In "Crooked, but Never Common: The Films of Preston Sturges," Stuart Klawans dives into the fascinating world of one of Hollywood's most underappreciated directors. While Sturges is often celebrated for his witty dialogue and clever plots, Klawans makes a compelling case that his work deserves far more recognition as a whole. This book is more than just a critique—it's an exploration of the deeper themes, social critiques, and cultural influences that shaped Sturges’s iconic films.

Klawans meticulously examines each of Sturges's ten major movies, revealing the intricate balance between slapstick humor and sharp social commentary that defines his work. From "The Great McGinty" to "The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek," Klawans unearths the layers of meaning behind the laughs, showcasing Sturges as a master filmmaker whose contributions go beyond mere comedy.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This review will be in Offscreen magazine in the coming weeks....I look forward to seeing it published. I presented the review about two weeks ago...it is truly a wonderful text.
DOUG

Delighted to highlighted this new release in “Oscar Ready,” a round-up of new and notable Hollywood-themed titles in the Books section of Zoomer magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Princess Fuzzypants here: My family love the films of Preston Sturges. They are movies we bring out often to watch again and again. This book was interesting in the way it looked at his work. The author seemed determined to equate some of his personal tales with what he put on the screen. No doubt most directors, like most actors, take a certain amount of their own experiences to colour those of the characters. But I did find there were times when the connections were more ponderous than obvious and I had to wonder who was psychoanalyzing whom.

I did enjoy some of the behind the scenes stories particularly about my favourite ones. I especially enjoyed when I read that Eddie Bracken was so upset that Sturges had been bullying his female stars that he threatened to deck him. One would think- Eddie Bracken? Naw. Turns out Bracken was a pugilist so the threat was not a hollow one.

If you are not familiar with Sturges and his work, check out some of his films. They are lampoon the social mores of the times and are filled with slapstick and humour. Sometimes it is best just to appreciate the movie and let it go at that. Three purrs and two paws up.

As the author says at the outset, this book is not meant to be an overview or biography of Preston Sturges' life. However, he does a great job weaving aspects about his personal and professional challenges as he dissects each of his films. In the descriptions of each of the films, Klawans gives an incredibly detailed description of what we seen on screen as well as the motivations and drama behind-the-scenes. I now am inspired to watch these films again (I had seen many of them over the years) or for the first time. This book will be a great companion to really seeing what is happening in these films. I recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Columbia University Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is exceptionally well-researched and gives an in-depth look into the films of Preston Sturges and how they relate to other events in early Hollywood. I enjoyed the writing style. That said, if you don't have a basic understanding of the running and history of early Hollywood, you might easily get lost. This is especially true if you have not watched any Preston Sturges films. I have seen several, but there were still references that I did not get, despite enjoying the book's topic. I give this 4/5 stars, but with the understanding, it might not be for everyone.

This is a detailed discussion of Preston Sturges' films beginning in 1939 and continuing through 1948, after which Sturges began to deteriorate creatively and mentally. All of these films were written by Sturges, some as he was filming them, and they almost always follow the same pattern.

Each of his films follow a man who thinks he is controlling his life, but in reality is being controlled by those around him and the intervening period of the film. Though Klawans spends large amount of time explaining (his opinion of course) what he thinks Sturges is doing, he also compares each new film to the prior ones that have been done.

Even from the beginning of his filming things are a bit eccentric they become more a more weird. His marriage is almost a copy of the plots of his movies and it becomes hard to tell what's real and what is cinema. It's an unusual story about an unusual man.

Preston Sturges is a Hollywood icon. In "Crooked, but Never Common," Stuart Klawans offers an in-depth examination of Sturges' work. This is a fascinating work of film criticism which will introduce Sturges to a whole new audience. A must read for fans of film.

A magnificent introduction and analysis of the works of one of the most talented filmmakers in Hollywood history.
Preston Sturges was a genius when it came to comedies and this delightful monograph allowed me to rewatch 10 priceless jewels from the mid 20th century. An absolute must for all the movie buffs out there. It was simply a fabulous read!

Many thanks to Netgalley and CU for this terrific ARC

I would like to thank Columbia University Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. This is an intriguing premise for a book. Preston Sturges died in 1959. His best films were made in the mid 40's- 80 years ago. So it begs the question, why now? I am not entirely sure we get the answer to that question. There is a lot of information in this book. It traces Sturges's film career through all of his movies. Each movie is given a chapter with a full description, along with a great deal of information about the shooting of the film itself.It also gives a running commentary showing how the characters in the movies coincide with various points in Sturges's life. It was clearly well researched and there was a wealth of information. I have seen several of these films, however many years ago. I think this would be better served as part of a film study class, watching the movies, and then reading the corresponding sections. I fear it had been too long since I had seen the films for the information to have as much an impact as it should have made. This is a serious book for serious film students.