MovieChat Forums > The Palm Beach Story (1943) Discussion > One scene I wish could be hacked out...

One scene I wish could be hacked out...


After the Quail club have shot up the train and Colbert meets Rudy Vallee, we get the excruciatingly awful "A Hunting We Will Go"/posse scene... goes way beyond my silliness threshold, drags the time on the train out into eternity and is the only portion I feel is badly filmed: there's a noticeable jump in their singing at one point and another where the singing continues despite almost the entire club being on camera either in conversation or with their mouths shut.

On EVERY occasion I've introduced the film to someone (4 times) they've mentioned that particular bit was cringey, whilst otherwise enjoying themselves! Suppose I can simply skip it in the future but... it'd actually lift right out rather smoothly. The scenes it's sandwiched between would flow together perfectly well. It's only semi-sorta necessary for the audience to witness the carriages being uncoupled, we learn so clearly enough later when Colbert is asking where her clothes are.

Yeah I know, wanting to change a "work of art"... but if originally unused scenes can be inserted into old films, why can't I dream of removing a rotten scene that isn't vital...?

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gory_reer wrote:

After the Quail club have shot up the train and Colbert meets Rudy Vallee, we get the excruciatingly awful "A Hunting We Will Go"/posse scene...
My experience was that it was funnier the second time that I saw the film.

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Yeah, it could be worth trying on someone a second time. Just because it's never grown on me, doesn't mean others mightn't have better luck. They ain't as neurotic as I am, doubt they'd let that one scene spoil all the fun... however, it seems the most abiding memory of the TPBS for a couple of those folks and the film is the only one of my Sturges faves that no of them has suggested rewatching...

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Great comedy, but I do think the second half, featuring Vallee and Astor, after the set-up and the train trip, is superior.

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