You Can't Take It With You1938
You Can't Take It With You (1938)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: It's predictably uplifting fare from Frank Capra, perhaps the most consciously uplifting of all great American directors -- but thanks to immensely appealing performances and a nimble script, You Can't Take It With You is hard not to love.
You Can't Take It With You Photos
Movie Info
Watch it now
Cast
as Alice Sycamore
as Martin Vanderhof
as Tony Kirby
as Anthony P. Kirby
as Kolenkhov
as Essie Carmichael
as Paul Sycamore
as Penny Sycamore
as Poppins
as Ramsey
as DePinna
as Ed Carmichael
as Mrs. Anthony Kirby
as Rheba
as Donald
as John Blakely
as Professor
as Maggie O'Neill
as Schmidt
as Mrs. Schmidt
as Henderson
as Dance Teacher
as Judge
as Attorney
as Attorney
as Attorney
as Kirby's Assistant
as Jailer
as Kirby's Secretary
as Henry
as Hammond
as Inmate
as Inmate
as Detective
as Detective
as Court Attendant
as Board member
as Strong arm man
as Neighbor
as Hughes
as Office Manager
as Kirby's Attorney
as Reporter
as Reporter
as Reporter
as Reporter
as Reporter
as Reporter
as Reporter
as Attorney
as Mr. Leach
as Lord Melville
as Mary
as G-Man
as Executive
as Secretary
as Bank Manager
as Attorney
as Expressman
as Mac
as Neighbor
as Capt. Drake
as Mrs. Drake
as Mrs. Leach
as Lady Melville
as Matron
as Police Sergeant
as Dopey
as Plainclothes policeman
as Bailiff
as Policeman
as Policeman
as Policeman
as Policeman
as Expressman
as Neighbor
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Blakely's Secretary
as Diner
as Secretary
as Bobby
as Guard
as Guard
as Trustee
as Trustee
as Barber
as Drunk
as Russian General in Jail
as Bank Guard
as Doorman
as Bank Porter
as Bank Clerk
as Bank Clerk
as Bank Clerk
as Bank Clerk
as Bank Clerk
as Elevator Boy
as Taxi Driver
as Accordion Player
as Ice Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Man
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Worried Neighbor (uncredited)
as Martin's Neighbor in Courtroom (uncredited)
as Child Dancer (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
as Neighbor (uncredited)
Critic Reviews for You Can't Take It With You
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (3) | DVD (1)
Though much of the comedy blends forced gaiety with sentiment, Arthur and Stewart bring shivery intensity and playful intimacy to the young lovers' ardent bond.
James Stewart and Jean Arthur, as the young lovers, exemplify Mr. Capra's extremely naturalistic way of dealing with dialogue.Their mumblings and murmurings of humorous nothings is strangely endearing, and they make the two characters vividly real.
Here Is a brilliant production, blending philosophy and farce in a play of Ideas.
The comedy moves smoothly and briskly under Capra's canny method of direction.
It's a grand picture.
Kid-friendly Capra classic stars a quirky family.
Audience Reviews for You Can't Take It With You
A son of a business magnate proposes to a lower class girl whose eccentric family stands in the way of business's progress. Frank Capra is a legendary director, and everybody loves him. But I don't. I didn't like It's a Wonderful Life mostly because it isn't. I didn't like Mr Smith Goes to Washington mostly because it was overly simplistic. And "You Can't Take It with You is so remarkably preachy that I found myself rolling my eyes so often I soon developed a headache. I'm essentially politically aligned with Capra's left-wing compassion, but the characters seem more motivated by the director's political arguments than they are motivated by specific characterizations or the story's demands. I also found the antics of the Sycamore household ridiculous. The ballet dancer, the Russian, the fireworks -- all of it just seems so off the wall that I had trouble suspending my disbelief, and once again, I rolled my eyes. Overall, I'm aware that I'm in the minority with my dislike for Capra, but I still think this film is great if you want to roll your eyes a lot
Super Reviewer
The well-born Tony Kirby (James Stewart) falls in love with Alice (Jean Arthur), whose family, the Sycamores, are eccentric, to say the least. Her maternal grandfather (Lionel Barrymore) supports a cast of inventors and dancers and always has one more place at his table for guests, no matter where they come from, while on the Kirby side, it's not acceptable to associate with anyone not of the upper crust. What else could this setup provide other than a lesson about the worth of one's name and reputation versus that of one's money? To this fable add some wacky comedy and some stirring speeches, and what you get is another working class classic from Frank Capra that's not to be missed.
Super Reviewer
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.
Super Reviewer
You Can't Take It With You Quotes
There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.