THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK

US, 1944, 99 minutes, Black and white,
Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, William Demarest, Brian Donlevy.
Directed by Preston Sturges.

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek is considered something of a forty's classic comedy. Preston Sturges was a screen writer in the thirties and moved to writing and directing around 1940 with such films as The Great Mc Ginty and the Lady Eve. This film and Hail the Conquering Hero are considered his best. He was in the tradition of the thirties screwball comedy with an emphasis on fast pace, twist and humorous dialogue, exaggerated situation which poke fun at America.

This film has the background of the war and style of the forties and to some extent appears dated. However it is a good example of forties comedy.

1. The classic status of this comedy? Preston Sturges' reputation and style? The comic performances of the leads?

2. The importance of the war background, a comic look at war, the crispness and pace of the dialogue, the conventions of the screwball comedy, contrived situations and farce?

3. The flashback structure and audience expectations about the miracle? The use of Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamiroff from the Great Mc Ginty as the Governor and his assistant?

4. The extent of morals in the war situation? The reaction of Mr Kockenlocker? The dance, the soldiers and the boys before they went off? Norval as a contrast? Trudy and her night out, the editing of various parties, the driving around, singing? The atmosphere of drinking, the sudden marriage and the pregnancy? The reaction of the town? This kind of moral situation as a basis for comedy then, now?

5. The Kockenlocker family's father as a policeman, widower, only daughters? His shouting at people, his strictness? His reaction to the situation and his tendency towards criminal activity? Trying to persuade Norval to escape? His resignation? Hiding with Trudy and Emily? His final decision to tell the truth and defend Norval?

6. The Betty Hutton heroine, Trudy? Her work in the shop, place in the town, love for Norval? Her wanting to go out, dressing up, happiness of the evening and then the repercussions? Her fear, lack of memory, the visit to the doctor? Emily's advice to use Norval? Her proposing to him and the devious way in which she did it but refusing when she realized she was using him? The discussions with Emily, with Norval? The decision about a false marriage and the farcical elements of its failure? Her response to Norval in gaol, retirement from the town? The hospital sequences and the humour of the sextuplets? A portrait of a war time American girl?


7. Norval as a comic American male? The nice boy around town, with his mother, taking Trudy to the pictures, helping her with the car? His awkwardness, wanting to be in the army? His love for Trudy, reaction to her story, the length that he went to help her especially with the false marriage? The humour where he continually refused to escape? His return, the reaction to the sextuplets?

8. Comment on the portrait of Emily as the precocious teenager with her knowledge and her worldly wise advice?

9. The importance of the various incidents illustrating the character of the town, the American reaction to such situations?

10. The quality of the comedy touches and the dialogue? The humorous situations?

11. The middle American values that were upheld as well as commented on and criticised?