1938 You Can't Take it With You

1938 You Can't Take it With You

After starting this one, I quickly realized that I had seen it before!  And after waiting all this time for it to arrive.

I can't say it's my sort of movie.  It's a little chaotic and hectic for my taste.

It's about two characters, Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby, and their families.  Tony is from a rich family and is vice president at his family's company, and Alice is his secretary.  The two are in love and talking marriage, so they decide their families need to meet.  Coincidentally, Alice's grandfather is the one holdout in an important neighborhood buyout project of Tony's father (he needs to convince him to sell, or his plan to build a factory is ruined).

The main point of the movie is that people should follow their dreams, pursue their interests, and not worry about money.  I was just listening to a segment on the radio the other day making the same argument, and though a nice idea, it's not very realistic.  I think you should like your job, but sometimes your interests just don't pay, and when you've got kids to support, and a mortgage to pay...but then, that's not a very romantic perspective.

The ideal, I guess, is supposed to be the life of the bohemian Sycamores -prancing around their house like loonies, dancing, setting off firecrackers, inventing nonsense, and just loving every eccentric thing they do.  Personally, I felt exhausted just watching them and all their hootenannies.  They seem like a bunch of lunatics.  The Kirbys are the extreme opposite -snobbish and only concerned about money.  I think the real ideal is somewhere between the two.  Enjoying your life while also taking care of your responsibilities, and trying to act at least the tiniest bit sane.

Jimmy Stewart is the highlight of the movie, showing his comical side.  In one scene, he tells Alice not to worry about his parents accepting their relationship, because he has always been able to scream and get what he wants ever since he was a baby.  He then proceeds to let out a couple of really impressive screams, terrifying an office worker.  That gave me quite a laugh.

Not really one of my favorite winners.