The Old Fashioned Way
Directed by William Beaudine
1934/USA
Paramount Pictures
First viewing
Cleopatra Pepperday: [after McGonigle takes a heavy fall] Marky, are you hurt?
The Great McGonigle: [sarcastically] No, I had the presence of mind to fall on my head.
It is the Gay Nineties and W.C. Fields plays The Great McGonigle, proprietor of a travelling theater company that puts on melodramas. As usual, there is a romance involving his daughter. There’s some comedy singing by a rich widow and straight singing by the daughter’s beau. The film is capped by Fields’s juggling act.
Some quality time with Baby LeRoy
I found this less annoying than the other Fields pictures I’ve watched for 1934. The juggling act at the end is actually pretty good. Fields got his start in vaudeville as a juggler and is talented at it.
Fields’ juggling act
Yes, this is one of the better W.C. Fields films. There is a bit more meat on it and the juggling is pretty good.
Agreed. The only real “routine” is the juggling and that changes up pretty often.