Alnog with the DVD release of Preston Sturges’ Sullivan’s Travels are some well known, comedic directors commenting on the impact of the film on not just their sensibility, but on film. What isn’t figured, though, are the innumerable cribbed concepts coming from Sturges’ 1940 film.

There are more likely than not homage that haven’t been realized or pointed out as of yet, but the Coen Brothers are two well known proponent of the director and this film particularly. Within the Sturges’ effort, the protagonist, John L. Sullivan, wants to direct a film he feels will connect with the common man, the man laboring and toiling during the depression. He’s been successful in the past with light comedic fair, but he wants a change. The entire premise of Barton Fink is basically copped from the first ten minutes of this film. And while that effort brought the Coen Brothers international acclaim, there wasn’t too much mention of Struges being the impetus of the idea.

If that’s a bit too obtuse, the film that Sullivan is lobbying to make is titled O’ Brother, Where Art Though?. There’s no need for explanation there. But even in the tone of Sturges’ pictures, a few comparisons can be made to latter films. To some degree it’s all based on the idea of genre films – the comedy, the noir, whatever. But in 1940, there weren’t too many instances of black folks being shown on anything approximating equal footing to whites.

And while it’s a stretch to figure Sturges or Sullivan for civil rights leaders, there’s a staggering deference afforded the under-classes. Most startling, though, are the scenes detailing Sullivan’s time in jail.

Accidentally passing as a vagrant, the protagonist gets sent up the river for assaulting a railroad man. Once in jail, Sullivan’s mistreatment is ratcheted up and includes a few beatings as well as being sent to the ‘box.’ The shocking aspect to all of this – whether in 1940 or the present day – is the fact that black and white prisoners aren’t portrayed differently.

While Sullivan spends most of his time secluded from other inmates, the rest of the people who found themselves in jail seem to intermingle without any second thought. But the pinnacle of the film, the entire point, comes when all involved are watching a film in a church – a church with only black members. White folks sit next to black folks, are welcomed into the house of worship and are entertained. A montage towards the end of the film over-lays gap tooth laughs from whoever was in the room. It’s equality, kinda. But Sullivan (and Sturges) realize that the common man doesn’t want haughty films about the abject poor, they want comedic entertainment.