Sturges is a master at integrating gags with narration. His dialogue is smart, witty, and original, and, as many have said, way ahead of his time. The more I think about and watch this film the funnier it becomes. Not only is the dialogue in Sturges' unique style, but it is also in the rapid, reactionary manner found in other '40s films, like His Girl Friday, an aspect Claudette Colbert and Rudy Vallee especially shine in. The increased volume on Robert Dudley (The Wienie King) creates a delightfully annoying character. The sound, acting, and narrative techniques are all superb. What it lacks is a strong concentration in editing and cinematography. A '40s comedy such as this relies heavily on continuity. In many situations Sturges avoids the over-the-shoulder shot in favor of close-ups which put more emphasis on character reactions, while this helps in the development of each character, I think this choice of framing takes away from the spatial continuity, and is quite jolting. The editing also increases this discontinuity of space. Many times Sturges attempts dynamic shot-reverse shot conversation pieces, which are more disjointing than enjoyable. While some may disregard these aspects in favor of Sturges inventive writing, I think the lack of concentration on these features leaves an unpolished feel around the film.
The Palm Beach Story (1942)