MovieChat Forums > The Miracle of Morgan's Creek Discussion > Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton's best

Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton's best

posted 20 years ago by twm-2
24 replies | jump to latest

The fact that I am the first one to comment on this hilarious movie is rather sad. Too often the great old films are undeservedly ignored, sometimes because of the mistaken belief that modern audiences cannot relate to these tales (as if human nature had changed significantly over the past 60 years!), or because they usually are in black and white. I could be wrong, but I think most people, if they'd give this film a chance, would soon find themselves rolling on the floor laughing uncontrollably.

In any case, I saw this film for the first time only about 3 years ago, and had occasion to see it again recently. I loved it the first time, and my appreciation became even greater after the 2nd viewing. Betty Hutton, whose extreme boisterousness I usually find annoying, has here found the perfect vehicle for her unique abilities. Eddie Bracken more then matches her. I would, in fact, suggest that among screwball comedies, his performance here is as good as anyone's, before or after ("The SPOTS!!"). Hey! Movie lovers! Let's have your opinions.

~Just one more thing, and I'll be free of the past~

[–] csu16387 20 years ago

One of my favorite Preston Sturges films. It's hysterical from beginning to end. I can't forget about William Demarest's hilarious performance. Eddie Bracken was just as great, maybe even better, in another Sturges film: Hail the Conquering Hero. I love this classic screwball comedy. More people should see this one.

"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today."

[–] twm-2 20 years ago

I haven't seen Hail... as yet (other than a few bits). Am looking forward to it.

It's kinda sad that so few people have seen ANY of the films of Sturges. I was absolutely dumbfounded to find there were NO posts for Miracle... at all until I put my two cents in.

"THE SPOTS!!!"

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] Kartoon_Wurley 19 years ago

I just saw this movie for the first time last night, and didn't expect to laugh out loud so many times. I can't say I always go back to the classics to look for big laughs, but this had it all. I can truly recommend this movie to everyone.

[–] perigo22 19 years ago

I just saw the movie for the first time tonight, and I loved it! It was hilarious. Betty Hutton was adorable in the scene where she was lip-synching in the store in the beginning, and I love the one-liners from Emmy. Very funny dialogue.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] terrythomas 18 years ago

This is, in my opinion, the funniest movie ever made from the funniest comedy director of all time. This movie manages to pack more jokes into it's compact little 98 minutes than most modern "sex comedies" can in two hours.

[–] twm-2 18 years ago

Although not my favorite comedy, it is among my favorites and the most neglected film of any of the comedies I've rated a "10." So, spread the word!

"THE SPOTS!!!"--Eddie Bracken, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

[–] marbleann 18 years ago

I love this movie. I remember seeing it years ago and could not believe ths subject. I think it was very brave and clever that Preston Strugis not only made a hilarious movie but got it past the codes.
I want to add I couldn't think of the name of the movie the other day. I was talking about the Maury Povich show and some woman went to a party woke up and found out she was pregnant and couldn't figure out who the father was. I said it sounded like what happened to that woman in the Miracle Of Morgan Creek, but at the time I couldn't think of the name.

[–] twm-2 18 years ago

Perfect refutation of the notion that the old films have nothing that modern movie goers can relate to. This is a great film (even though I cringe every time William Demarest trys [unsuccessfully, thank goodness] to kick his daughters), and it has become all but forgotten except among movie buffs. So, Spread the word!

Cheerio!

PS. It's great to see that others have started threads about this film of late. When I started this one, it was the first (hard to believe!).

"THE SPOTS!!!"--Eddie Bracken, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] dgz78 17 years ago

I saw this movie at a film festival more than 30 years ago and it was my introduction to the great Preston Sturges and a reintroduction to the wonderful Betty Hutton (the Perils of Pauline was a favorite of my mother).

As a college student in the 70's it was hard to believe that a movie such as this would be considered controversial. But could Sturges have made a better movie sans censors? Brackem, Demarest, Diana Lynn and especially Betty Hutton make it seem normal that an unmarried woman could could give birth without anyone ever mentioning the word pregnant.

Preston Sturges deserved a longer and more rewarding career in Hollywood if for no other reason than this movie. There a lot of blow snorting no talents in Hollywood that will never make a movie as good as Miracle.

[–] twm-2 17 years ago

You get no arguments from me on this score!

It's great to see a few people commenting on the film now. When I started this thread, mine was the only comment in evidence. I believe we can call this progress!

Cheerio!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

[–] atasusan 17 years ago

This is truly a classic. Everyone--Hutton, Bracken, Demarest, Lynn--were terrific and worked so well together. After hearing of Hutton's death the other night, my husband and I recalled the scene in the doctor's office when Trudy learns she's pregnant. The look on her face! The two of us just laughed recalling it.

[–] twm-2 17 years ago

Yup! This was her one masterpiece, though she had a few excellent moments scattered about her movie career (the duet in Annie Get You Gun with Keel, "Aything you can do . . ." was terrific).

Though she was sometimes miscast, she deserves a place in the Cinema hall of fame.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

[–] pjwoodall1 15 years ago

Years ago DC's Biograph Theater in Georgetown had a tribute to Eddie Bracken when he was starring in SHOWBOAT at the Natioanl Theater--THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK and HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO. The surprise of the evening was Betty Hutton coming down from Boston. I missed the tribute, but I did see the double bill at the AFI.

Rudy Vallee made a personal appearance the year before he died with THE PALM BEACH STORY and talked about Sturges and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS...

When I wrote my first screenplay a few years ago I used SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS as the model for structure and included Al Bridge's "Mister" as one of the characters.

[–] Eightythreeyearoldguy 13 years ago

I previewed this before my showing it to my movie group tomorrow night. Hey, those ladies around my age and older should love it.

Life, every now and then, behaves as though it had seen too many bad movies

[–] pjwoodall1 13 years ago

I'm still a kid at 69. I recommend most of Preston Sturges' films, and it's a shame he is almost forgotten these days. I didn't get to see Bracken and Hutton in person when he was doing Showboat at the National in DC, but I did see Rudy Vallee with THE PALM BEACH STORY at the AFI. That was a shock to see Vallee up on the screen 30 years before and then see him in person. It was an even bigger shock to pass him on the way.

I had a friend Ralph Tabakin who was a character actor in all of Barry Levinson's films until his death in '01. In Rain Man he's the casino guy who figures out how Hoffman and Cruise are winning so much money at blackjack.

[–] scottythefield 11 years ago

I have to confess that I found Eddie Bracken fairly annoying in this - specifically his "spots" routine. Sorry. Apparently he was trying to steal the spotlight from Betty Hutton (something he admitted in an interview), to her irritation.

(I thought Bracken was just fine in "Hail The Conquering Hero" however.)

[–] pjwoodall1 11 years ago

I recently saw Bracken on Rawhide which came as a surprise to me. I guess if Hutton can do Gunsmoke, then Bracken can do Rawhide.

Which reminds me, I saw Rudy Vallee at the AFI in DC years ago. He introduced The Palm Beach Story and talked about the film and How to Succeed in Business...I passed him on the way out and it was a shock to see him up close after seeing TPBS from 40 years before. He died a year later.

I'm a big fan of Sturges, Preston and John. My first screenplay used Sullivan's Travels for plot construction and even borrowed Al Bridge's character "the Mister". IMDB listed Elsa Lanchester and bad guy Kortman in the credits. Kortman had a face you couldn't forget in serials and westerns, but I'm still looking for Lanchester.

[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

Can't say I much cared for Bracken's performance here - his stuttering in particular was overbaked and unfunny. Demarest completely overshadowed him while Sutton fell somewhere in between.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] twm-2 8 years ago

I'm sure Bracken's performance isn't to everyone's taste as it certainly isn't "realistic." But realism isn't what they were striving for, in much the same way that the Marx Brothers never strove for anything approaching verisimilitude. I was able to enjoy it, to appreciate on its own terms, but I definitely understand how many wouldn't be able to appreciate it.

You are right about Demarest being very good. I don't know why I didn't mention him in my opening salvo.

Cheers!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way. 

[–] pan-10 8 years ago

This is one of my all time favorite movies. Betty Hutton was so cute. She is the most memorable to me. William Demarest was fantastically funny. Diana Lynn was terrific, and so were all of the many colorful characters. They were all great. The only discordant note was Eddie Bracken overdoing his roll and making it absurd in places - the wacky stuttering and legs folding at the wedding, and the spots yelling too. Preston Sturgess should have calmed that down. But I do love this movie

[–] twm-2 8 years ago

Bracken's performance was over the top, but for me, all the performances were. Maybe not quite as much as his, but that was the "style" acting here, so Bracken's didn't seem so out of place. Obviously, it wouldn't be to everyone's liking. :-)

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way. 