You Can’t Take It with You ***** (1938, Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Spring Byington, Mischa Auer, Ann Miller) – Classic Movie Review 8649

Director Frank Capra’s 1938 romantic comedy drama You Can’t Take It with You is a joyous version of the supremely witty Pulitzer Prize-winning George F Kaufman and Moss Hart play about Martin Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore)’s crazy New York household. The winner of two Oscars, it is one of Capra’s finest.

In the satisfying plot, Vanderhof (Barrymore)’s spunky stenographer granddaughter Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) falls in love with her boss, the genial, fair-minded Tony Kirby (James Stewart), the son of capitalist Anthony P Kirby (Edward Arnold), who wants to dispossess them.

There is delightful playing from a lovely cast and the famous Capra touch is seen to its best effect. It maintains its status as an all-time Hollywood great.

You Can’t Take It with You won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. There were five other nominations. Spring Byington was Oscar nominated as Best Actress in a Supporting Role, as Penny Sycamore.

Also in the cast are Mischa Auer, Ann Miller, Samuel S Hinds, Donald Meek, H B Warner, Halliwell Hobbes, Mary Forbes, Dub Taylor, Lillian Yarbo, Eddie Anderson, Harry Davenport, Ann Doran, Russell Hicks, Pierre Watkin, Clarence Wilson, Joseph Swickard, James Flavin, Byron Foulger, Christian Rub, Bodil Rosing, Ian Wolfe, Irving Bacon, Chester Clute, Pert Kelton, James Burke and Ward Bond.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8649

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