The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943)
May 9, 2019 7:14 PM - Subscribe
In this classic Preston Sturges comedy, the soldier-smitten Trudy Kockenlocker (Betty Hutton) discovers that she is both married and pregnant after a raucous troop send-off party. While she has no idea who her new husband is, her longtime admirer, Norval Jones (Eddie Bracken), seizes the opportunity to help. When Trudy's cop father (William Demarest) catches wind of the situation, however, wacky misunderstandings follow, with the well-meaning Norval on the wrong side of the law.
Thank you for reminding me this exists! I think it’s been at least 10 years since I saw it, so I’ve definitely erased it from my mind entirely. Off to try to find it
posted by schadenfrau at 9:20 PM on May 12, 2019
posted by schadenfrau at 9:20 PM on May 12, 2019
This one is probably my favourite of Sturges' work (over his better known Lady Eve & Sullivan's Travels) and despite not being a fan of Eddie Bracken. The plot is so bonkers and at times it is hard to imagine it being from 1943 (especially with the Hays Office firmly entrenched in Hollywood by that point). One of my favourite bits is the reference to the Dionne Quintuplets (previously) near the end - "Canada Protests!"
Wiki says about its run: "Paramount's highest-grossing film of 1944, taking in nine million dollars in box office receipts while playing to standing-room-only audiences in some theatres." Imagine paying to see a movie only to stand and watch it? Incredible!
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:27 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Wiki says about its run: "Paramount's highest-grossing film of 1944, taking in nine million dollars in box office receipts while playing to standing-room-only audiences in some theatres." Imagine paying to see a movie only to stand and watch it? Incredible!
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:27 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
How did I miss this? This was a favorite of my Dad's, a man singular in his inability to be funny himself, he was an excellent judge of where the funny could be found.
posted by rhizome at 12:20 PM on May 17, 2019
posted by rhizome at 12:20 PM on May 17, 2019
I have never understood how this movie got past the Hays Office.
posted by pmurray63 at 7:57 PM on May 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by pmurray63 at 7:57 PM on May 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh hey this has been posted.
The cynical and knowledgeable younger sister in this is so fucking funny.
Sturges just repeatedly wiping his butt with the whole institution of marriage is quite a glorious thing.
posted by fleacircus at 4:29 AM on March 25, 2021
The cynical and knowledgeable younger sister in this is so fucking funny.
Sturges just repeatedly wiping his butt with the whole institution of marriage is quite a glorious thing.
posted by fleacircus at 4:29 AM on March 25, 2021
In a more low key, in the background way, that the story takes place over the Christmas season makes the "miracle" births even more amusing. Sturges enjoyed thumbing his nose at a lot of respectable institutions.
posted by gusottertrout at 4:35 AM on March 25, 2021
posted by gusottertrout at 4:35 AM on March 25, 2021
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posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:20 PM on May 9, 2019