Sullivan's Travels

Preston Sturges’ most famous film, Sullivan’s Travels, may not match the sleek perfection of his ”Lady Eve,” but its endlessly fertile and still influential fusion of satire, screwball comedy, drama, and slapstick (most recent homage: the Coen brothers’ ”O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) remains tartly fresh. As the successful Hollywood director who dons rags to explore the lower depths and the gal pal who tags along, Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake are movie star sublime. More sparks fly in their first encounter than most current screen couples can muster in an entire film.

The commentary from filmmakers Christopher Guest, Noah Baumbach, and Michael McKean is affectionate, astute, and, thanks to Guest, occasionally loopy, while an accompanying 1989 documentary and separate interview with Sturges’ fourth and last wife, Sandy, fill in the blanks of his remarkable whirlwind life. Forget screwball wannabes like ”America’s Sweethearts.” This is the real deal.