You Can't Take It with You (1938)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Chris W

  
  This is Frank Capra's Oscar winning adaptation of a play about a family who helps show a wealthy financier that there's much more to life than money. Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) is the only person in her eccentric family who seems rather normal. She falls in love with a… More
  This is Frank Capra's Oscar winning adaptation of a play about a family who helps show a wealthy financier that there's much more to life than money. Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) is the only person in her eccentric family who seems rather normal. She falls in love with a nice young guy (James Stewart) whose parents are incredibly wealthy and don't approve of his relationship to Alice, nor his desire to marry her. Alice tries to change Tony's parents's minds by inviting the mto dinner, but, thanks to her family, things don't go as planned. All in all, this is typical Capra schmaltz: sentimental, charming, hard to really hate, and very populist. I enjoyed the film, but it's overrated, and maybe not necessarily deserving of Best Picture. The problem is not the message or the acting from an excellent cast (which includes a delightful Lionel Barrymore), but the execution. The first half is slow, meandering, and thigns don't really pick up or get interesting until the latter half. Even then, the film is predicatble, and doesn't really do anything new or groundbreaking. However, it is still pretty entertaining, well-meaning, and humorous, so, despite it's flaws, it's an old fashioned feel-good film worthy of a watch.

• Graham J

  
  What negative comment could anyone give about this film. Truly uplifting and endlessly entertaining. Capra was the master.

• Jameson W

  
  So perfect! I love Frank Capra. Simple, funny, real, memorable, and thought provoking.

• Jennifer D

  
  I had NO idea Jimmy Stewart could be so young. But what a funny, sweet social comedy!! I thought it was really great even with it's rather typical storyline. And all the awkward moments were absolutely hysterical. I loved it and I'm not a big Jimmy Stewart girl!

• xGary X

  
  James Stewart plays the son of a cold hearted tycoon who gets engaged to his secretary whose family are the antithesis of everything his snobbish upper class parents believe in. Essentially a class comedy from Frank Capra, You Can't Take It With You is one of those films that… More
  James Stewart plays the son of a cold hearted tycoon who gets engaged to his secretary whose family are the antithesis of everything his snobbish upper class parents believe in. Essentially a class comedy from Frank Capra, You Can't Take It With You is one of those films that expounds the philosophy of "money isn't everything", and being Capra, you know right from the outset how it's going to end. Stewart and Jean Arthur make a cute couple, although I couldn't help the feeling that Jimmy just wasn't in it enough, spending most of his time stood in the background smirking at the proceedings. Capra usually treads the line between sincerity and sentimentality with supreme skill, but this one all felt a little too contrived to me. Jean Arthur's family felt too forced into screwball wackiness to the point where I found them irritating rather than endearing and Edward Arnold's change of heart at the end was a little too convenient and unconvincing. I would also have to say that I found the "hero" of the piece Lionel Barrymore a little too self righteous for my tastes; I personally thought his spiteful attack on Arnold in the jail cell came across as plain obnoxious. Not funny enough to be considered screwball comedy and too implausible to be considered drama, this is far from Capra's best.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Watched this movie on a rainy day with my mom who loves these old movies. I really enjoyed it. Thought it was clever, and funny. There are a lot of different characters in this movie and they are very entertaining to say the lease. I liked this movie very much.

• William D

  
  I'm doing some research on early American cinema and watching some old films as part of that. Frank Capra's "You Can't Take It With You" won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1938, but I found it only slightly entertaining. There are some very funny and charming… More
  I'm doing some research on early American cinema and watching some old films as part of that. Frank Capra's "You Can't Take It With You" won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1938, but I found it only slightly entertaining. There are some very funny and charming scenes, but there are far more that are quite flat. The film is also overly long, suffering from a terribly slack editing job. The direction I found to be predictable and pedestrian, and I didn't find anything special about the acting. It's surprising to me that this film won the Oscar. Capra also won for Best Director. The Academy appears to have been excessively in love with Capra in the 30s. He was nominated for Best Director five times that decade and won thrice! He's probably the only director in history to dominate the Oscars for an entire decade. His films were also routinely nominated for Best Picture, although they only won twice ("It Happened One Night" is the other). The storyline of "Can't Take It With You" focuses on a young couple (James Stewart and Jean Arthur, neither of whom were nominated for Oscars) who wishes to wed. However, he's from a wealthy upper-crust family, and she's from a family of modest means. As is often the case in 1930s films, class tensions abound; and of course the rich people are depicted as bad guys. The best thing about the film is the girl's quixotic family. Every person in the brood is encouraged to discover his or her unique talents and live them to the hilt. A typical evening with this family involves one child spinning across the room in pirouettes, another playing the xylophone with passion, another showing off his latest invention, which usually involve fireworks, and Mom and Dad watching proudly. Music, art, and fun are everywhere. There seems to be an unlimited supply of money, despite the fact that no one works. That is of course never explained. The family also attracts strays, people who couldn't make it in ordinary society. They join in the fun as well. When the film is at its best, it presents a shangri-la of joie de vivre. I was impressed by the fact that some of the hangers-on were black. It was quite radical in this time to cast black actors, and the producers deserve extra kudos for that. But none of the characters have any depth. They are ultra-crude caricatures, and most of the time the zaniness is predictable. Capra doesn't do much more than give them a big set and have them prance across it. Equally predictable and shallow is the struggle between the families, which rides hard on every stereotype imaginable. Nothing original is brought to the table.

• First L

  
  Frank Capra uses his usual cast of players in a film about the romance between a girl from an eccentric family and a boy from a high society family. Jimmy Stewart is the boy and Edward Arnold is the father, in what is probably the best part (and character in the movie). The father is… More
  Frank Capra uses his usual cast of players in a film about the romance between a girl from an eccentric family and a boy from a high society family. Jimmy Stewart is the boy and Edward Arnold is the father, in what is probably the best part (and character in the movie). The father is a bank president, and very powerful person. He's trying to organize a merger between several big companies, and is building a factory for this merged company. Unfortunately, there is one hold-out living on the land he wishes to build the factory, and he is refusing to sell. That hold-out just happens to be the grandfather of the girl. The grandfather presides over a house of nuts, who don't work but somehow can afford servants. They all seem to practice at artistic pursuits they're unsuited to, and therefore are very bad at. Anyway, despite the movie's dubious political message and the fact that Capra would use certain aspects of this film to greater effect in "It's A Wonderful Life", the movie is extraordinarily charming, and this is in no small part due to the wonderful performances by the cast. Which brings me back to Edward Arnold's performance. He could've been made to simply be an evil, greedy man who in the last act, sees the error of his ways. It's quite a pleasant surprise to find the character has some depth. Easy, emotional scenes could be seen as pandering to the audience, and the ending seems really abrupt, but once again, with performances this good, it's easy to overlook the sloppy bits.

• Michael G

  
  You Can't Take It With You falls into the category of movie I love so much that I want to kick myself in the ass for not seeing it sooner. Many call it a screwball comedy, which at moments it definitely is especially during the restaurant and courtroom scenes. But I'd say it… More
  You Can't Take It With You falls into the category of movie I love so much that I want to kick myself in the ass for not seeing it sooner. Many call it a screwball comedy, which at moments it definitely is especially during the restaurant and courtroom scenes. But I'd say it smells more like a drama since I got misty with happiness at the end when Edward Arnold cracked. Frank Capra's direction as always is flawless here and the cast is astonishing. And Jesus was Jean Arthur a doll...!

• Ken S

  
  So Capra-esque your teeth will hurt and I'm sorry, I don't care if this did win the Academy Award. Robin Hood is the best film of 1938. Period. (Maybe Angels with Dirty Faces)

• Megan S

  
  Meh, it was alright. They added a totally new plotline to the play though and it wasn't nearly as funny as the stage version.

• Dannielle A

  
  This was a wildly happy, quirky, laugh out loud comedy/romance. Loved it.

• Matthew Y

  
  You Can't Take it With You showcases James Stewart in one of his earliest screen roles before hitting stardom a few years later. It is vintage Capra as the film revolves around a family of eccentric characters who are perfectly content with their little idiosyncrasies and live a… More
  You Can't Take it With You showcases James Stewart in one of his earliest screen roles before hitting stardom a few years later. It is vintage Capra as the film revolves around a family of eccentric characters who are perfectly content with their little idiosyncrasies and live a happy and joyous existence. The film is actually a lot like the TV show The Munsters where Jean Arthur plays the role of Marilyn Munster the "normal one" by normal peoples standards but the oddball in her silly and gay family. The main point of the film is simply that it is better to live happy and healthy than greedy and wealthy. After all when you die you can't take all that money with you. Best Picture winner of 1938 it is easily not the best film of that year and also would be on the low end of the list of the decades best films, nevertheless it is still a charming and enjoyable movie in the Capra canon.

• Jason V

  
  The Best Picture winner back in 1938, Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You meanders around until it's second hour, where the true struggle between the have's and have not's is highlighted. Hour #1 is problematic because of its schizophrenic nature. What… More
  The Best Picture winner back in 1938, Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You meanders around until it's second hour, where the true struggle between the have's and have not's is highlighted. Hour #1 is problematic because of its schizophrenic nature. What is this film actually going to be about: a romance, a loony family, a financial merger, buying property, evading income taxes? The performances, though, carry the first hour, even through the terribly stagnant script-due to the stage origins of the story. However, it is all made up for in a comical and important courtroom scene which creates a snowball effect culminating in a raucous finale.

• Mike T

  
  A very sweet, very funny film. The talented ensemble cast never fails to charm, and the script blends elements of zany comedy and simple drama beautifully. James Stewart, in a charismatic and very natural performance, is the biggest stand-out here. He truly deserves his ranking among… More
  A very sweet, very funny film. The talented ensemble cast never fails to charm, and the script blends elements of zany comedy and simple drama beautifully. James Stewart, in a charismatic and very natural performance, is the biggest stand-out here. He truly deserves his ranking among cinema's finest actors.

• Simeon D

  
  An inspiring upbeat tale of morals, though it doesn't quite hold up as much as it did seventy years ago and a little overlonged, Frank Capra's cheerful Best Picture Winner succeeds with colorful characters and enthusiastic performances. 93/100

• Ivan D

  
  A film that has brilliantly shown two major classes of an American family, contrasts their daily lives, then puts their differing cultures and lifestyles in a comedic clash that resulted in a major understanding on what really matters in the world. James Stewart was still not that… More
  A film that has brilliantly shown two major classes of an American family, contrasts their daily lives, then puts their differing cultures and lifestyles in a comedic clash that resulted in a major understanding on what really matters in the world. James Stewart was still not that vibrant as a star, soldifying it in the later Capra film "Mr. Smith goes to Washington", so it's veteran actors Lionel Barrymore and Edward Arnold that has shined as the respective patriarchs of the two very different families. When looked upon today, it's nothing but a cheesy black and white comedy-drama, but it really is a timeless film of familial moral values, and the toll it takes for one who ignores this basic requirements of a happy life. Edward Arnold's character is living a money-filled yet ultimately cold existence, but with the help of Martin Vanderhof(Lionel Barrymore), it has changed for the better, all with the help of a symbolic harmonica.

• Lord N

  
  This film is an incredibly enjoyable film. I really liked it. It made me laugh on quite a few occasions such as when Stewart and his girlfriend are at the restaurant and to cover up the fact that she screamed he created a panic by claiming that he saw 6 or 7 large hairy rats running… More
  This film is an incredibly enjoyable film. I really liked it. It made me laugh on quite a few occasions such as when Stewart and his girlfriend are at the restaurant and to cover up the fact that she screamed he created a panic by claiming that he saw 6 or 7 large hairy rats running on the floor. also I liked the part where he scares the crap out of an errand boy by randomly screaming at him when he comes it. another part I liked was when The Russian guy picks up Mr. Kirby and (to borrow from a recent SNL digital short) THREW HIM ON THE GROUND!! it was a very good film. it had great performances by both Jimmy Stewart and Lionel Barrymore. The plot was great, the screenplay was fantastic "the die is cast, I'm a lily". Final Verdict:if I see a better Best Picture nominee then I'll give it to that. as it is, I think it is rather unlikely.

• nefnie l

  
  Definitely a Capra-feel-good-movie. The message of having friends being the ultimate greatest advantage in life is told in a different, but still powerful, way than It's a Wonderful Life. Love, be happy, and don't allow money to dictate your life is something we can all… More
  Definitely a Capra-feel-good-movie. The message of having friends being the ultimate greatest advantage in life is told in a different, but still powerful, way than It's a Wonderful Life. Love, be happy, and don't allow money to dictate your life is something we can all appreciate during these trying times.

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