Directed by Edward F. Cline
1940/USA
Universal Pictures
Repeat viewing
#140 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch: [about Sousé] He makes me sick!
Elsie Mae Adele Brunch Sousé: Shall I bounce a rock off his head?
Agatha Sousé: Respect your father, darling. What kind of a rock?
Well, it’s time for another random film from the List and the Random Number Generator awarded me another chance at W.C. Fields!
Fields is Egbert Sousé (that’s SooSAY with an accent grave on the é), who supports his household consisting of mother-in-law, wife, and little daughter all of whom hate him by entering slogan contests or something. He has an older daughter Myrtle (Una Merkel), who is engaged to Og Oggilby who works at the bank. Sousé keeps regular business hours at the Black Pussy Saloon. His life gets more exciting when he falls into jobs as a film director and then as a bank guard and when he counsels Og to embezzle money to invest in a goldmine. With Shemp Howard as the bartender and Franklin Pangborn as a bank examiner.
This might be my favorite W.C. Fields film. There is not too much slapstick and some genuinely funny lines. The romance of the daughter is very cute (I love Una Merkel!) and there is a good car chase at the end.
Trailer
I’m not a huge Fields fan, but I agree this one is a good one. I like Una Merkel too – she had spunk!
I think Una Merkel was about 40 years old in this one and convincing as an ingenue. She’s always a superb “best friend” in the 30s.