The Oscar Project: THE GREAT McGINTY

Preston Sturges' 1940 directorial debut is more contemporary than you want it to be. Plus Tips for Writing Dialogue and a new catch phrase about Applesauce

The Oscar Project

For those who missed it, The Oscar Project is something I’ve envisioned for about a decade. Here’s the plan: between now and Oscar night 2026, I’ll watch and write about all 85 films that have won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay—from today’s post on Preston Sturges’ The Great McGinty to this year’s Anora, written by Sean Baker.

Along the way, I’ll educate, entertain and (hopefully) impress readers with my original commentary and pragmatic writing tips and tools I’ve developed over the years. To keep things digestible—and avoid veering into film studies dissertations—I’ll focus on a few key elements in each film that interest me. Feel free to share your thoughts and inevitable corrections in the comments.

I’ll be sharing The Oscar Project posts exclusively to Paid Subscribers so if you see value in the work and want to read it in all its glory, please consider upgrading to the modest Paid Subscriber level which is less than the price of a latte each month. Here’s an excerpt from today’s post to wet your whistle:

You Had Me at Applesauce

I’m no cinephile, but I certainly know Preston Sturges—widely considered one of the best writers in the history of Hollywood. I love The Lady Eve and Sullivan’s Travels, but I had never seen The Great McGinty so had no idea what direction this post would take. A few minutes into the film, however, four simple words captured my imagination:

“Never mind the applesauce.”

The words occur during a scene in which Skeeters (William Demarest) tries to engage the hard-boiled McGinty (Brian Donlevy) in some small talk. McGinty’s not having it.