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You Can’t Take It with You Movie Review

You Can’t Take It with You is a 1938 romantic comedy film directed by Frank Capra and starring Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, James Stewart and Edward Arnold. It’s such a joyous movie.

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“As near as I can see,

the only thing you can take with you

is the love of your friends“

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A man from a family of rich snobs becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family. Everybody knows where all of this is going eventually – both families reconcile and the two are going to get married. However, even though it is decidedly predictable in its outcome, this is still a movie that is difficult not just to love, but to absolutely adore.

Yes, this just might be one of the most purely lovable films ever created. The characters are amazing, the dialogue is inspirational and the entire film is a joy to sit through. It teaches us some valuable lessons that are all but lost in today’s consumerist, materialistic society – money cannot buy you happiness, friendships and strong family relations are the most important.

Some may find it too preachy, but I personally found its strong emphasis on the importance of living freely and happily hugely inspirational, especially in the wonderful character of grandpa. Unfortunately, these days these message movies are thought of as moralizing and preachy, which is why the status of this film is not that great today, but it deserves more love as among Capra’s classics.

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The characters make this flick as terrific as it is. All are so well realized and they all felt like genuine human beings with warts and all. Jean Arthur is wonderful as Alice, so charming and so sweet, but also believable and quite proactive. James Stewart as Tony is at his usual likable and suave. Their relationship is surprisingly modern in their sensual, playful dynamic, and thus all the more memorable. The first half is more romantic in approach, which was essential so that we would root for the two afterward.

The mother is great as this hilariously cold bitch, but Tony’s dad played stupendously by Edward Arnold is one of the standouts here. He gets a genuinely amazing character arc where he grows into a better person, but believably in a gradual fashion. Other sidekick characters are admittedly too goofy (the Russian guy instantly springs to mind), but they are still a fun group of people that make this crazy family very charming and entertaining.

Lionel Barrymore is the highlight in my opinion. Martin Vanderhof is truly a wonderful soul and a glue that holds the entire family together. Not only are his speeches highly inspirational, but some of his scenes are hilarious, especially the one where he made fun of that real estate broker. The entire movie wouldn’t have been twice as fun hadn’t he been in it.

You Can’t Take It with You has a terrific courtroom sequence that is so funny in its silliness. The prison cell sequence is also highly memorable. Of course, the highlight is the ending where everyone danced to the Polly Wolly Doodle on harmonica in what is one of the happiest, most entertaining endings in any 30s feature.

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The movie ended up winning Best Picture and Best Director for Frank Capra. Although an argument could be made that ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ deserved it more, this was still an excellent choice by the Academy. The movie is so well shot, edited and mostly well paced. The dialogue and humor are both excellent. It needs more love nowadays as it is sorely underrated.

Although clearly predictable in its storyline, You Can’t Take It with You is so wonderfully joyous and inspirational that it’s difficult not to simply adore it. The ending is beautiful, the dialogue and humor are both excellent and the movie preaches some genuinely important, oft-forgotten messages. The characters from these two very different families are all so well realized and superbly acted with the standouts being Edward Arnold whose Anthony P. Kirby got the best arc and Lionel Barrymore who is this wonderful soul and a glue holding everyone together firmly. The movie wouldn’t have been twice as fun hadn’t he been in it.

My Rating – 4.5

You can get this Frank Capra delight on Amazon.