Preston Sturges had signed a deal with Paramount in 1936, and Easy Living was his first assignment for them. Although putatively based on a story by Vera Caspary, Sturges in fact supposedly kept almost nothing of it except the mink coat. When a studio executive rejected the script because “1936 was not the time for comedies”, Sturges took the script directly to Mitchell Leisen, of which Sturges said “going to a director over the head of my producer was not a sagacious move.”
via Easy Living (1937 film) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A reader recently reminded my what a delightful talent Jean Arthur was, this screwball comedy begins when a mink coat is tossed off the roof of Manhattan penthouse, and a completely charming movie ensues.
Preston Sturges is my all-time favourite director, and Jean Arthur was a gem, too.
I could kiss you! Preston Sturges movies are right up there with Billy Wilder’s and Ernst Lubitsch’s – I might have to send you a cake on his birthday. Which is August 28th, remind me 😉
Haha! 🙂 Seriously, though, I do love Wilder and Lubitsch so much, too. What sets Sturges apart for me, other than his world-view, is the fact that all of his masterpieces (7 or 8, depending on your opinion) were made in 4 years. 4 years.
Oh, it isn’t mink! It’s kolinsky!
Catriona, (by the way, love “I Know Where I’m Going”) you are so right! A rare Russian coat, indeed! I can’t remember the price tag… $58,000?
I wouldn’t know… I’m a simple girl. I have a job at Boys Constant Companion Magazine, you know? (Easy Living is THE most underrrated screwball comedy ever!)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXT0QCeofFg&w=420&h=315%5D
Garson Kanin was right: Jean Arthur would have been perfect as Billie in Born Yesterday.
Dearest V
We have a local furriers where The Dandy resides now (frequented by a certain Miss Moss). I often stare in the windows and wonder about a muffler.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Definitely. I don’t care how un-PC it is… It is WARM.
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