The Palm Beach Story

The Palm Beach Story
theatrical release poster
Directed byPreston Sturges
Written byPreston Sturges
Produced byBuddy G. DeSylva (uncredited)
Paul Jones
(assoc. producer)
StarringClaudette Colbert
Joel McCrea
Mary Astor
Rudy Vallee
CinematographyVictor Milner
Edited byStuart Gilmore
Music byVictor Young
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release dates
  • December 10, 1942 (1942-12-10) (New York City)
  • January 1, 1943 (1943-01-01) (U.S. general)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$950,000 (approx)[1]
Box office$1.7 million (US rentals)[2]

The Palm Beach Story is a 1942 screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée. Victor Young contributed the musical score, including a fast-paced variation of the William Tell Overture for the opening scenes. Typical of a Sturges film, the pacing and dialogue of The Palm Beach Story are very fast. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures.

  1. ^ James Curtis, Between Flops: A Biography of Preston Sturges, Limelight, 1984 p162
  2. ^ "101 Pix Gross in Millions" Variety 6 Jan 1943 p 58