This movie is supposed to be among the best from Sturges, which I found hard to understand. (1) The rich and powerful are portrayed to be teddy-bear-cute eccentrics, which, even as a comic conceit, is hard to swallow. (2) Sturges's famous blend of melodrama and screwball comedy is a bit unbalanced for my taste: too much melodrama, and too little irony. (3) It lacks the darker undertone in other Surges greats, such as "Lady Eve" or "Miracle at Morgan's Creek". In those better films, Sturges managed to keep tragedy looming in the background, and keep it close to our following of the plot. Although the heroines are always saved by the bell, but just barely, and Sturges made sure we not take the happy endings too seriously. We are entertained by the comedy, calmed by the happy ending, yet never lost sight of the "realness" of tragic turn of events in "real life". Not here.
In fact, even the lighting in "Palm Beach Story" conspires to emphasize the melodrama at the expense of poignancy. It is soft and hazy, in the "make-the-prima-donna-look-good" tradition of camera works, and lacks the high-definition sharpness in other Sturges. It is as if the camera agreed with the director and shy away from a harder look at life. Ironically, this persistence in merry-go-around makes the film less funny, not more.
每个人物出场会卡一下，出字幕，然后再继续，配乐是几种交错来的，四类人物换着切，最终合并到一条线，了不起的开头。nn配台词的默片方式是立体的！！！不断推，直到今日，在悬疑和爱情之间狂速交叉。nn老人念诗：寒冷是无情的时间之手，游走，缓慢而又无情地毁灭昨日曾经的青春，孤独的，我们的记忆可爱起来。（戴着假牙可真难说。）nn购房置业顾问在模型上拴着一条线，用以表演飞机降落，奇特的脑洞。（如果是现在可以用遥控飞机~）nn老人付了钱，全楼传出绯闻，隔靴搔痒的感觉出来了。nn酒精真是好东西，拉链那一段，考尔白演的真好，那个没有语言的“啧”嘴动作。nn双方都用了警察，偷东西与骚扰【这样会不会显得警察有些笨，可以做反向。】nn自言自语嫖票就像是《一夜风流》中的拦车。nn第一个车厢是狗，第二个车厢是人。nn打枪的包袱做神经喜剧，真的是惊到我了。nn脚踩碎眼镜，两次。nn醉酒的枪支打猎俱乐部，带着狗寻人……nn直接被卸下车厢……nn果然还是40年代的霸道总裁爱上我比较有想象力……nn电影中，原来富婆带奇怪的异国男友是有传统的。nn段子都很好，可惜故事立不住。nn竟然也有智骗上流的成分。nn刚开始悬疑的成分没给解释啊，这个“双”双胞胎的结尾……
很不错，故事没有既定的目的，一切都靠任意发散。可以说克劳黛展开的是一场奇异冒险，但又不失生活真实的一面。夫妻之间相互理解最重要，往各自想要的方向去尝试可以考验双方是不是真的爱彼此。生活里除了柴米油盐还要一点浪漫，乔尔扮演的丈夫在生活方面辛勤务实，但忽略了注重浪漫的妻子。妻子善良体贴，但在生活中始终为另一半让步显然不现实。妻子只是做出了自己想要做出的选择。但还好在此之中遇到的路人很好，而且还愿意为其买单。整个喜剧可以说是一出幻想，对于生活中遭遇俗世烦恼的人来说是一出不错的调剂。欢喜冤家在各自新关系的进退中考虑与彼此的关系，最终确定了对方是自己想要的生活伴侣，对于遭遇恋爱关系困境的情侣来说是一个不错的启发。
(1) The rich and powerful are portrayed to be teddy-bear-cute eccentrics, which, even as a comic conceit, is hard to swallow.
(2) Sturges's famous blend of melodrama and screwball comedy is a bit unbalanced for my taste: too much melodrama, and too little irony.
(3) It lacks the darker undertone in other Surges greats, such as "Lady Eve" or "Miracle at Morgan's Creek". In those better films, Sturges managed to keep tragedy looming in the background, and keep it close to our following of the plot. Although the heroines are always saved by the bell, but just barely, and Sturges made sure we not take the happy endings too seriously. We are entertained by the comedy, calmed by the happy ending, yet never lost sight of the "realness" of tragic turn of events in "real life". Not here.
In fact, even the lighting in "Palm Beach Story" conspires to emphasize the melodrama at the expense of poignancy. It is soft and hazy, in the "make-the-prima-donna-look-good" tradition of camera works, and lacks the high-definition sharpness in other Sturges. It is as if the camera agreed with the director and shy away from a harder look at life. Ironically, this persistence in merry-go-around makes the film less funny, not more.