<p> 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 <I>The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels</I> and <I>Miracle of Morgan's Creek</I>. 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.</p><p> Four appendices offer a generous selection of previously unavailable material, including an exclusive interview with the director's fourth wife Sandy Sturges.</p>