Top Ranked Films of Preston Sturges

Preston Sturges
4 titles, 60th in points with 13,154

As a wealthy kid, he worked on staged productions for his mother’s friend, Isadora Duncan – in fact, his mother’s company made the scarf that strangled the famous dancer after it became entangled in the wheel of a sports car. Beat that for a background in the movies.

These are all the films of classic American director Preston Sturges’ that made the top 1000 in our 2011 update of the Top Ranked 1000 Films on the Net, all polls.

1. The Lady Eve (1941) #149
2. Palm Beach Story, The (1942) #242
3. Sullivan's Travels (1941) #296
4. Miracle of Morgan's Creek, The (1944) #868
5. Unfaithfully Yours (1948) #1187

Where is Hail, the Conquering Hero (1944)? The Great McGinty (1940)?
He could have several more ranked films.

I’d have him much higher than 60th on my director’s list, he’s a top 25 type of director because he was one of the best in the 40’s, on a level with the comedies of Capra. You can’t say that about any modern comedy directors – well, Woody Allen is ranked 20th but look at the rest. Preston did have 3 comedies in the top 300. Capra also has 3; Woody has 4, and two in the top 100.

Joel McRae and Veronica Lake

in Sullivan's Travels