Vie facile

Although EASY LIVING makes no claim to realism it does somehow capture the flavor of New York in the thirties.

Directed by Mitchell Leisen from a screenplay by Preston Sturges it has all the hallmarks of Leisen's style, the gleaming, high style sets, the magnificent cathedral ceilinged apartments and also, unfortunately the tendency to allow scenes to run on just a little too long. The slapstick scene in the automat is a prime example, just a few pratfalls too many. If Sturges directed as well as written the film might not have been as sumptuous looking bit I think it would have been tighter.

Minor details however, the film is a delight, especially Jean Arthur and a very capable supporting cast giving it their professional all.

Highly recommended.

The pleasures of a Preston Sturges film are many, and even his poorest are miles above the competition. I know, you're saying that Mitchell Leisen directed this and that it was based on a play but after hearing that incredible dialogue and seeing those broadly drawn characters, imbued with a warmth not found in most comedies, you can't tell me that this isn't a Preston Sturges film. Sure, there is evidence of Leisen's restraining hand that you can't find in, say, Miracle of Morgan's Creek, but it's Sturges, all right. But for me, the real joy is seeing my favorite actress from this period, Jean Arthur, work with material, from my favorite writer from this period, Sturges. She fits this material so well that it is a shame they never worked together again. Another real strength is the work of the character roles, always so good in Sturges films and we see a few of the actors who will later become part of the 'Sturges stock company'. So, if you want hilarious situations, laugh-out-loud dialogue and strong comedic characters, I heartily recommend this great film.

Just saw this one recently and loved it. Any film with Jean Arthur in it and you can't go wrong. Though there aren't alot of her films available. This Preston Sturges film is one of her/his best.

From the beginning we are entangled in a Cinderella like story that starts when working girl Mary(Arthur) gets hit in the puss by a flying Sable coat. Then she gets swept away by good fortune, OR so it seems.

Billionaire(Edward Arnold) gets fed up with his family spending. When his wife(Mary Nash) gets another fur coat, that is the final straw! Off the balcony goes the coat and down several flights to our Mary on a bus.

Getting mixed up in the proceedings is a young Ray Milland as the Billionaire's son. Full of crazy supporting characters and a zany script, this is a very funny film for those who like screwball comedies. Give it a try and I'm sure that you'll love it.

This is a classic, with one of the great slapstick scenes of all time (in an automat) and wonderful innuendo and great timing throughout the film. Jean Arthur is a splendid comedienne, just lighting up the screen with a wry innocence, and Ray Milland is perfectly cast as someone a little debonair, a little too bourgeois, but ultimately quite charming. Finally, Edward Arnold is a lot of fun to watch as he chews up the scenery. As a long time fan of Preston Sturges who was quite happy to see "Miracle at Morgan Creek" finally released on DVD, I have to say, it is A CRIME that this little gem isn't available on DVD, just ridiculous.

One of the best film moments of the 1930s occurs just after the beginning of the film when wealthy J. B. Ball, exasperated by his spoiled family's spending habits, tosses the wife's new sable coat from a window high in their 5th Avenue mansion. As if with a mind set on its own destiny, the falling coat spreads out on the air and lands like an enchanted parachute on the head of the Mary Smith, the working girl who will be our main character (Jean Arthur), and who is riding on the upper deck of a double-decker bus. What is a double-decker doing in New York City? No one asks; the coat just does its magic and the enchanted plot is underway. Best of all, screenwriter Sturges balances the magic and sentimentality with his usual crisp, witty, no-nonsense approach to dialogue and character. This "yin / yang" harmony is similar to what he achieved in directing "Sullivan's Travels."