Eddie Bracken

Betty Hutton

Diana Lynn

William Demarest

Porter Hall

Emory Parnell

Al Bridge

Julius Tannen

Victor Potel

Brian Donlevy

Akim Tamiroff

Chester Conklin

Jimmy Conlin

Eddie Hall

J. Farrell MacDonald

Frank Moran

Almira Sessions

Esther Howard

Nora Cecil

Joe Devlin

Byron Foulger

Arthur Hoyt

Bobby Watson

Torben Meyer

Hank Bell

Jan Buckingham

Georgia Caine

Bill Cartledge

Hal Craig

Roger Creed

Robert Dudley

Budd Fine

Kenneth Gibson

Louis Jean Heydt

George Melford

Jack Norton

Spec O'Donnell

Keith Richards

Harry Rosenthal

Freddie Steele

Connie Tompkins

Max Wagner

Conrad Wiedell

Rudy Germane

Herschel Graham

Leo Shuken

Stephen Seymour

Ernst Fegté

Hans Dreier

Charles Bradshaw

Edith Head

Preston Sturges

Stuart Gilmore

Wally Westmore

John F. Seitz

Norman Lacey

Comedy

Romance

The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

Paramount Pictures

United States of America

The Magic Miracle Mirth In Morgan's Creek!

After viewing this comic masterpiece I find during my research that the real miracle here is that the film ever got made in the first place! Coming as it did in 1944 wartime the film literally takes the rise out of everything held so wholesome in those troubled times. Preston Sturges has in his sights promiscuous servicemen, small town mentality, and the church, and it all makes for a complete riotous piece of work. Throw into the pot that Sturges cast the pristine Betty Hutton as a man mad airhead with few morals of note, well you can see that Sturges was pushing the censors as far as he could.

Trudy Kockenlocker (Huton) gets drunk one night and has a night of passion with a soldier, in the morning she has sketchy recollections but thinks she may have married the guy? and not only that, she then falls pregnant.  Of course sure enough the soldier has long since gone as well. This turn of events is a big no no and Trudy's on & off boyfriend Norval Jones (Eddie Bracken) gets landed with the tag of being the Father. This sets us on an hilarious journey as Norval winds up being sought after by the authorities for a number of crimes he is oblivious to committing, thus is no hope for the couple unless a miracle can save them...

The performances here are sublime, both Hutton & Bracken seem to be having a competition to see who can out zany the other the best in each scene, and it really results in comedy gold. All the other actors give special shows as well, William Demarest is top dollar as Trudy's Policeman Father, Brian Donlevy, Diana Lynn & Akim Tamaroff are all in on the fun, and no frame is wasted, no line is a throw away, it's all right on the money. The direction is as flawless as the writing and it is just further proof that Preston Sturges was one of the greatest comedy directors to have ever worked. If you aren't holding your sides in during the final scenes here then you need to seek medical help immediately, either that or pray for a miracle...

10/10 in every respect.

English

Sam Hamm on The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944) trailer