that he is famous and rich he is let go like nothing happened. The film is concluded by seeing him free from the camp and able to marry the girl. The part that I liked most about the film was when laughter was portrayed as a precious thing. Sullivan learns that sometimes laughter is the only thing people have to get them through the hard times. As a result of what he learns, he decides to make a comedy and not O Brother, Where Art thou which is sort of ironic because in real life O Brother, Where Art Thou was made into a comedy by the Coen brothers in 2000.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Taylor Lee
Student’s email: taylorlee2@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Out of all the films shown in class I really enjoyed watching Sullivan’s Travels because of the story, and how the directer used a lot of genres to put this movie together.First, the actors really make the story come alive and move the story along. The story itself is very interesting and in the end we discover a meaning and a purpose of the film for the audience to take from. The message is to do what you love because that’s where true happiness or laughter comes from and don’t try to live a way that you are not. Second, the director used a lot of genres in the film such as: tragic melodrama, prison film, serious drams, social documentary, slapstick, romance, comedy, action, and even a little musical shots. The diversity of genres really made this movie stand out or entertaining and that’s the main thing I love about this movie.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Neha Khan
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivins Travels by Preston Sturges explores the theme of poverty and wealth in a satirical and comical way. Sturges explores this theme through lighting, plot and acting. In the scenes when Sullivin and The Girl are hobos the lighting is dm and dark like the lives of the homeless and we get a sense of desperation. The plot is set up in the traditinal story arch style. We see Sullivin going through a heros journey almost and the situation he’s put in when he becomes a worker in slave like conditons gives the watchers a real sense of the poverty at the time. The acting is face-paced making the comical dialogue come to life. Overall, Sullivins Travels is a great satirical outlook at the poverty at the time.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Travis Bishop
Student’s email: travisbishop@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a great movie for its age. I enjoyed the plot of the movie, a rich director going to live among the less fortunate to write a movie that will in turn make him richer. The movie quickly turned into a love story, but remained a satire. It seemed to be an early romcom in my opinion. There was a plot twist towards the end of the movie, Instead of Sullivan making a serious movie about poverty in America he decides to make a comedy, because all we have is laughter. It wasn’t the normal old black and white movie that your grandparents made you watch, it seemed to be before its time.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Kaitlin Chin
Student’s email: kaitlin.v.chin@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 03
Student’s name: Kaitlin Chin
Student’s email: kaitlin.v.chin@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%
Last week I accidentally did quiz 4 so I just did 3 and 5 this week.
I had seen Sullivan’s Travels in another film class several years ago. I really enjoy this movie because it’s funny but at the same time it deals with real life issues. I really enjoyed our after-film lecture about the story arc. I thought that Sullivan’s journey fit the model very well. I thought that the rising action fit when he met the girl, and she joins him on his adventure. it seemed as though we would skip the crisis and have our resolution when he begins passing out the $5 bills. By that point I was pretty upset at the film because it would not have concluded his journey. But when he gets robbed and sent to jail, I was relieved that the falling action had begun and he was able to get his actual realization. The realization occurred when the inmates visited the church and Sullivan was able to see that laughter can still prevail in even the worst situations. Thus, Sullivan ends up making comedies and gets his happy ending with the girl.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: David Bean
Student’s email: davidbean@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Samuel Acosta
Student’s email: samuelacosta@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a very entertaining and very charming film. It exemplifies the type of sensationalism coming out Hollywood in the 40’s and 50’s. Very exaggerated acting, dramatic lighting, and conventional screenwriting structure make up this movie. I thought the story itself was very riveting. It was very meta in that it was about the film industry. The film follows a very traditional 3 act structure. It does a good job in that, despite its predictability, still kept my attention because of how well Preston Sturges utilized structure.
From the rising action of him thinking he knows what it’s like to be poor to the 1st culmination of him being thrown into jail, the movie does a great job of displaying textbook examples of 3 act structures.
The film also handled lighting really well. One example that stands out is when Sullivan gets robbed at the train yard. The lighting sets such a dark and gritty scene that the audience can’t help but feel something bad is about to happen. The juxtaposition of Sullivan’s experience at the end made act 3 much more meaningful and satisfying.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jess Gemignani-Olmo
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time seeing Sullivan’s Travels, which is a humorous satirical Hollywood drama. My favorite aspect of this movie is all of the meta-cinematic moments. Sporadically throughout the film McCrea’s lines would call to attention the fact that the audience is watching a movie, almost indirectly speaking to the audience at times. This self-awareness was not only amusing but made the characters more likable in my opinion because it made it feel as if they were in on the joke in a sense. Many of the lines were witty references to filmmaking such as when a policeman asks Sullivan, “How does the girl fit into the picture?” and Sullivan replies, “There’s always a girl in the picture. What’s the matter, don’t you go to the movies?”. This line was great because not only is it a relevant thing for a movie director to say but it doubles as a self-aware joke. It’s even better because Veronica Lake’s character is simply called “The Girl” and she fits in to the “picture” in the most stereotypical way: as a love interest (which is essentially what Sullivan was referring to). Even the title is a Hollywood-centric joke as it’s a play off the popular novel Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift which had an animation adaptation in 1939, two years before Sullivan’s Travels came out.
Another aspect of this movie I appreciated was what seemed like the use of undercranking in certain scenes such as when “The Girl” finds out that Sullivan isn’t dead or the chase scene with the kid in the whippet tank. Slowing down the frame rate in order to achieve a silent-movie era aesthetic for the exterior car shots in the chase scene was a nice touch and made the scene far more entertaining than had it been done at a regular speed. I thought this scene was really nicely done in general. The way most shots harnessed the realistic look of constant, changing movement as well as the constant transitioning from one shot to another made it feel chaotic but managed to maintain its humor (which the music definitely helped with too). Each shot felt right in terms of length and the editing was nothing short of perfect as well.
Due to the film being satirical, it would be tedious to go and mention all of the times someone said or did something ironic. However, one of the biggest ironies for me was how desperately Sullivan was trying to experience poverty and possibly even empathize with the people whose lifestyle he was making a “caricature” of yet completely fails to register the huge gaps in equality between social classes. For instance, he nearly bashes someone to death with a rock and doesn’t seem to understand why he wound up in trouble for it. Rather than having a revelation about how different he was treated when he was seen as a poor vagrant versus when he was recognized as a wealthy movie director and consequently developing a solution to that, Sullivan was too busy having his revelation about how homeless people would rather see a funny distraction rather than their own misery on the silverscreen. I found that amusing because those impoverished people probably would have appreciated having Sullivan utilize his large platform and speak out for them and the injustice they face rather than have another movie to watch in order to only momentarily escape their suffering. I mean, they could have even had both. Sullivan is made to seem to have grown exponentially as a character but when it gets down to it he hasn’t done much at all. That in a way could be a mockery of how Hollywood takes what it finds interesting or shocking and chooses to ignore the important parts of many stories. Sullivan never really grew as a person, in my opinion. In the beginning he didn’t seem to have a genuine care or interest in the people he was supposedly making his film for, he only was interested in the stigma of the lifestyle. At the end he kind of just missed the heaviness of reality and focused on a surface-level problem. However, I think having Sullivan do something substantial also would have made the film too heavy, which would have undermined the entire point of the plot anyway.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jonathan P.
Student’s email: JonathanPatton@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
” Producer 1: It Died in Pittsburg, like a dog.
Sullivan: Wadda’ they know in Pittsburg?
Producer 2: They know what they like!”
Sullivan: If they knew what they like, they wouldn’t live in Pittsburg ”
This is just one example of the amazing combination of Sturges’ brilliant writing along with Joel McCrea’s quick deliver. This scene gives us a chance to not only see Sullivan in his element; arguing and bartering with his producers, but to also introduce us to Sullivan as a character, his goals and motifs. Several times throughout this scene Sullivan states that he wants to makes a social film, “a document a mirror”, much to the protest of his producers who want to include “ a little sex, in it “. This immediate statement and subsequent bartering is telling our audience that Sullivan’s goal is making a social film, while the producer’s is making money by appealing to the audience’s wants and desires. This joke/line is repeated throughout the scene as almost every time that Sullivan’s states what type of film he wants to make, the two producers interject saying,“ With a little sex in it”. This on-the-nose writing helps reinforce the producers main goals of money and power. Joel McCrea’s performance as Sullivan is also noteworthy, as we see not only what Sullivan’s goals are but also how Sullivan feels about his goals. Sullivan’s tone is urging them to believe as he does it’s as if his message is not just to the Producers on screen, but also to the audience viewing the story as well. During this scene, the blocking is exceptional as this entire scene is presented as one take. We can tell that each position is carefully planned as the camera and the characters moves from position to position we get a sense that each one of the frames of this scene could be hung as a piece of art in it’s own right.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Ana Carla Teixeira Praciano Santos
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels is an interesting and extraordinary film. One of the things that first caught my attention was the peculiar story the movie film talks about. There is a saying in my country that says, “Poor people love luxury. Who likes misery are intellectuals”. This fits perfectly in Sullivan’s Travels, such as when Sullivan’s butler says that poor people knows about poverty and only rich people think that it is glamourous. This serves to show how intelligent this film is, showing a humorous social critic of the hypocrite society. This can also be observed when Sullivan is released from prison just because people realize he is rich and famous. Furthermore, I think the acting have a crucial role for this film have succeeded. The lovely actors cause empathy in the audience, especially Veronica Lake’s character, which is quickly added to the film and already is a huge part of it. The protagonists make the viewer connect and cheers for them to have an exciting ending during the whole movie. In addition, I think really interesting how easily the film goes from a comedy while Sullivan pretends to be a poor man to a drama when he sees himself in a prison. In this moment, I believe that we finally understand the real message of the film, which is that a simply smile can make the difference for many people. It was the first time I saw Sullivan’s Travels, but I’m sure it won’t be last.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Patricia Brill
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
I was not in class when we watched Sullivan’s Travels but I have seen it once before. I have always loved movies that mock the idea & business of hollywood, even though I want to be in the business myself. I find it a way of bringing hollywood back down to reality and more down to earth rather than just seeing hollywood be so full of themselves, so a movie like this can be a refreshing break from the norm. The sound effects and some of the actions are greatly overexaggerated but the film goes through multiple genres including comedy and slapstick comedy and drama and action and the overexaggeratedness works for the film. I do also love the seamless editing of this movie which flows a lot better than other movies from the same time period.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Joao Vitor Mascarenhas
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 93%
Sullivan’s Travels is an interesting movie that broke my stereotype of black-and-white films. With a very joyful story of this visionary director of Hollywood in his journey to learn more about the life. We are invited to follow Sullivan in this travel, but we only accepted the invitation when The Girl, Veronica Lake, joined in this train. From this point of the narrative, we actually, find ourselves in the expectation of the couple ends together and Sullivan learns his lesson.
The classical sound track plays a important role in the story, giving, in most of the time, a touch of humor in the story. For example, in the montage sequence when Sullivan is experiencing a poor life with The Girl (Veronica Lake), the music plays the role of communication by itself, showing the good humor and the state of mind which the characters face the challenges of a poor life. At the end of the story the audience can understand the importance of this humor because the big learning of Sullivan is that, in fact, the humor movies have a huge importance in people’s life.
I became very curious to know why the actress of a unnamed character was so emphasized at the beginning credits and in the poster of the movie instead of the main character in the story. Although Veronica Lake’s character is important in the story, I find out that the main role of this highlight in her character was the marketing of the film, since Veronica was a very famous actress.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: barron perez
Student’s email: barronsperez@yahoo.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 93%
Sullivan Travels is a classic film that influences comedic directors today. I did like how it addresses social issues we have today with poor and rich people, but The comedic timing and quick dialogue were the first things that caught my attention. I love a good comedy that can still entertain an audience 75 yrs after it came out. I usually cannot stand older Black and white films but “Sullivan’s Travels” stands the test of time. After thinking about the film i can see how the Cohen Brothers were definitely influenced by this film, while they were making “Oh Brother Where Art Thou”.
The editing of the film was also really good and it made the film more believable. The editor made good choices on informing the audience on what was about to happen. The editor also made good choices on making scenes real, like the RV chase. This film was very enjoyable and I’m glad I saw it.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jeremy Santos
Student’s email: jeremyasantos@gmail.com
Number of questions:10
Percent correct: 100%
One of the first techniques I noticed after finishing this great film. In the first scenes you notice a intense action scene with two men fighting on top of a moving train. The head lead Joel McCrea playing the role of John L. Sullivan a famous director who highly prefers action genre over comedy genre related films. In the end of the movie he realizes that all some people have in life is a chance to laugh which is ironic that he chose to start filming a comedic film instead of O Brother Where art Thou.the screen writing of the movie was brilliant and the storyline didnt bore me for being a movie made in 1941. Over all setting and film aspect by far captured and relay the true meaning of this film.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Sabrina Dunkl
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
So this weeks discussion is about sriptwriting and the narrative of the story. The three acts that work within the narrative and how that pans out within the story. The opening of the movie did a well job of establishing the setting and bluntly establishes the problem. The problem that the main character needs to experience the struggles of being poor. The plot of the narrative was well thought of and was well structured.
First of all, the sarcastic comedy helps move along the story line. For example, the main character lies to the women about him knowing a famous producer when knowingly he is the producer. This helps the story line because there is a need for him to lie because he doesn’t want to be noticed along his journey. All of the sequences serve a purpose from sequence one to sequence 8 he is journeying his way through life.
The second act is about him being on his own and trying to live the poor life but it doesn’t help his situation when he keeps going back and forth from the rich and poor life. His third act is the climax and resolution in which he gets knocked unconcius and ends up in jail. His struggle to get out of jail and to get back to his original life.
Secondly, scriptwriting is about creating a narrative story and creating that special character that eventually progesses throughout the movie and becomes a changed person or has a different point of view on life. The scriptwriter did a great job at doing so because the actor has a different perception of life after his struggle.
Thirdly, a convention was broken in the movie. The convention that was broken during the movie was the church scene about the inmates watching a disney movie. The audience obviusly doesn’t expect this and this basically turns the movie in a different direction. Even though the convention was broken it worked within the plot and narrative and had a positive effect on the movie. This was the time when the audience realized that the main character had changed and came to a realization.
Laslty, the movie was great and I enjoyed watching my first black and white movie.
I really enjoyed Sullivan’s Travels because it pretty good example of the three-act structure with in a film. It really made me think as both a writer and a director, how far would you go to make your movie happen. Sully wanted to experience trouble and sure enough, he experience enough for a lifetime. I also really like how the movie takes a darker turn towards the end of the film but it also made me realize that Sully’s goal towards the plot of the film changes completely. At first, he wants to experience trouble but then his goal changes into getting “The Girl” and by the end of the film he does meet that goal but he throws out the first one.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 06
Student’s name: Geovanie Brooks
Student’s email: gbrooks2390@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 80%
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Stephanie Castillo
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
I really enjoyed Sullivan’s Travels as this was the first time I saw the film. There were a couple of moments that were unexpected in the overall story arc, but while watching the film you got a sense of where the film was headed. It really made me think about how a story is structured and that most films follow that same structure no matter the plot or genre. It probably wasn’t important in the overall storyline but I did wonder how he was able to get out of jail so easily because he did assault the guy when he lost his memory.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jeremy Clark
Student’s email: jeremyclark@csus.edu
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%c
I did not like Sullivan’s Travels much. I thought the movie was heavy-handed with its message, and while I realize it was making fun of itself at times it still seemed a little too obvious for me. While I am not a big fan of the very straight forward styles of older movies, strangely enough I do like the over the top acting style. The more theatrical acting styles make me feel like I’m watching a live performance. For instance when Sullivan was arguing with the two movie executives in the beginning, they are very expressive with their actions and project their voices much more than a movie star of today. Everything they do is exaggerated for the audience and I find it catches the audiences attention well.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Evan
Student’s email:
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Preston Sturgess, wrote and directed the 1941 film Sullivan’s Travel. The script for the film is well structured and funny. The dialogue of the film is rapid fire, clever, and humorous. . One of the funniest interactions in the movie is the early car scene when John L. Sullivan, played by Joel McCrea, and The Girl, played by Veronica Lake, is talking about a famous director (him) without saying it’s him. He’s talking like he knows this guy but he is that guy. Actually I like all the scenes with them. They have great chemistry. The one by the pool stands out. They end up in that pool twice. So besides dialogue, physical movements/actions lend to the comic moments.
Certain shots without dialogue add to the humor also. For instance the full shot of the policeman on the motorcycle watching the little speeding car with the kid driving and John L. Sullivan in the passenger. He sees the car speeding by and gets splashed and then the car with all the studio people pass by and he’s then covered in mud and muck.
All in all I enjoyed the film. The story is meta. It’s a film about a filmmaker wanting to make a serious movie, dealing with the real life suffering of poor people. He doesn’t value the comedies he’s made in the past. He learns by the end that comedies are necessary and good to help people take their minds off their hardships, to laugh, and be entertained and have a good time. I feel the film is meta also because that is probably an answer to what was happening in the industry at the time.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Hillary Folsom
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 97%
I’ve always been a fan of old time movies so this one was particularly cool to me. I liked the story of having a director research his film by surrounding his own life as being a homeless person traveling by train and having his lady friend by his side- only to have him sent off to work in a jail for “murdering himself” because another homeless guy took his shoes. It was nice to have him realize that even if you have nothing to lose and no other sort of personal belongings, the best thing to have to lighten the spirits is laughter.
The over the top acting was also pretty great. For having it be a 40s film, it must’ve been quite the fun one to watch. It was an easy film to follow in terms of the narration with the rising action, climax, falling action, etc. Everything flowed pretty smoothly and the sarcastic acting made it enjoyable to watch.
This was my first time watching this film, but like all classic Hollywood films, it warmed my heart. Of course they are made to do this and make us feel good like everything will work out in the end no matter what, but I can admit that it works. They have the story plotted out perfectly to capture us in the desire for the director to achieve his want to experience a life that less fortunate than his own. The way the writer and director place interactions between those in the romantic entanglement demonstrate a growing desire between the characters and bring us along for the joy ride of watching them fall for each other. It starts with how they meet, and seeing what type of person she is. Her change in attitude and demeanor towards the director keep the viewer locked in to how they are going to end up in all of this. A good example of a simple, well constructed film out of Hollywood.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 03
Student’s name: Jasmine
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 80%
In Sullivan’s Travels, The famous Hollywood director John L. Sullivan wants to earn the proper incite into creating his film known as “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” In order to create this film Sullivan wants to see how people on the poorer end of the spectrum have to survive. He lives in their areas of town for a little bit and ends up getting into a fight at a train station. Sullivan goes on to lose his memory and becomes unable to prove his innocence and is thrown in prison for 6 years. Sullivan was pronounced dead by the community that he once thrived in and he had to try his hardest to prove he was alive and make his way out of prison.
The editors of the film use dark lighting when there is an act of trouble and they tend to use up beat music and lighting angles to show his excitement. When he found a way to get himself out of prison it was a very bright, airy moment. When he was stuffed into the sweat box it was dim and depressing.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Sarah Smith
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
In Sullivan’s Travels we see Hollywood wiliness to poke fun at itself as the brilliant opinionated writer sets out to experience the real world and is followed by a luxurious bus full of essential amenities. Even when he escapes his caravan of protectors he still does not face the true realty of the depression because he can end his experience at any time. In fact it is not until he is arrested and sent to a labor camp that he truly learns what his audience wants and needs during the dark times. That laughter is what the world needs.
introductiontocinema 
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Andres Mendez
Student’s email: amendezconsulting@gmail.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 93%
This was my first time watching Sullivan’s Travels and I really enjoyed the film. It was interesting how the comedy of the film was like that of a old Disney cartoon. It had a very animated sense of humor where actions were over exaggerated and not how they would happen in real life. I haven’t seen many films from the early 1900’s but I feel that this was a common theme in older films. The director did a great job of screenwriting to produce a good story line as well.For some reason I expected the cinematography to not be that great but there were plenty of strong and well executed shots. For example the shot of Sullivan and the girl in the car was a great shot that portrayed the relaxed manner of Sullivan because he was not really poor. It showed that even though he was supposed to be “roughing it” he was still living a very comfortable life because at any moment he could just go back home to his normal life. The film’s falling action was crucial to the story and keeping the audience engage because as viewers we were wanting Sullivan’s friends to know that he really isn’t dead. Not only that but you want him to break away or get released so that he can go back to Hollywood.At the end he reaches his goal of living like those in poverty working hard labor jobs and he gets not what he asked for but what he need. Overall I really enjoyed the story line of this movie.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Alex Naumann
Student’s email: alexnaumann@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Even though Sullivan’s Travels was released in 1942, it still holds up rather well with modern audiences. It, to me, provides a commentary on the income inequality that was present in America while still keeping audiences entertained and making them laugh.
The film editor, Stuart Gilmore, did a great job editing together the chase scene between the teenager’s racecar and the RV. While it is very probable that the shots of the inside of the RV were done in a studio or a sound stage, you would never know it because of Gilmore’s editing. The way it cuts between the inside of the RV, the outside of the RV, and the racecar is completely seamless.
I really liked the composition in the scene where John Sullivan and ‘the girl’ first walk into his mansion. The room the scene takes place in is gigantic, and when the couple does walk into frame, they look very, very small. It is clear that a wide-angle lens was used to film this shot. I think this was shot this way to convey to the audience that Sullivan has an insane amount of money compared to most other people in the world.
I thought it was an interesting choice by the screenwriter to have Sullivan’s moment of realization take place in an all black church while watching a Disney cartoon. I think he chose Disney because it is something that everyone is able to relate to and because of this, the audience gets a better understanding of why he changed his mind on comedy films.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Mollie Meyer
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was the first time I saw Sullivan’s Travels, and I really enjoyed it; it is still pretty relevant, although a little idealized. What I thought was very interesting was that the leading lady (played by Veronica Lake) had no name; she is just “the girl.” Also, the only other woman in the film was a “secretary” (played by Margaret Hayes). This film seemed to focus on income equality, but probably wasn’t thinking too much about gender equality. The main character, Sullivan, did ask the girl if she slept with a director; it was a short little line, but seemed to imply she would have made it farther in Hollywood had she been willing to ‘go there’. Which I saw as a comment on what did (and maybe does?) happen in Hollywood at the time.
Although this film was in black & white, the lighting was noticeable. I especially liked the way they used lighting to create the extra dark and ominous scene when Sullivan was jumped by the “old tramp.” We had seen some night scenes prior to this one, but this was extra dark; they used silhouettes and shadows to create that spooky “something bad is going to happen” feel.
I did like that the film itself was a comedy, and that Sullivan was so against making a comedy, but ended up wanting to film a comedy because he finally realized how people needed it more. It was a great message, that is still relevant today – that people’s struggles are difficult and consuming, so we all want to escape reality every now & then and just have fun. Sullivan had this epiphany in a church among other inmates and a church congregation, who probably didn’t have very much but still welcomed these men as their guests. This epiphany was reiterated at the end of the film, which I thought was in a cheesy way (especially for a comedy) with the picture overlay of Sullivan & the church congregation/inmates laughing. But perhaps this technique wasn’t seen as cheesy at the time the film was first made.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Caleb B
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a very well written comedy that has clearly influenced many filmmakers such as the Coen brothers. My favorite shot in the movie is of the marquee that lists 4 movies: Beyond These Tears, The Valley of the Shadow, The Buzzard of Berlin, and Swingo. The first 3 have hilariously depressing titles, just like O Brother, Where Art Thou. Although Swingo sounds like a fun movie, that maybe features swing dancing. This theme of making fun of tragic stories is repeated throughout the film. The story structure is excellent and the stakes are consistently raised for Sullivan until he ends up in a prison camp. I believe that this point is a twist, which is another reason why it is funny that Sullivan says “This story could use a twist.” He is unhappy with the real plot twist and now wants another twist to get him out. I thought that Sullivan confessing to his own murder was a clever solution to the final conflict. The use of soundstage in some shots seemed to fit since it had a fake ending at the beginning and it was about a filmmaker wanting to make a movie. There are many levels of comedy in the film, from the witty dialogue to the more slapstick moments. This also helps to reinforce one of the themes that we should have more respect for comedies. The scene with everyone laughing at the Disney cartoon puts Banksy’s Dismaland into a new perspective.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: ifenna chukwuemeka
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
though it was my first time watching the movie, it was interesting for a movie made in 1942. although the movie was was in black and white, you cant tell lighting was used. thought this movie was made in the 1900s it still applied to today world
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 04
Student’s name: Miguel Garcia
Student’s email: MiguelGarciaKC18@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%
I have always had an appreciation for older films such as this movie, Sullivan’s Travels. There was no CGI the humor could genuine and appreciated, the actors did their very best. The entire story was well written i believe. This physical comedy was quite well structured. Camera techniques were well executed given the time era this was made in. Fuzzy images and a tilting camera gave us the sense that something strange happened to Sullivan at one point. Being that this movie was about a man who makes movies there were nods to things like plot twists which gave me as the viewer as moment of “aha!” The underlining principles of the film were also seamlessly woven into the overall film were greatly used. Seeing Sullivan’s character growth was quite rewarding in the end. And character growth i myself very much appreciate in any well written movie such as this/
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Zackary Kehr
Student’s email: Zacktactoe@aol.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
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Gulliver’s travel was a very enjoyable film. It used many of the techniques that we’ve discussed in class. The use of medium range shots placed emphasis on the characters and forces you to focus on their story, not the things going on around them. The use of angled camera and split shots that gave a sense of disorientation gave clues about Sullivan’s memory loss even before it was stated in the film. Also, the use of music by the editors in the background set the tone for many of the scenes. You could always tell when something awful was happening and vise versa.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Savannah Jossart
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels in my option threw its self together at the end. It main plot of a Hollywood director wanting to create a movie about the working class so he becomes a hobo to get the experience was interesting. However the end seemed rushed. At the end of the film Sullivan decides to make his movie a comedy because laughter is the only thing some people have. The only part of the film that lead up to Sullivan’s sudden epiphany was the last ten minutes. The story tried to hard to make a conflict by “killing” Sullivan causing the falling action of the film to happen to fast. The pacing of the film was a little off; too much time was spent with Sullivan and the girl trying to be hobos. Overall I believe that the content of the story was good but the form of the story was sloppy.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Rachel Wager-Smith
Student’s email: rachelw_s@yahoo.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Madeleine Hedenland
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time seeing Sullivan’s Travels and I rather enjoyed it. It was serious yet comedic and I think Preston Sturges did a good job at expressing what he set out to do. At the beginning of the movie Sullivan began his travels because he wanted to make a movie about the poor, so he set out to try and live like them. I feel at the beginning when he started it was almost as a joke that he was doing all this for the movie. It wasn’t until he was actually immersed in the culture when he was in prison that he realized that is was something people don’t need to know about, and that happiness and laughter is the only thing some people have in the world.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Blia Yang
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
_Sullivan’s Travels_ is a lovely film with a touch of humor and darkness—it’s aesthetically pleasing, old fashioned fun, and ultimately meaningful. The script is witty and filled with humor. The main actors were good, as well as gorgeous, which is generally an advantage. Furthermore, the actual composition of the film flows appropriately to the context of what is happening on screen. For example, when Sullivan and “the girl” have a more intimate conversation discussing “the girl’s” desire for their relationship to lead to marriage, what we the audience see is their physical closeness as well as hear their lowered voices. This composition contrasts with the scene “the girl” discovers that Sullivan is still alive (this scene, too, is composed appropriately as we can easily distinguish what is moving and what should move us to laugh). We see “the girl” running, fast forwarded to create a comedic effect like that of the very Disney cartoon that Sullivan had watched in the black church. That scene, too, of Sullivan laughing at the cartoon has an appropriate composition; Sullivan watches the cartoon of the dog physically running around and he responds physically by laughing. It easily conveys to us that there is humor in the scene. However, that scene and Sullivan’s epiphany because of the cartoon, that laughter is important to the impoverished, opens a door to the darker aspects of the film. The darker aspects, being those that make the film meaningful beyond something pretty and comedic, are the film’s commentary towards the treatment of different classes through its writing, its characters, and its plot. Essentially, the film comments that all the poor has is humor, that the wealthy are treated better compared to the poor, and that, that latter is confirmed through the plot’s ending of Sullivan basically getting away with assault because he is rich and famous. It is generally true that the poor in the world are treated differently and often unjustly than the privileged, but, the film does not attempt to sugar that truth. And, in doing so, the film meaningfully observes and emphasizes this class gap that is still relevant today.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: James Vaughn
Student’s email: jvaughn661@yahoo.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Not being a fan of older films, I think Sullivan’s Travels inspired me to watch more movies from the past. I enjoyed the film and liked how the Sullivan changed from wanting to make a serious movie to a comedy. I discussed the film with my father who’s 67. I briefly described the story, and he said he remembered all the people laughing in the church which I think is cool that this movie had left some kind of an imprint on his mind. One thing I enjoyed about the film was how it went from a comedy to more of a serious film. Like how we discussed in class the first two acts can be kind of goofy, but in the third it’s serious bussiness.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Bryanna Moreno
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time watching Sullivan’s Travels and I really enjoyed it. Like we talked about in class it followed the story arch. In the beginning it quickly set up the rest of he movie where Sullivan wishes to make a movie about suffering and sets out to experience suffering as he has had a fairly privileged life. Before the end of the third sequence we meet all the important characters including The Girl. After that, in each sequence leading to the end there is tension like will they make it on the train, will they get fed, and are they going to finish the journey? Just as they complete what they were set out to do and everything looks like its going to turn out another obstacle appears for our hero and at this point we wonder if there will be a happy ending. The audience has to watch as The Girl and Sullivan’s co worker think he’s dead while he is unconscious on a train and the tension rises as the audience know what the characters in the movie don’t know. But it ends well with Sullivan in a church full of inmates and churchgoers all from different backgrounds laughing hysterically at the same thing and he realizes that people don’t need suffering but need laughter and joy in their lives. This movie with its slapstick comedy also served that purpose.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Marty Manseau
Student’s email: mmanseau0821@gmail.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels is a very interesting satire on the state of Hollywood in the early 20th century. The film follows John Sullivan, a movie director who is tired of making inane romance films. After a failed attempt of making a meaningful movie, he decides to take to the streets to learn what it is like to lead a hard life. However, after all of his struggles, he decides to continue making his typical Hollywood fluff because it comedies, in his opinion, are completely unifying.
Watching Sullivan’s Travels in 2015 makes writer/director Preston Sturges seem as prophetic as the Greek Oracle. Hollywood became what it is today because Sullivan chose to shy away from topics that he originally wanted to cover, such as poverty, starvation, and loneliness, in favor of the easy romantic comedy that is guaranteed to make money at the box office. Sullivan was motivated to make a happy film because he found that happiness and laughter unified many different types of people. However, films like Sullivan’s that are made in the 21st century feel more soulless. Sullivan’s Travels serves as a message to modern directors who are too scared to challenge the medium.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 04
Student’s name: Jina Park
Number of questions: 13
Percent correct: 100%
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jina Park
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This film has beautiful mise-en-scene as an old cinematography. The white and black framing has deep depth, and this makes me feel elegant. Especially, in the train scene, the contrast between inside and outside of train is obvious. Also, this difference of brightness makes female character more attractive and prettier and makes male character sturdier.
Actors have clear character and their own voices, so they let the color of film rich. There are two good examples: in the pool scene, Sullivan, main actress, and servers have their own character and personality and make funny story with both verbal and body languages; in the jail, Sullivan meets violent prison officer and kind prison officer.
The framing and development of story have the feature of Disney, and this creates good comedic scenes. In addition, juxtaposition between the scene of the poor life and luxurious life does not get the audiences to be bored. That is, the audiences can emotionally draw ups and downs within the plot, the gap of ups and downs become bigger with characters in the film, and the audiences can finally get catharsis when main actress go back to his home from prison.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Eva Hoch
Student’s email: eva.hoch@yahoo.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time watching Sullivan’s Travels and I really enjoyed it. I think this older movie made it seem so authentic and the humor was easy. While watching this movie, I compared it to modern Romantic Comedies. This movie was so much more real than new age movies. The Humor and because it is an older black and white movie, it can across with a warming tone. This movie makes fun of old hollywood, where in today most movies do not focus on that of the poor. This movie focuses on simpler forms of happiness such as watching cartoons. This scene seems to be rather important in illustrating that the pleasures of hollywood do not produce happiness, as the directer exemplifies.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Daniell Reeser
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels delivers a message that is very meaningful to me, and it also served as a wonderful model for the screenwriting patterns we examined in class. The subject of wanting to bring attention to strife, and to bring outrage and action against it, is still incredibly relevant to artists today. Every artist and piece has its part to play, and I appreciated how the film inevitably concluded that there is no reason to feel guilt over making art that lifts the spirits rather than point out the darkness of the world, if that is one’s calling. It also hinted at the moral issue of how it may be better to let those who are actually part of a group tell the masses about themselves, rather than be described by outsiders with little true understanding of their conditions.
The film followed the pattern of sequences in script writing quite well, and I found it interesting to note which points occurred directly because of Sullivan’s choices, and which happened to him. I noticed that the primary loss of his agency occurred in the “getting further from the goal” sequences, the downhill slope of Act 2 into the first part of Act 3. Then his agency made a stark and triumphant return in “the twist” when he decides to accuse himself of his own murder to get attention. I think this protagonist-driven pattern may be an American cultural value that reinforces individualism and the idea that if you are just driven enough, you can always change your situation.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Joseph LeClaire
Student’s email: leclairejoe@comcast.net
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time viewing Sullivan’s Travels and although I did like it to an extent there is no denying that it was very well made. I enjoyed the irony of the screenplay. The way that Sullivan was always dragged back to Hollywood in the beginning only to finally get what he wanted later in the film. I believe it was a good move sending Sullivan to prison only to have him discover what kind of entertainment he really wanted to make. Good writing with an excellent twist kept me wanting to watch this movie.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Natalie De La Mora
Student’s email:
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels explores the struggle of one man’s attempt to create a film of realistic depth and substance in a consumer and commercial driven Hollywood. His attempt to document the strife faced by the poor and destitute is met with resistance from the executives of the studio that push him to continue to make money producing romantic comedies. In the beginning as he is pitching his idea to make a film surrounding real world issues to two executives; the dark room they are in is illuminated by the single light from the projector that is focused on Sullivan. Likewise, Sullivan is featured in a white suit whereas the executives are in dark suits. This is an exemplification of the commendable and good director attempting to shed light on a meaningful subject matter while fighting against evil corporate Hollywood. Essentially Sullivan is the rare good in a dark Hollywood only concerned with money. Similarly, every time the studio was demanding that he continue directing more traditional films they are standing over Sullivan who is often seated. This is giving the executives the power in the scene and the appearance that they are bullying him into doing what they ask. This adds to the strength of Sullivan as a protagonist when he decides to maintain his convictions and stands up literally and metaphorically above the studio individuals. His annoyance with the entirety of the movie going experience is demonstrated when he attends the movie with the older women. Every diegetic sound is heightened as the shots alternate between him looking towards the sound and a zoomed in shot of the origins of the noises; each shot of his facial features growing progressively more exasperated.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Karla Argumoza
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a very interesting film to me because it kept me engaged with the characters throughout the whole movie. There were some parts in the film that I hoped and feared would happen. This film used the popular sequences that every Hollywood film has used before. In the first act we were introduced to the characters, and their goals. Sullivan was the protagonist that wanted to know how it was to be like the working class, but he kept getting back to Hollywood. In the second act, we see the rising action of the film. Sullivan finally gets to see what it is really like being a working class person with a companion, the girl. In the third act, all fails. Sullivan is mistaken by a working class man and is sent to a workers labor camp because he hit a man with a rock. He tries to tell everyone that he is actually a movie director, but no one listens. Now he is stuck here being someone he is not. In the last part of this act, Sullivan claims that he was the one who killed the famous movie director and then is recognized for who he really is, and is released from the camp. What the film explained here was that he was a rich white man, so he did not have to “pay” for what he did to the man that he hit with a rock. Social economic status in this time showed that anyone could get away with anything if they had the money. One last thing that the film left me hoping for was that Sullivan and the girl would become a couple, but the film never showed the two characters in that state. Other than the last part I really enjoyed the movie.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Zara Dawson
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
I love the Coen brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou so it was very interesting to me to see that it was an homage to this film. I enjoyed Sullivan’s Travels. It was pretty entertaining. Although maybe it was just me but I thought the characters talked really fast, which was pretty typical and characteristic of films made in the ’30s and ’40s.
I also found it interesting when comparing with O Brother Where Art Thou that Sullivan’s intent is to make a film with that very same title, but in the end he decides not to make it, at least not in the dramatic, serious way he was intending. So when the Coen brothers make O Brother Where Art Thou 70 years later, its a comedy.
It was also interesting in class when we paired the movie with the screenwriting formula to see how it holds up. Just looking at the screenwriting formula itself, it looks so complicated and you doubt that a Hollywood film that’s purely for entertainment purposes would follow the formula that rigidly, but surprisingly, when you compare various films and analyze them on the basis of the formula, they really do follow.
The film definitely has a social commentary, how Sullivan is arrested when no one knows who he is and he is treated very poorly and sent to the chain gang, but when it is revealed who he really is, that he is a rich film producer from Hollywood, he gets off the hook and is totally free and clear despite what he did. Although I liked Sullivan as a character. I think his intentions were honorable and in the right place, but he was just a little naïve in the execution.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Molly Greco
Student’s email: molly_greco@comcast.net
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
“Sullivan’s Travels” is a satirical film, which mocks the idea of hollywood, while being a hollywood film itself, and experimenting with different styles of film. The sound effects were greatly exaggerated in this film. A few examples of this are Sullivan’s sneezes, cars going by, and train whistles. The script follows the basic rules for the Three Act Structure. The dialogue is quick-wit, and very entertaining, all while being seemingly effortless, with good conversation flows. There are some great editing effects for 1941. One effect that stood out to me, was the blurring of the picture after Sullivan had woken up from getting hit in the head. This method shows the confusion that was going on Sullivan’s mind. Another effect that stood out to me, was at the end of the film, when there was an image of Sullivan and the girl, and a picture over-lap of a flashback to the laughter in the crowd from the church. This also exaggerates the theme of what is important to Sullivan through film: laughter and enjoyment.
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‘Sullivan’s Travels’ addresses the issue of poverty. The exposition of the film is revealed when Sullivan is talking to two producers after a screening. The audience, through the dialogue, get a sense of his backstory as growing up in a wealthy family, not knowing what trouble is. The rising action starts when he gets the idea to become poor. He dresses like a hobo and lives homeless in order to understand living a hard life to make a better film. Also a key component to the rising action is when he meets a girl who wants to come along with him on his adventure. Throughout the film they are pursuing the goal of living a hard life. They finally reach that goal when they are living in a shelter and get to the point of searching for food in the garbage. I think the climax of the film takes place when Sullivan is hit over the head by a homeless man after handing people money in the streets. The falling action is when he is in the prison camp. The film shows the obvious difference in wealth and poverty. Because people thought Sullivan was poor they gave him a speedy trial and he was sent to prison camp for attacking the man by the train, but after they find out that he is famous and rich he is let go like nothing happened. The film is concluded by seeing him free from the camp and able to marry the girl. The part that I liked most about the film was when laughter was portrayed as a precious thing. Sullivan learns that sometimes laughter is the only thing people have to get them through the hard times. As a result of what he learns, he decides to make a comedy and not O Brother, Where Art thou which is sort of ironic because in real life O Brother, Where Art Thou was made into a comedy by the Coen brothers in 2000.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: kathleen crouter
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Taylor Lee
Student’s email: taylorlee2@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Out of all the films shown in class I really enjoyed watching Sullivan’s Travels because of the story, and how the directer used a lot of genres to put this movie together.First, the actors really make the story come alive and move the story along. The story itself is very interesting and in the end we discover a meaning and a purpose of the film for the audience to take from. The message is to do what you love because that’s where true happiness or laughter comes from and don’t try to live a way that you are not. Second, the director used a lot of genres in the film such as: tragic melodrama, prison film, serious drams, social documentary, slapstick, romance, comedy, action, and even a little musical shots. The diversity of genres really made this movie stand out or entertaining and that’s the main thing I love about this movie.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Neha Khan
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivins Travels by Preston Sturges explores the theme of poverty and wealth in a satirical and comical way. Sturges explores this theme through lighting, plot and acting. In the scenes when Sullivin and The Girl are hobos the lighting is dm and dark like the lives of the homeless and we get a sense of desperation. The plot is set up in the traditinal story arch style. We see Sullivin going through a heros journey almost and the situation he’s put in when he becomes a worker in slave like conditons gives the watchers a real sense of the poverty at the time. The acting is face-paced making the comical dialogue come to life. Overall, Sullivins Travels is a great satirical outlook at the poverty at the time.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Travis Bishop
Student’s email: travisbishop@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a great movie for its age. I enjoyed the plot of the movie, a rich director going to live among the less fortunate to write a movie that will in turn make him richer. The movie quickly turned into a love story, but remained a satire. It seemed to be an early romcom in my opinion. There was a plot twist towards the end of the movie, Instead of Sullivan making a serious movie about poverty in America he decides to make a comedy, because all we have is laughter. It wasn’t the normal old black and white movie that your grandparents made you watch, it seemed to be before its time.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Kaitlin Chin
Student’s email: kaitlin.v.chin@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 03
Student’s name: Kaitlin Chin
Student’s email: kaitlin.v.chin@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%
Last week I accidentally did quiz 4 so I just did 3 and 5 this week.
I had seen Sullivan’s Travels in another film class several years ago. I really enjoy this movie because it’s funny but at the same time it deals with real life issues. I really enjoyed our after-film lecture about the story arc. I thought that Sullivan’s journey fit the model very well. I thought that the rising action fit when he met the girl, and she joins him on his adventure. it seemed as though we would skip the crisis and have our resolution when he begins passing out the $5 bills. By that point I was pretty upset at the film because it would not have concluded his journey. But when he gets robbed and sent to jail, I was relieved that the falling action had begun and he was able to get his actual realization. The realization occurred when the inmates visited the church and Sullivan was able to see that laughter can still prevail in even the worst situations. Thus, Sullivan ends up making comedies and gets his happy ending with the girl.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: David Bean
Student’s email: davidbean@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Samuel Acosta
Student’s email: samuelacosta@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels was a very entertaining and very charming film. It exemplifies the type of sensationalism coming out Hollywood in the 40’s and 50’s. Very exaggerated acting, dramatic lighting, and conventional screenwriting structure make up this movie. I thought the story itself was very riveting. It was very meta in that it was about the film industry. The film follows a very traditional 3 act structure. It does a good job in that, despite its predictability, still kept my attention because of how well Preston Sturges utilized structure.
From the rising action of him thinking he knows what it’s like to be poor to the 1st culmination of him being thrown into jail, the movie does a great job of displaying textbook examples of 3 act structures.
The film also handled lighting really well. One example that stands out is when Sullivan gets robbed at the train yard. The lighting sets such a dark and gritty scene that the audience can’t help but feel something bad is about to happen. The juxtaposition of Sullivan’s experience at the end made act 3 much more meaningful and satisfying.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jess Gemignani-Olmo
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
This was my first time seeing Sullivan’s Travels, which is a humorous satirical Hollywood drama. My favorite aspect of this movie is all of the meta-cinematic moments. Sporadically throughout the film McCrea’s lines would call to attention the fact that the audience is watching a movie, almost indirectly speaking to the audience at times. This self-awareness was not only amusing but made the characters more likable in my opinion because it made it feel as if they were in on the joke in a sense. Many of the lines were witty references to filmmaking such as when a policeman asks Sullivan, “How does the girl fit into the picture?” and Sullivan replies, “There’s always a girl in the picture. What’s the matter, don’t you go to the movies?”. This line was great because not only is it a relevant thing for a movie director to say but it doubles as a self-aware joke. It’s even better because Veronica Lake’s character is simply called “The Girl” and she fits in to the “picture” in the most stereotypical way: as a love interest (which is essentially what Sullivan was referring to). Even the title is a Hollywood-centric joke as it’s a play off the popular novel Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift which had an animation adaptation in 1939, two years before Sullivan’s Travels came out.
Another aspect of this movie I appreciated was what seemed like the use of undercranking in certain scenes such as when “The Girl” finds out that Sullivan isn’t dead or the chase scene with the kid in the whippet tank. Slowing down the frame rate in order to achieve a silent-movie era aesthetic for the exterior car shots in the chase scene was a nice touch and made the scene far more entertaining than had it been done at a regular speed. I thought this scene was really nicely done in general. The way most shots harnessed the realistic look of constant, changing movement as well as the constant transitioning from one shot to another made it feel chaotic but managed to maintain its humor (which the music definitely helped with too). Each shot felt right in terms of length and the editing was nothing short of perfect as well.
Due to the film being satirical, it would be tedious to go and mention all of the times someone said or did something ironic. However, one of the biggest ironies for me was how desperately Sullivan was trying to experience poverty and possibly even empathize with the people whose lifestyle he was making a “caricature” of yet completely fails to register the huge gaps in equality between social classes. For instance, he nearly bashes someone to death with a rock and doesn’t seem to understand why he wound up in trouble for it. Rather than having a revelation about how different he was treated when he was seen as a poor vagrant versus when he was recognized as a wealthy movie director and consequently developing a solution to that, Sullivan was too busy having his revelation about how homeless people would rather see a funny distraction rather than their own misery on the silverscreen. I found that amusing because those impoverished people probably would have appreciated having Sullivan utilize his large platform and speak out for them and the injustice they face rather than have another movie to watch in order to only momentarily escape their suffering. I mean, they could have even had both. Sullivan is made to seem to have grown exponentially as a character but when it gets down to it he hasn’t done much at all. That in a way could be a mockery of how Hollywood takes what it finds interesting or shocking and chooses to ignore the important parts of many stories. Sullivan never really grew as a person, in my opinion. In the beginning he didn’t seem to have a genuine care or interest in the people he was supposedly making his film for, he only was interested in the stigma of the lifestyle. At the end he kind of just missed the heaviness of reality and focused on a surface-level problem. However, I think having Sullivan do something substantial also would have made the film too heavy, which would have undermined the entire point of the plot anyway.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jonathan P.
Student’s email: JonathanPatton@csus.edu
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
” Producer 1: It Died in Pittsburg, like a dog.
Sullivan: Wadda’ they know in Pittsburg?
Producer 2: They know what they like!”
Sullivan: If they knew what they like, they wouldn’t live in Pittsburg ”
This is just one example of the amazing combination of Sturges’ brilliant writing along with Joel McCrea’s quick deliver. This scene gives us a chance to not only see Sullivan in his element; arguing and bartering with his producers, but to also introduce us to Sullivan as a character, his goals and motifs. Several times throughout this scene Sullivan states that he wants to makes a social film, “a document a mirror”, much to the protest of his producers who want to include “ a little sex, in it “. This immediate statement and subsequent bartering is telling our audience that Sullivan’s goal is making a social film, while the producer’s is making money by appealing to the audience’s wants and desires. This joke/line is repeated throughout the scene as almost every time that Sullivan’s states what type of film he wants to make, the two producers interject saying,“ With a little sex in it”. This on-the-nose writing helps reinforce the producers main goals of money and power. Joel McCrea’s performance as Sullivan is also noteworthy, as we see not only what Sullivan’s goals are but also how Sullivan feels about his goals. Sullivan’s tone is urging them to believe as he does it’s as if his message is not just to the Producers on screen, but also to the audience viewing the story as well. During this scene, the blocking is exceptional as this entire scene is presented as one take. We can tell that each position is carefully planned as the camera and the characters moves from position to position we get a sense that each one of the frames of this scene could be hung as a piece of art in it’s own right.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Ana Carla Teixeira Praciano Santos
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Sullivan’s Travels is an interesting and extraordinary film. One of the things that first caught my attention was the peculiar story the movie film talks about. There is a saying in my country that says, “Poor people love luxury. Who likes misery are intellectuals”. This fits perfectly in Sullivan’s Travels, such as when Sullivan’s butler says that poor people knows about poverty and only rich people think that it is glamourous. This serves to show how intelligent this film is, showing a humorous social critic of the hypocrite society. This can also be observed when Sullivan is released from prison just because people realize he is rich and famous. Furthermore, I think the acting have a crucial role for this film have succeeded. The lovely actors cause empathy in the audience, especially Veronica Lake’s character, which is quickly added to the film and already is a huge part of it. The protagonists make the viewer connect and cheers for them to have an exciting ending during the whole movie. In addition, I think really interesting how easily the film goes from a comedy while Sullivan pretends to be a poor man to a drama when he sees himself in a prison. In this moment, I believe that we finally understand the real message of the film, which is that a simply smile can make the difference for many people. It was the first time I saw Sullivan’s Travels, but I’m sure it won’t be last.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Patricia Brill
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
I was not in class when we watched Sullivan’s Travels but I have seen it once before. I have always loved movies that mock the idea & business of hollywood, even though I want to be in the business myself. I find it a way of bringing hollywood back down to reality and more down to earth rather than just seeing hollywood be so full of themselves, so a movie like this can be a refreshing break from the norm. The sound effects and some of the actions are greatly overexaggerated but the film goes through multiple genres including comedy and slapstick comedy and drama and action and the overexaggeratedness works for the film. I do also love the seamless editing of this movie which flows a lot better than other movies from the same time period.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Joao Vitor Mascarenhas
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 93%
Sullivan’s Travels is an interesting movie that broke my stereotype of black-and-white films. With a very joyful story of this visionary director of Hollywood in his journey to learn more about the life. We are invited to follow Sullivan in this travel, but we only accepted the invitation when The Girl, Veronica Lake, joined in this train. From this point of the narrative, we actually, find ourselves in the expectation of the couple ends together and Sullivan learns his lesson.
The classical sound track plays a important role in the story, giving, in most of the time, a touch of humor in the story. For example, in the montage sequence when Sullivan is experiencing a poor life with The Girl (Veronica Lake), the music plays the role of communication by itself, showing the good humor and the state of mind which the characters face the challenges of a poor life. At the end of the story the audience can understand the importance of this humor because the big learning of Sullivan is that, in fact, the humor movies have a huge importance in people’s life.
I became very curious to know why the actress of a unnamed character was so emphasized at the beginning credits and in the poster of the movie instead of the main character in the story. Although Veronica Lake’s character is important in the story, I find out that the main role of this highlight in her character was the marketing of the film, since Veronica was a very famous actress.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: barron perez
Student’s email: barronsperez@yahoo.com
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 93%
Sullivan Travels is a classic film that influences comedic directors today. I did like how it addresses social issues we have today with poor and rich people, but The comedic timing and quick dialogue were the first things that caught my attention. I love a good comedy that can still entertain an audience 75 yrs after it came out. I usually cannot stand older Black and white films but “Sullivan’s Travels” stands the test of time. After thinking about the film i can see how the Cohen Brothers were definitely influenced by this film, while they were making “Oh Brother Where Art Thou”.
The editing of the film was also really good and it made the film more believable. The editor made good choices on informing the audience on what was about to happen. The editor also made good choices on making scenes real, like the RV chase. This film was very enjoyable and I’m glad I saw it.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jeremy Santos
Student’s email: jeremyasantos@gmail.com
Number of questions:10
Percent correct: 100%
One of the first techniques I noticed after finishing this great film. In the first scenes you notice a intense action scene with two men fighting on top of a moving train. The head lead Joel McCrea playing the role of John L. Sullivan a famous director who highly prefers action genre over comedy genre related films. In the end of the movie he realizes that all some people have in life is a chance to laugh which is ironic that he chose to start filming a comedic film instead of O Brother Where art Thou.the screen writing of the movie was brilliant and the storyline didnt bore me for being a movie made in 1941. Over all setting and film aspect by far captured and relay the true meaning of this film.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Sabrina Dunkl
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
So this weeks discussion is about sriptwriting and the narrative of the story. The three acts that work within the narrative and how that pans out within the story. The opening of the movie did a well job of establishing the setting and bluntly establishes the problem. The problem that the main character needs to experience the struggles of being poor. The plot of the narrative was well thought of and was well structured.
First of all, the sarcastic comedy helps move along the story line. For example, the main character lies to the women about him knowing a famous producer when knowingly he is the producer. This helps the story line because there is a need for him to lie because he doesn’t want to be noticed along his journey. All of the sequences serve a purpose from sequence one to sequence 8 he is journeying his way through life.
The second act is about him being on his own and trying to live the poor life but it doesn’t help his situation when he keeps going back and forth from the rich and poor life. His third act is the climax and resolution in which he gets knocked unconcius and ends up in jail. His struggle to get out of jail and to get back to his original life.
Secondly, scriptwriting is about creating a narrative story and creating that special character that eventually progesses throughout the movie and becomes a changed person or has a different point of view on life. The scriptwriter did a great job at doing so because the actor has a different perception of life after his struggle.
Thirdly, a convention was broken in the movie. The convention that was broken during the movie was the church scene about the inmates watching a disney movie. The audience obviusly doesn’t expect this and this basically turns the movie in a different direction. Even though the convention was broken it worked within the plot and narrative and had a positive effect on the movie. This was the time when the audience realized that the main character had changed and came to a realization.
Laslty, the movie was great and I enjoyed watching my first black and white movie.
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I really enjoyed Sullivan’s Travels because it pretty good example of the three-act structure with in a film. It really made me think as both a writer and a director, how far would you go to make your movie happen. Sully wanted to experience trouble and sure enough, he experience enough for a lifetime. I also really like how the movie takes a darker turn towards the end of the film but it also made me realize that Sully’s goal towards the plot of the film changes completely. At first, he wants to experience trouble but then his goal changes into getting “The Girl” and by the end of the film he does meet that goal but he throws out the first one.
Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 06
Student’s name: Geovanie Brooks
Student’s email: gbrooks2390@gmail.com
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 80%
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Stephanie Castillo
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
I really enjoyed Sullivan’s Travels as this was the first time I saw the film. There were a couple of moments that were unexpected in the overall story arc, but while watching the film you got a sense of where the film was headed. It really made me think about how a story is structured and that most films follow that same structure no matter the plot or genre. It probably wasn’t important in the overall storyline but I did wonder how he was able to get out of jail so easily because he did assault the guy when he lost his memory.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Jeremy Clark
Student’s email: jeremyclark@csus.edu
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 100%c
I did not like Sullivan’s Travels much. I thought the movie was heavy-handed with its message, and while I realize it was making fun of itself at times it still seemed a little too obvious for me. While I am not a big fan of the very straight forward styles of older movies, strangely enough I do like the over the top acting style. The more theatrical acting styles make me feel like I’m watching a live performance. For instance when Sullivan was arguing with the two movie executives in the beginning, they are very expressive with their actions and project their voices much more than a movie star of today. Everything they do is exaggerated for the audience and I find it catches the audiences attention well.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Evan
Student’s email:
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
Preston Sturgess, wrote and directed the 1941 film Sullivan’s Travel. The script for the film is well structured and funny. The dialogue of the film is rapid fire, clever, and humorous. . One of the funniest interactions in the movie is the early car scene when John L. Sullivan, played by Joel McCrea, and The Girl, played by Veronica Lake, is talking about a famous director (him) without saying it’s him. He’s talking like he knows this guy but he is that guy. Actually I like all the scenes with them. They have great chemistry. The one by the pool stands out. They end up in that pool twice. So besides dialogue, physical movements/actions lend to the comic moments.
Certain shots without dialogue add to the humor also. For instance the full shot of the policeman on the motorcycle watching the little speeding car with the kid driving and John L. Sullivan in the passenger. He sees the car speeding by and gets splashed and then the car with all the studio people pass by and he’s then covered in mud and muck.
All in all I enjoyed the film. The story is meta. It’s a film about a filmmaker wanting to make a serious movie, dealing with the real life suffering of poor people. He doesn’t value the comedies he’s made in the past. He learns by the end that comedies are necessary and good to help people take their minds off their hardships, to laugh, and be entertained and have a good time. I feel the film is meta also because that is probably an answer to what was happening in the industry at the time.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Hillary Folsom
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 97%
I’ve always been a fan of old time movies so this one was particularly cool to me. I liked the story of having a director research his film by surrounding his own life as being a homeless person traveling by train and having his lady friend by his side- only to have him sent off to work in a jail for “murdering himself” because another homeless guy took his shoes. It was nice to have him realize that even if you have nothing to lose and no other sort of personal belongings, the best thing to have to lighten the spirits is laughter.
The over the top acting was also pretty great. For having it be a 40s film, it must’ve been quite the fun one to watch. It was an easy film to follow in terms of the narration with the rising action, climax, falling action, etc. Everything flowed pretty smoothly and the sarcastic acting made it enjoyable to watch.
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This was my first time watching this film, but like all classic Hollywood films, it warmed my heart. Of course they are made to do this and make us feel good like everything will work out in the end no matter what, but I can admit that it works. They have the story plotted out perfectly to capture us in the desire for the director to achieve his want to experience a life that less fortunate than his own. The way the writer and director place interactions between those in the romantic entanglement demonstrate a growing desire between the characters and bring us along for the joy ride of watching them fall for each other. It starts with how they meet, and seeing what type of person she is. Her change in attitude and demeanor towards the director keep the viewer locked in to how they are going to end up in all of this. A good example of a simple, well constructed film out of Hollywood.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 03
Student’s name: Jasmine
Number of questions: 10
Percent correct: 80%
In Sullivan’s Travels, The famous Hollywood director John L. Sullivan wants to earn the proper incite into creating his film known as “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” In order to create this film Sullivan wants to see how people on the poorer end of the spectrum have to survive. He lives in their areas of town for a little bit and ends up getting into a fight at a train station. Sullivan goes on to lose his memory and becomes unable to prove his innocence and is thrown in prison for 6 years. Sullivan was pronounced dead by the community that he once thrived in and he had to try his hardest to prove he was alive and make his way out of prison.
The editors of the film use dark lighting when there is an act of trouble and they tend to use up beat music and lighting angles to show his excitement. When he found a way to get himself out of prison it was a very bright, airy moment. When he was stuffed into the sweat box it was dim and depressing.
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Quiz name: Looking at Movies, 4e
Chapter Number: 05
Student’s name: Sarah Smith
Number of questions: 15
Percent correct: 100%
In Sullivan’s Travels we see Hollywood wiliness to poke fun at itself as the brilliant opinionated writer sets out to experience the real world and is followed by a luxurious bus full of essential amenities. Even when he escapes his caravan of protectors he still does not face the true realty of the depression because he can end his experience at any time. In fact it is not until he is arrested and sent to a labor camp that he truly learns what his audience wants and needs during the dark times. That laughter is what the world needs.
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