Sullivan's Travels: Satirising the Film Industry and it's influence on other films

As was clearly highlighted both in clas and in the process of viewing the film, oneof the key components of the comedy in 'Sullivan's Travels' is that of layer of satirical jokes aimed directly at the film-making business itself of the time.
The film opens with a screening of Sullivan's new film to the studio producers, who begin to quickly de-construct it in order to get what they want to see in the film in order to make a profit. "With a little sex in it" is the humourously repeated demand by one of the executives, which would be later imitated in Tim Burton's 'Ed Wood' in the lines;
"What is the one thing, if you put it in a movie, it'll be successful?"
" Tits"
Despite the code still being in full swing, producers, as displayed in these two examples, were clearly desperate to try and get away with as much saucy and racy material in their films as possible as they knew it would see big profit and audience attendence numbers. When viewing other films from around the same time, it is truly remarkable to see how in some instances, such as Veronica Drake in the shower, the director was able to get past the code.
It is argued that Sturges' aim behind the film was to prove that whilst hard hitting drama's can be effective, as the final line of 'Sullivan's Travels' highlights, there really is something to be made out of just making people laugh. It is ironic that this line should come from Sullivan himself, since at the very start of the film, he was grossly adament against comedy and musicals.
"How can you ctalk about a musical at a time like this?"
In order to advance as a film maker, he believes he must make a gritty epic that "holds a mirror up to the world" to relfect the dark times or the Depression, using 'O,Brother Where Art Thou?' as a reference source to highlight the plight of the nation's tramps and forgotten men. With regards to comedy, it is also interesting to note how Sullivan berates the classic comic films involving "keystone chases, bathing beauties, custard pie" when later in the film, we see an almost tribut to such stlye of comedy with the boy's high speed car and the mayhem going on inside the land yacht as they try to follow him. As previously mentioned, the film also contains a bathing beauty in the form of Veronica Lake in the shower.
With regards to Veronica Lake's character, she is the embodiment of the dazzling Hollywood beauty and the film's clear love interest however, the stereotype is turned on its head as she has no name throughout the film, this does the opposite of not shaping her character as a plot device however, she is sassy, has a quick wit to keep up with Sullivan and doesnt mind getting dirty and dressing down living amoung tramps. She is the very antithesis of the blonde bombshell stereotype that studios use(d) to sell their films.
The concept that still exists today of film makers or studios seeking to be seen to be sympathetic on certain issues and tragedies is clearly lampooned in the film, of course Sullivan has no idea at all of the hardships of life on the streets, but to his credit, he does in fact walk the walk with regards to gaining the proper experience in perhaps the film example of method acting for a film. This notion of exposing celebrities in the film business to appear foolish and knowing nothing of real life harships has become a staple effective plot for hit comedies such as 'Tropic Thunder' and 'Galaxy Quest', where the actors are actually thrown into a real life dangerous situation to see how they would really cope.
The clearest comparrion film I can make to 'Sullivan's Travels' is that of under-rated gem, Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) which is like 'Travels' but in reverse, where the low-life crook, Harry Lockheart (Robert Downey Jnr.) accidently stumbles into the film industry and all its prospects whilst Sullivan was so desperate to escape it in order to get the feel for his part.
It will of course remain a sad yet undeniable fact, that depsite the best intentions to gain laughs from the audience and mock the industry, the films will always still be a product of that same business, and the actors themselves not playing characters too far from the truth of how they themselves would act in such situations/