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The Palm Beach Story
1942
Romance
Comedy
1h 28m
An inventor needs cash to develop his big idea. His wife, who loves him, decides to raise it for him by divorcing him and marrying a millionaire. (imdb)
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Written by:
Your probable score
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The Palm Beach Story
1942
Romance
Comedy
1h 28m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 64.27% from 509 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews
(513)
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Rated 15 Jul 2020
65
51st
Claudette Colbert lights up an unorthodox romantic comedy with some wonderful looks and comments, but as none of the characters act anything like real people, it suffers from a lack of the relatable humanity woven into Sturges' best works. He seemingly writes himself into a corner before coming up with a ludicrous twist ending, which is laid out in the opening credits but insufficiently foreshadowed throughout the story to really constitute a satisfying payoff.
Rated 15 Jul 2020
Rated 08 Dec 2006
72
41st
Another Preston Sturges comedy with Joel McCrea, not as satisfying as Sullivan but enjoyable. Lots of drunk acting, which is a pet peeve of mine.
Rated 08 Dec 2006
Rated 04 Nov 2014
75
69th
Claudette Colbert was so likable I disliked disliking this movie; edited after rewatch. This was enjoyable this time and I'm not sure why I disliked it before.
Rated 04 Nov 2014
Rated 21 Nov 2008
72
48th
Amusing enough, with colorful characters and funny situations; another old comedy I'd call "pleasant" - definitely worth a watch, I was consistently entertained, but it doesn't offer much replay value.
Rated 21 Nov 2008
Rated 06 Jul 2021
55
53rd
Quintessential Preston Sturges screwball comedy filled with fast-paced one-liners and light slapstick comedy. Colbert and McCrea work well together while Rudy Vallee struggles to find the right rhythm for his character. A twist ending makes this a little unique compared to Sturges' other pictures. Lacks some of the more pointed social satire Sturges is known for instead choosing to poke fun at the celebrity rich at the time. The lampooning of marriage is mostly toothless.
Rated 06 Jul 2021
Rated 23 Dec 2021
85
75th
Dat ending. One of the most ridiculous twists. I can't even be mad.
Rated 23 Dec 2021
Rated 15 Dec 2019
63
53rd
Plot is thin and undermotivated. Still fun but inferior to Sullivan's Travels.
Rated 15 Dec 2019
Rated 25 Jun 2023
4
55th
obviously a major influence on SOME LIKE IT HOT and a lesser film IMO, but colbert is always a delight and there are some magnificently nutty peaks (that epilogue).
Rated 25 Jun 2023
Rated 08 Dec 2019
70
49th
This is very much a quirky, madcap style comedy film. The old man who mishears things made me laugh and some of the situations were a bit unlikely but amusing never the less. Its pretty basic comedy I suppose but I thought it was relatively entertaining. Its not a greatly memorable film as such but its not a bad watch either. It is, of course, somewhat dated, having been released in 1942. There are some outdated sexist comments, cheesy foreign accents and perhaps racial stereotypes present.
Rated 08 Dec 2019
Rated 12 Mar 2019
87
49th
87.00
Rated 12 Mar 2019
Rated 01 Jan 2019
85
59th
The ending is incredible, one of the finest conclusions to a comedy I've ever seen, but it's not quite in the upper echelon of Sturges' comedies. There are a few too many sequences that fall flat for me.
Rated 01 Jan 2019
Rated 15 Nov 2018
80
99th
What a practical ending to a original variation of a gold digger story! Delightful in every way! Except for their motives perhaps. Claudette Colbert was pretty much the queen of screwball comedies and she's so refreshingly natural here. Pure MVP performance. Joel McCrea was pretty good too. Oh, but the biggest surprise was Rudy Vallee. I would have never guessed that crooner like him could be such a quirky character as he presented here! Preston Sturges brilliance!
Rated 15 Nov 2018
Rated 09 Sep 2018
60
35th
I guess I always thought screwball comedies were about falling in love, but this one is about a divorce (well, sort of). Colbert is a bit mercurial as a wife who wants to help her husband (played by McCrea, who is so funny in Sullivan's Travels, but here just reads his lines). There's some laughs -- including quite a few from the princess, who will either amuse or annoy you -- but it just doesn't have enough for me to see it as a classic.
Rated 09 Sep 2018
Rated 27 Jun 2017
78
58th
It's definitely dated - with offensive racial caricatures and all it's talk about gender roles, nor is it Sturges' best, funniest or most-romantic, but it still has all the hallmarks of a good Sturges film: Witty dialogue, quickly-paced narrative, censor-baiting innuendo, and great performances and line delivery all around. Bonus points for Claudette Colbert's charisma.
Rated 27 Jun 2017
Rated 24 Feb 2016
19
99th
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Rated 24 Feb 2016
Rated 27 May 2015
63
67th
Surprisingly cynical for the Hollywood of the time romantic comedy about the woman who feels materially unprovided by her inventor husband and decides to leave him and go on a hunt for a rich man in Palm Beach. The premise left a bad taste in my mouth, and if not for some funny, fast-shooting dialogs this would have been a great disappointment. Unlike in Sturges' Sullivan's Travels slapstick doesn't work here. The ending feels rushed and silly.
Rated 27 May 2015
Rated 03 Dec 2014
85
92nd
(2nd viewing)
Rated 03 Dec 2014
Rated 07 Jul 2024
76
22nd
❤️
Rated 07 Jul 2024
Rated 18 Jul 2024
68
49th
In a blanket like an Indian. I’ll be sure not to use this simile with my class.
Rated 18 Jul 2024
Rated 05 Jan 2010
86
71st
A very fine Sturges comedy. The Ale and Quail Society are amusing, and so is Rudy Valee.
Rated 05 Jan 2010
Rated 02 Jun 2007
80
68th
Holy smokes, a Preston Sturges movie that's actually funny
Rated 02 Jun 2007
Rated 14 Aug 2007
1
41st
It's funny, but it's also got pieces that fall flat. Even at 88 minutes, this feels stretched.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
97th
Probably Sturges's second best movie, after the previous year's THE LADY EVE.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
Rated 01 Mar 2008
92
87th
# 164
Rated 01 Mar 2008
Rated 03 Mar 2008
91
95th
There's about 5 minutes too much over the top comedy in the middle, but the rest is a wonderful cynical romantic comedy. Sturges was a great writer and and the film has some excellent dialogue delivered in very good performances. The opening credits and the ending are wonderful bookends to the film.
Rated 03 Mar 2008
Rated 19 Sep 2008
75
73rd
Great dialogue but some annoying characters.
Rated 19 Sep 2008
Rated 07 Nov 2008
100
98th
The best of the Preston Sturges comedies. Sexy, sophisticated, and very very funny.
Rated 07 Nov 2008
Rated 19 Dec 2008
92
84th
168
Rated 19 Dec 2008
Rated 03 Jul 2014
84
91st
A very good comedy with some excellent dialogue. Even the acting was enjoyable most of the time. Didn't expect much from it but in the end, I was positively surprised.
Rated 03 Jul 2014
Rated 13 Jan 2010
92
84th
168
Rated 13 Jan 2010
Rated 16 Apr 2010
80
58th
A fun comedy from Sturges, particularly in the quick pace of the dialogue and clever combination of words and phrases throughout the film--'what's knittin', kittens?' The story does a pretty good job balancing the personalities and choices of its characters, a tricky proposal in a comedy with this many narrative angles. The film gets a bit silly at times, but overall it makes for an enjoyable and pleasant evening.
Rated 16 Apr 2010
Rated 29 Jun 2010
55
44th
Palm Beach Story has an engaging premise and plot, and I feel that it could have been really good if it didn't try so hard to be funny (unsuccessfully). There was one back-and-forth between McCrea and Colbert early on, where sex was discussed openly, which almost reminded me of the truly classy, subtly witty Fonda-Stanwyck exchanges on The Lady Eve. Then it was back to hearing-impairment humor. Most of this film suffers from vain fast-talk and a glaring lack of subtlety.
Rated 29 Jun 2010
Rated 30 Oct 2010
5
55th
I didn't find the characters particularly likable, or even interesting, but its plotted well and has quite a few funny moments.
Rated 30 Oct 2010
Rated 30 Nov 2011
91
82nd
#180
Rated 30 Nov 2011
Rated 07 Dec 2013
12
10th
It's hard not to love a train full of drunk men shooting guns, but still the over-reliance on broad slapstick humor and goofy caricatures (racial and otherwise) prevents this from really getting off the ground. Also that ending seriously...
Rated 07 Dec 2013
Rated 21 Feb 2014
40
8th
Geçim zorlugu çeken aile, kiraci, teksasli sosis krali, para yardimi, evli çift, evi terk eden kadin, tren, tren yolculugu, avcilik kulubü, tanisma, zengin adam, kocasini kardesi diye tanitan kadin (days heaven), tiyatrovari oyunculuk, kötü ve sürpriz final.
Rated 21 Feb 2014
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