Easy Living (1937)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Mitchell Leisen

Writers:

Preston Sturges (screenplay)
Vera Caspary (story)

Release Date:

16 July 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

J.B. Ball, a rich financier, gets fed up with his free-spending family. He takes his wife's just-bought...

Plot Keywords:

Financier | Sable | Butler | Gift | Automat

Cast

Jean Arthur	...	Mary Smith
Edward Arnold	...	J.B. Ball
Ray Milland	...	John Ball Jr.
Luis Alberni	...	Mr. Louis Louis
Mary Nash	...	Mrs. Jenny Ball
Franklin Pangborn	...	Van Buren
Barlowe Borland	...	Mr. Gurney
William Demarest	...	Wallace Whistling
Andrew Tombes	...	E.J. Hulgar
Esther Dale	...	Lillian
Harlan Briggs	...	Mr. Higginbottom - Office Manager
William B. Davidson	...	Mr. Hyde
Nora Cecil	...	Miss Swerf
Robert Greig	...	Graves - J.B. Ball's Butler

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #3401) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Finland:S

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

Quotes:

Van Buren: The bull of broad street... with a girl... in the sable-est sable coat they ever sabled!

This film is magic

The pleasures of a Preston Sturges film are many, and even his poorest are miles above the competition. I know, you're saying that Mitchell Leisen directed this and that it was based on a play but after hearing that incredible dialogue and seeing those broadly drawn characters, imbued with a warmth not found in most comedies, you can't tell me that this isn't a Preston Sturges film. Sure, there is evidence of Leisen's restraining hand that you can't find in, say, Miracle of Morgan's Creek, but it's Sturges, all right. But for me, the real joy is seeing my favorite actress from this period, Jean Arthur, work with material, from my favorite writer from this period, Sturges. She fits this material so well that it is a shame they never worked together again. Another real strength is the work of the character roles, always so good in Sturges films and we see a few of the actors who will later become part of the 'Sturges stock company'. So, if you want hilarious situations, laugh-out-loud dialogue and strong comedic characters, I heartily recommend this great film.