Movie Review: You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

Stephanie Kirk

You Can’t Take It With You is a classic feel-good movie from 1938, directed by Frank Capra. It stars James Stewart as Tony, the son of an uptight munitions magnate and an even more uptight society woman. His love interest is his secretary, Alice, played by Jean Arthur. Tony becomes very serious about Alice and despite his parents’ disapproval, he asks her to marry him. This means that Alice must introduce Tony, and Tony’s family, to her own family.

But Alice’s family is not of the usual kind! Their family is the type that we all wish our own family could be like, but they never will. Instead of working at boring jobs and striving to get ahead, the main focus of their family is to have fun and to enjoy life. Grandpa enjoys playing his harmonica and collecting stamps, Alice’s mother does whatever she fancies, such as writing plays or painting, and Alice’s father makes fireworks. The rest of the household do as they please all day, also. It seems that Alice is the only one who braved the real working world.

Tony is charmed by Alice’s kooky family; however, his socialite parents are not. In the end, after a disastrous dinner party at Alice’s home, both families end up in prison! Grandpa tells Mr. Kirby exactly what he thinks of him, and it seems to hit home. After Alice leaves town to get away, Mr. Kirby has a revelation and decides that he, too, wants to have more fun in his life. In the end the two families are united and Alice and Tony are together.

You Can’t Take It With You, quite simply, makes you laugh. It’s also a movie that makes you think about your own life, and wonder why your own family can’t be like Alice’s. Unpractical as the idea may be, this movie is just plain fun and quite touching. James Stewart’s character is quiet, but young and handsome. Jean Arthur makes a stunning appearance, and the rest of the cast is well put together. Overall I think that it’s a wonderful movie, and I highly recommend it to all who need a little fun in their lives.