1939 - You Can't Take It with You

Director: Frank Capra

Production Company: Columbia Pictures

Leads: Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, James Stewart

"Living with them must be like living in the world of Walt Disney" - Tony Kirby

Setting

New York City, 1938

The Plot 

The film is set in New York City in 1936 and follows the wealthy and well-to-do Kirby family and the quirky middle class family headed by Mr Vanderhof [Lionel Barrymore], and the shenanigans that ensure after their respective children become engaged.

The Review

Gosh this was a sweet break from the two biopics that preceded it! 

Anthony P Kirby [Edward Arnold] runs a large corporation trying to force Martin Vanderhof to sell his home for a monopolising commercial development. Vanderhof is digging in his heels a la The Castle, so you can imagine how well they get on as in-laws when the Kirbys’ golden boy Tony (James Stewart) is betrothed to Vanderhof’s beautiful granddaughter Alice Sycamore [Jean Arthur]. Tony’s bright idea to surprise them and bring his parents over unexpectedly resulted in probably the most disastrous meet-the-parents ever (though perhaps not as crazy as Meet the Fockers)...quirky families need prior warning if they are required to act normal. Alas there was no warning given and they all ended up in the slammer. How? Watch it and find out! 

I did rather like the judge played by Harry Davenport, quite a character, and Mrs Sycamore’s use of a kitten as a paperweight is a real “awwww” moment. Donald Meek played charming inventor Mr Poppins, stuck in a mundane job and rescued by Vanderhof; though aside from helping introduce us to the Vanderhof-Sycamore family where he moved in to join the league of crazy inventors in the basement, his character faded away and seemed quite pointless given the initial screen time. Mrs Kirby was very snobby and holier-than-thou, however we didn't really get a chance to get to know her much deeper than that and her development in that area was not explained. 

Given solar panels weren't commercially available until the 1950’s I was intrigued by Tony’s musing if they we could learn to pull power from the sun’s rays “we could take all the power we need right from the sun”. 

Although love in movies always faces trials, it was interesting that there were no love triangles or other potential suitors...there again things were crazy enough as they were.

The film was fun to watch with an amusing mix of madcap antics (the restaurant scene is hysterical) with a warm plot and good morals. The cast worked well together, which is essential for some of the crazy scenes they had to synchronise!

The Slap

This goes to John Blakely for his part in ruthlessly trying to force Vanderhof to sell his home. He does not develop or come through and remains a horrid little man. Congratulations Mr Blakely, well-earned.