Overview
A couple's marriage teeters on the brink as one seeks freedom and the other fights to hold on.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- breezy
- irreverent
- classic movie night
- date night
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrate the film as a brilliantly performed culmination of screwball comedy, especially for its dialogue and comic energy, despite reservations about its talkative pace and contrived resolution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Gerry leaves Tom intending to divorce him, while Tom pursues her and the plot turns on whether their marriage can be restored.
Gerry's journey brings her into contact with billionaire John D. Hackensacker III and the film plays wealthy leisure for farcical effect.
The film's situations and character conflicts are propelled by scintillating dialogue and sustained conversational comedy.
Tom's need for money to develop his airport project motivates Gerry's plan to secure financial support through a new marriage.
Films like The Palm Beach Story, and why
The Awful Truth
shared screwball comedy, rapid-fire dialogue, marital conflict, and romantic reconciliation
The Philadelphia Story
shared screwball romance, divorce-and-remarriage structure, witty social satire, and charismatic leads
My Man Godfrey
shared sophisticated screwball comedy, eccentric wealthy characters, and conversational farce
His Girl Friday
shared comedy of remarriage, class satire, verbal wit, and romantic caprice
Movie Details
- Director
- Preston Sturges
- Release Date
- 1942-08-28
- Runtime
- 88 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (214)
Cast
- Claudette Colbert
- Joel McCrea
- Mary Astor
- Rudy Vallee
- Sig Arno
- Robert Warwick
- Arthur Stuart Hull
- Torben Meyer
- Jimmy Conlin
- Victor Potel
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Palm Beach Story about?
- A cash-strapped inventor’s wife boards a madcap journey toward divorce, only to find that wealth, pride, and romance make separation anything but simple.
- What is The Palm Beach Story like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Palm Beach Story as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Palm Beach Story violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Palm Beach Story.
- What did critics think of The Palm Beach Story?
- Critics broadly celebrate the film as a brilliantly performed culmination of screwball comedy, especially for its dialogue and comic energy, despite reservations about its talkative pace and contrived resolution.
- Which films are like The Palm Beach Story?
- Films with a similar feel include The Awful Truth, The Philadelphia Story, My Man Godfrey, and His Girl Friday.
- How long is The Palm Beach Story?
- The Palm Beach Story runs 88 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Palm Beach Story?
- In United States, The Palm Beach Story streams on YouTube TV.
