
Easy Living. 1937. USA. Directed by Mitchell Leisen. Screenplay by Preston Sturges. With Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold, Ray Milland. 35mm. 88 min.
Propelled by a hysterical Preston Sturges–penned script, this madcap romp of misunderstanding unfolds after Mary (an effortless Jean Arthur) is hit by a sable coat that a powerful banker has tossed off his balcony to protest his wife’s extravagant spending. “I programmed some of the films I would like more audiences to discover. I love Mitchell Leisen, and this film in particular. It has a pleasant energy that mixes beautifully with its screwball premise, and you can see Leisen’s eye for design as we transit through the highs and lows of modern America. I particularly love the automat scene” (Guillermo del Toro).