Most published works on writer-director Preston Sturges (1898-1959) have focused on the elements that made him a symbol of classic Hollywood comedy or his contributions to the genre via such 1940s classics as The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels and Miracle of Morgan's Creek. In contrast, this critical study asserts that there are enough unexplained incongruities, fragmentations and contradictions in Sturges' output to demand a re-evalution of his place in film history as a predecessor (and perhaps progenitor) of later postmodern filmmakers.

Four appendices offer a generous selection of previously unavailable material, including an exclusive interview with the director's fourth wife Sandy Sturges.