Customer Reviews

W.C. Fields Comedy Collection (The Bank Dick / My Little Chickadee / You Can't Cheat an Honest Man / It's a Gift / International House)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have been waiting years for "It's a Gift" to make it onto DVD, and it would appear that my wish will finally come true with the release of this set. I will undoubtedly buy the collection, but I already have the Criterion version of "The Bank Dick" (and also their great release of the collection of 6 short films), and "Chickadee" and "Honest Man", while crowd-pleasers, never made it onto my list of must-see Fields films. I, like many others, am baffled by the choice of "International House" for inclusion, as Fields probably only spends about 1/30th of the time on screen, but if owning it is the price I must pay to see a great copy of "It's a Gift", then so be it!

I also hope that enough people buy this to prompt additional releases of some of the other pure Fields vehicles like "Man on the Flying Trapeze", "The Old Fashioned Way", "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break", and "Poppy". (Now that would make for a nice boxed-set!)

For me, Fields's comedy is still remarkably fresh, usually bitingly funny, always a treat for the ears, and sometimes even touching. 10 quick quotes from "Bank Dick" and "It's a Gift":
1) "Caught him on the first bounce!" (After gently bringing the ailing bank examiner through the hotel lobby up to his room, running back downstairs to the lobby out the front door, and again walking the bank examiner back through the hotel lobby)
2) Egbert: "Was I in here last night, and did I spend a twenty-dollar bill?" Bartender: "Why yes!" Egbert: "What a load that is off my mind! I thought I'd lost it!"
3) "See you got that door closed again" (Mr. Muckle the blind man after sticking his cane through Bissonette's glass door)
4) "Capital L, small a, capital F, small o, small n, small g; LaFong; Carl LaFong"
5) "I'll be sober tomorrow; you'll be crazy the rest of your life"
6) "You'd like to have a nose like that full of nickels, wouldn't you?" (Mother, to a young brat pointing at Fields's prominent proboscis)
7) "The resale value of this car is going to be nil after this ride."
8) "I'm very fond of children. Girl children, around eighteen, twenty"
9) Mrs. Sousé: "Don't you dare strike that child!" Egbert Sousé: "She's not gonna tell ME I don't love her."
10) Customer: "What do you have in the way of steaks"? Sousé: "Not a thing, I can get right to 'em".

"It's a Gift" and "The Bank Dick" are great mainly because of Fields, but they have great supporting casts (the great Franklin Pangborn as Bank Examiner J. Pinkerton Snoopington; Kathleen Howard as Amelia Bissonette; Tammany Young as the store clerk in "Gift"; Shemp Howard as bartender Joe Guelpe; Grady Sutton as Og Oggilby; Una Merkel as Egbert's mother-in-law; and Russell Hicks as the lugubrious J. Frothingham Waterbury.

"Chickadee" is famous for the pairing of Fields and Mae West, but it always irked me that (no offense to you Mae fans out there) valuable screen time was taken away from Fields so that we could see the venerable Ms. West show off her ample assets. "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man" is much closer to my heart, especially for the banter between Fields and Charlie McCarthy and some of the circus scenes, but overall my preference is for all Fields, all the time. (OK, I'll admit that a little Mortimer Snerd is never a bad thing).

In a perfect world, we would be able to pick and choose which W.C. Fields DVD to watch on any given day. Since they are so few and far between, I have to laud the upcoming release of these films, regardless of whether all 5 really show of the Great Man's talents to their best. And who knows, maybe if there is enough interest, the other great Fields films will hit the market soon. Anyway, the few minutes of Fields in "International House" is much much better than 2+ hours of the latest action adventure extravaganza taking up screen space at the gigaplex.

"As my dear old grandfather Litvak said (just before they swung the trap), he said 'You can't cheat an honest man. Never give a sucker an even break or smarten up a chump.'"

Well THANK YOU UNIVERSAL!!! It's about time!!! W.C. Fields is one of THE greatest comedians EVER, yet his catalog has been grossly overlooked. I can be certain with Universal issuing these the quality will be top notch. Criterion had already issued The Bank Dick, so I'm not sure why it's on here too, but I won't complain as the other 4 are certainly worth the price of admission!

Now, PLEASE continue to release the many other Fields movies that are out there. I'm really hoping this is only 1 of several volumes that will be issued.

Any and all Fields fans should buy this, buy another 1 or 2 for gifts to family and friends, the better this release does the better chances of more to follow!

And if you haven't seen Fields ever??? You have to buy this, this man is one of THE building blocks of all modern comedy!

MUST SEE CLASSIC CINEMA! Fields slow burn style of comedy is a drastic opposite to today's modern, cheap, "fast food" style of comedy. Today's comedy is a quick laugh and it's over, never as funny the second time around, but with Fields, each viewing makes you laugh more as you start to relate pesonally to W.C. and all his trials and tribulations of life that he interweaves into his comedy.

On a personal level Fields as a comedian sneaks into your heart and mind causing you to develop a rapport with him and the daily events of life that shape and mold all of us to a certain extent. Fields, in his never ending struggle for control of those daily events brings about some of the most classic comedy ever to be captured on film. This my friends is THE golden age of comedy captured for all to enjoy, do not miss it.
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FINAL FOLLOWUP:
I've watched all the discs now and quality is as good as it's going to get, very, very good. The packaging is very nicely done too.

As far as the choice of movies included... Well it's too bad they put the Bank Dick in taking a spot away from another possible inclusion, seeing a high quality Criterion Collection version is already available. International House is a scream, I've always liked it, not so sure it is a "fit" in a Fields collection however, but his material is very good in the movie. Perhaps 3 more collections can come out making enough room in each of the collections for movies like this where Fields only had a part in them.

Someone mentioned Six Of A Kind, IT IS available on DVD as part of the Burns Allen collection, as well as The Big Broadcast, Sally Of The Sawdust, and 6 shorts Fileds on Criterion Collection which is superb quality.

NOW, it is a must that all fans e-mail Universal and ask for MORE releases!!!!!!!! Here's what we need in no particular order.

1.Mississippi
2.Man On The Flying Trapeze
3.You're Telling Me
4.The Old Fashioned Way
5.Poppy
6.Tillie And Gus
7.Never Give a Sucker An Even Break
8.If I Had A Million
9.Tales Of Manhattan
10.Her Majesty Love
11.Song Of The Open Road
12.Sensations of 1945
13.Alice In Wonderland
14.It's The Old Army Game
15.Follow The Boys
16.Running Wild
17.Million Dollar Legs

It can be seen that there is enough material for 3 more collections. PLEASE UNIVERSAL!!!!!!!

Universal released this set in conjunction with a Marx Brothers collection. It is to my surprise that the W.C. Fields set is the more satisfying of the two. Fields was a true original. Nobody in film history has matched his whimsically soused and often caustic approach to comedy. To reiterate what an earlier reviewer stated I hope somebody packages some of Fields other work but this is an excellent primer for someone unfamiliar with his work. The extras in this package are slight; a few trailers and a not bad "Biography" segment.
International House: Essentially a review featuring the "stars" of the day. The connecting plot is an early demonstration of televison at a hotel in China. Fields is the obvious stand-out but Burns and Allen have some amusing routines and Cab Calloway's abbreviated performance of "Reefer Man" is of interest. Not a classic, but deserves to be seen at least once. Four stars.
It's a Gift: This is one of the funniest films of all-time. The story concerns Fields' grocer who has dreams of owning an orange grove and has to deal with his overbearing family. One uproarious set-piece here follows another. Five stars.
You Can't Cheat an Honest Man: This time Fields plays a slick circus owner one step ahead of the law. Fields' shtick here is good for awhile but starts to wear thin as the movie progresses. The film is saved somewhat by the routines of Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. Four stars.
My Little Chickadee: The weak link in the set. Fields and co-star Mae West have zero chemistry in this western comedy. It seems like the two of them are acting at cross purposes in two different movies. Two stars.
The Bank Dick: Back in classic territory. Here, Fields seems a little dissipated but his timing is still impeccable. Basically, his character is a ne'er do-well bank guard who through circumstance, guile, and sheer luck manages to come out
on top. Like "It's a Gift", this film contains one hilarious set-piece after another. Five stars.

Most of these films were on VHS for years, so maybe they could have tacked on one of Field's more elusive movies as a purchase incentive ("Mississippi" anyone?). No matter, I'm excited to get my hands on 3 of the 5 included here. The transfers all look super.

IT'S A GIFT: My favorite. The only thing funnier than Fields is watching his shrewish wife Kathleen Howard nag him. The blind Mr. Merkle's visit to the store is a glorious piece of non-PC humor. Heaven.

BANK DICK: Fields was a true auteur. This movie is the culmination of his style, loaded with double-entendres, alcoholic humor, nightmarish family members, and various idiotic characters that come and go.

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE: Think of this as the Fields version of "Grand Hotel." I've always wallowed in the film's total sense of anarchy, and its badness becomes endearing after a few highballs. Very similar to Paramount's "Big Broadcast" films. Be warned there is something called "Girls in Cellophane" in the cast.

YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN: Not a huge advocate of watching ventriloquists, even if he is Murphy Brown's dad. A good "second feature" to pair with one of the better films.

MY LITTLE CHICKADEE: Better than I remembered. Sanitized Mae West is better than none. For a sample of just how much they sanitized her, watch the trailer--there's a funny, innocuous line from her shoot-out on the train that didnt make the finished film, surely because it could have been mistaken in a sexual context. Fields' entrance into the story is classic.

Hope this set sells well. Fields was one of the great humorists of the 20th century, and his work deserves to be available to the public.

Movies: ***** Extra Features: **** DVD Quality: *****

A wonderful boxed set of five movies that offer a marvelous sampling of The Great Man's work. Die-hard fans will argue over the issue of which Fields favorites were included and which were left out, but one thing is certain: there are hours worth of laughs and entertainment here! What's more, each of the five films has been expertly transferred to DVD. Audio and visual quality is excellent throughout. The extra features are a bit less than one might hope for, just the Theatrical Trailers to 3 of the films ("International House", "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man", and My Little Chickadee") and best of all, the A & E Biography segment, "W. C. Fields: Behind the Laughter". Overall, it's a wonderful collection designed to showcase Fields' unique talents for old fans and new devotees alike, and well worth adding to your DVD collection.

Having very little exposure to Fields prior to viewing this box set, I was delighted with what I saw. Fields created the most profound & meandering character, making him ahead of his time & setting him apart from other comics. People liked recalling Fields' meanness, but upon observation it was clear that he rarely retaliated unless he was provoked--and even then, he'd try to "smile" his way out of unpleasant situations. I must admit, I admire Fields for having the guts to poke fun at such sacred institutions as children, religion, politics & water (Fields once remarked: "Alcohol's my drink. I never drink water: fish make love in it!"). It was fields' genius that turned "the Bank Dick"--the film in which Fields wanders from one cockamamie situation to the next--into a remarkable classic. But an earlier film, "It's A Gift", is the one that has a soft spot in my heart. It's the perfect example of placing the entire movie solely on the shoulders of a beleaguered character and thru luck and circumstance, winds up coming out on top in the end. The "general store" scene, the "porch scene", and Fields' efforts to shave while sharing the bathroom with his teenage daughter--to name a few--are hilarious. And Fields was at an advantage too, for unlike other comedians of his time, his screen personality was not hampered by old age. Even in his 60's, his hands were graceful & quick (witness in his films how he easily manipulated such items as a cane and hat, thanks to spending years on the road as a comic juggler). It usually takes more than one viewing to catch all the classic Fields lines, for he often mumbles things under his breath. But his delivery & originality of those lines made them his & his alone. Fields was--and still is--a national treasure, and this collection is among the best I've seen.
One complaint: Where is "Never Give A Sucker an Even Break?" Or such rarities as "The Man on the Flying Trapeze", "Poppy" and "The Old-Fashioned Way"? The only way to redeem this over-sight is to release "Volume 2"!!

This is an excellent box set for a Fields beginner's primer, but where's the other great Paramount movies???
At least they threw us the great 'It's A Gift' and the horribly underrated 'International House', but us hardcores want 'Man On The Flying Trapeze', 'The Old Fashioned Way', 'Tillie And Gus', 'Mississippi', and even 'If I Had a Million'!!

This box set, which is obviously designed as first in a series, should delight anyone interested in this great comedian. While many fans quibble over what's included (or what's not), I say the selection is perfect. You get two undeniable classics (IT'S A GIFT and THE BANK DICK), one almost-classic (the very funny YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN), a disappointing (but highly watchable) teaming of two comic legends (MY LITTLE CHICKADEE), and a bizarre ensemble piece filled with the anything goes style of early 30s Paramount comedies (INTERNATIONAL HOUSE). Every one is a diamond, but some have more karats than others.

I realize it's a marketing scam, but by holding out on the all-time classics, the potential of releasing Fields' lesser known and ensemble work remains more viable. My suggestions for the next two sets:

MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, TILLIE AND GUS, HER MAJESTY LOVE and IT'S THE OLD ARMY GAME (a silent blueprint for IT'S A GIFT).

NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK, POPPY, YOU'RE TELLING ME, SIX OF A KIND and SALLY OF THE SAWDUST (a silent version of POPPY directed by D.W. Griffith).

I'd like to see the Bing Crosby vehicle, MISSISSIPPI, somewhere in there, but you'll just as soon see Disney release SONG OF THE SOUTH. T'aint gonna happen.

But let's be thankful for what we have. This DVD set offers an excellent introduction, as well as a keepsake for the diehard fan. Let's just hope they release at least another two volumes. Maybe even iron out the rights to include DAVID COPPERFIELD.

Now that would be an awesome tribute.

Both IT'S A GIFT and POPPY are my absolute faves, so how in the world can I get both in one of these godsend collections without having to spend a fortune on both? I was a junior high/middle school librarian for 27 years and as a reward for good behavior I would show the students IT'S A GIFT to prove to them that one can be a comedian without resorting to vulgarity such as their faves like Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, etc. I made a believer out of each of them, and in fact they'd tell their teachers to let them watch it again when it was their library day, so I'd surprise them with another Fields opus from my video cassette collection. However, after viewing other Fields opera, they would never be satisfied until viewing GIFT again which was fine with me since I'd always enjoy sitting with them and seeing it through their eyes for the first or second time. I do believe that I made some Fields fans over those years I miss so much now that I'm retired.

(I bought this box set for one reason only, it seems that's the only way to get "It's a Gift" on DVD. I have already written about "It's a Gift" elsewhere, but suffice it to say I think it is the best of W.C. Fields full-length features as it is all-Fields, all-the-time, and has some of his best bits. Although Fields mostly wrote his own material, only this and "The Bank Dick" in this set are all his; in the other films he has to share time with other performers and other writers and the films suffer for it as a result.

"It's a Gift" is a classic. "The Bank Dick" has a lot of good stuff and many consider it a classic as well. I am especially fond of the "hearty hand clasp"; the bit referred to in my title above; and the interaction between Fields, Shemp Howard, Franklin Pangborn and "Michael Finn" in the Cafe. It is a true Fields foray, complete with non-sequiters, side-trips, and throw-away-lines.

"You Can't Cheat an Honest Man" has too many diversions for Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy and a silly romance, but there are some good bits with Fields in the Circus ("Give Queenie! Cease Queenie!") and badgering apprentice Grady Sutton ("There's too much of the tomboy in you...") and customers alike ("Count yer change before leaving the window! No mistakes rectified!"). And the finale at the Upper Class Snobs party is a gas with a slew of his patented acerbic asides ("Quite a little wikiup! Where's the mob?") while Fields tells snake stories ("he sank his teeth into the Marauder's fetlock...and rattled for a Constable") causing pandemonium and fainting spells for his daughter's future mother-in-law ("pay no attention, she's been drinking too much!").

"My Little Chickadee" with Mae West is very disappointing. Fields has some good bits, especially describing a fight with a bar patron named Chicago Molly ("Ever kick a woman wearing a corset? Why I almost broke my great toe!" She came back next week and beat us both up. "Yeah, but she had another woman with her! Gray haired lady...") But too much of the film is inane Mae West flirtations with the good and bad guy of the town. Only fast-forwarding to Fields made it bearable for me.

Finally, "International House" is one of those curious 1930's mish-mashes that are really variety shows, this time with a mix of comedians and actors (Burns & Allen, Stu Irwin), musical groups including Cab Calloway(singing "Reefer Man": Priceless!), and an otherwise dopey plot. Fields brings in some needed comedy and some of that a bit risque, especially toward the end with the car, the girl, and the cat. It is more a curiosity than a fully realized film.

So this box set is a mixed bag including one for-sure (to my mind) classic (It's a Gift), one many consider a classic (The Bank Dick), one flawed but good film (You Can't Cheat an Honest Man), one flawed and mostly a dud film (My Little Chickadee), and one curio (International House). You can see that the first two films in which Fields had overall authorship and control, are the best. Worth it for those.