Customer Reviews

It's a Gift [VHS]

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W. C. Fields is at his "man against the world" best in this hilarious comedy. The plot of grocery store operator Harold Bissonette (pronounced Bisso-NAY, please), who yearns for a California orange ranch, is secondary to the frequent moments of classic comedy. For sidesplitting laughter, check out Harold's encounter with Mr. Muckle, the blind and deaf hotel detective who wreaks havoc in the grocery store. In addition, Harold trying to sleep on the porch swing is one of the greatest comedy scenes ever filmed. Aside from noisy neighbor disruptions, he suffers an assertive insurance salesman looking for Carl LaFong ("Capital 'L,' small 'a,' capital 'F,' small 'o,' small 'n,' small 'g.' LaFong!). Harold's reaction to these various annoyances keeps the viewer in stitches. Harold's shrewish wife and her scolding reaction to everything her husband says or does puts the "fun" in dysfunctional. Fields also has a couple of encounters with Baby LeRoy. Obnoxious children and their overbearing mothers are among Fields' best targets for razor-sharp comedy. Even Harold and the family dog don't get along. Harold threatens to replace the dog with an "iron" deer lawn ornament. Fields' comic style stresses physical humor, sight gags, and his trademark asides. The comic side of drinking is part of his standard routine, good taste notwithstanding. Fans of W. C. Fields, classic comedy fans, and everyone who enjoys debunking the guises of stuffy respectability needs this movie for their personal movie collection. Recommended for multiple viewing. ;-)

In a number of films, W. C. Fields played a variation on the theme of the hen-pecked husband, but it all came together to perfection in "It's A Gift," an hilarious comedy directed by Norman Z. McLeod. Harold Bissonette (Fields) owns a small grocery store, has an overbearing wife, Amelia (Kathleen Howard), a daughter, Mildred (Jean Rouverol), who is in love, a son, Norman (Tommy Bupp), with a penchant for leaving roller skates in the wrong places, and aspirations to a better life that includes wealth, leisure, respect and gin (not necessarily in that order). He has his eye on an orange grove in sunny, Southern California, complete with a house, that he's seen a picture of in a magazine. When "Uncle Bean" passes away, Harold parlays a modest inheritance into the purchase price, and the pursuit of the dream becomes a reality, much to the chagrin of Amelia, who thinks he's a fool. And lets him know about it in no uncertain terms. A cross country foray to the promised land with the entire family follows, and when they finally arrive in California, they find the house in disrepair and nary an orange to be seen; at least not in their grove. Harold refuses to give up, of course, and with a little luck, and some shrewd bargaining with a land developer in need of a parking lot, by the end he's living his dream. The humor in this film is vibrant and punctuated throughout by the inimitable Fields, with his trademark delivery, body language and, of course, the "proboscis," that have made him an icon of Americana. There's one uproarious scene after another, especially one in which Harold tries to take a nap on the porch while contending with noisy neighbors upstairs and down, an ice pick wielding child, and an insurance salesman (T. Roy Barnes) looking for a man named LaFong: "LaFong, Carl LaFong. Capital `L' small `a,' capital `F' small `o' small `n' small `g.' LaFong!" he says. "I don't know LaFong," Harold replies, "And if I did, I wouldn't tell you!" Another memorable scene takes place in the store, and involves the blind Mr. Muckle (Charles Sellon), who has an encounter with a display of light bulbs, and a young lad who discovers the tap on a vat of molasses; all of which produces the anticipated results. With a supporting cast that includes Julian Madison (John, Mildred's fiance), Baby LeRoy (Baby Dunk), Tammany Young (Everett Ricks), Josephine Whittell (Mrs. Dunk) and Diana Lewis (Miss Dunk), "It's A Gift" is a laugh-out-loud movie that can be watched over and over again; this is Fields at his best, in a timeless classic comedy that gets funnier every time you see it. For Field's fans, or for anyone who just wants to laugh and have a good time, this film is a definite "must see."

This comic gem features W.C. Fields at his dryest and best as Harold Bissonette, a sort of everyman who inherits a fortune and invests in what starts out as a hair-brained scheme, to the chagrin of his nagging wife (played to the hilt by Kathleen Howard) and bratty children. Fields is the master of understatement when it comes to comedy - if you love subtle humor (as I do), you'll view this film repeatedly. This film remains one of my personal favorites in that the lead character is a man who seemingly cannot please anyone (try though he may), yet prevails himself in the end. Some of the greatest sequences include: the bathroom shaving scene, where Bissonette tries to shave while his ditzy daughter primps herself; a night-time argument between Fields and his wife, ending with Bissonette spending the night on the porch and having to endure all sorts of annoyances while trying to sleep; and a road trip to Florida with the Bissonettes, which from beginning to end is a riot. Plus all the scenes between Fields and Howard are excellent - it's no wonder they did a second film together. My favorite exchange: Mrs. Bissonette (fake-crying): "I've given you the best years of my life. . . "; Mr. Bissonette (under his breath): "Yes, you have, dear . . ." I suggest this film mainly for men (the ladies I suggest it to usually don't see much humor in it) - specifically guys who are numb from absorbing the blows from both family and the workplace. Thank you, Universal, for finally re-releasing it on tape (Side note: please release another Fields classic, "The Man on the Flying Trapeze," as soon as possible to video - it is on the same order as this one, it even co-stars Kathleen Howard).

In New Jersey, inept storekeeper Harold Bissonette is constantly nagged and badgered by his domineering wife, Amelia, his obnoxious son Norman and his lovestruck daughter Mildred. When his Uncle Bean dies, Harold uses his $5,OOO inheritance to buy an orange ranch in California through Mildred's boyfriend, John Durston, but does not tell Amelia...The unique enjoyment which is derived by those who cherish this film comes from watching Fields in a variety of classic situations: his reactions and fine timing. As Amelia, Harold's shrike of a wife, Kathleen Howard is hilariously right on the money. Trivial footnotes: Charles Bogle, who is credited as story writer, was a pseudonym of W.C. himself. The famous porch scene was filmed at Jesse Lasky's ranch and the final shot was filmed at Field's home in Encino, California. Jean Rouveral, who plays Mildred, won the part via a "Search for Beauty" contest offered by Paramount. The campfire singers were played by Chill Wills and the Avalon Boys.

IT'S A GIFT is one of the funniest movies of the thirties. W.C. is showcased in this quickly paced little gem which keeps one laughing for 70 minutes straight. The Carl LaFong sequence is classic and the picnic scene is hilarious, and it's a riot when we finally see the shack which awaits Bissonette and his family in the California orange grove. The blind man in the general store keeps breaking the glass in the front door with his walking stick and knocking over various merchandise; Fields values the rich man's patronage and even refers to him sweetly as "honey"! Kathleen Howard (We DROVE here! ) is a scream as the nagging Ms. Bissinette who's Uncle Bean has just passed away and left the family a surprise fortune. Laughs galore!

I have recently become a big W.C. Fields fan. I enjoy the classic comedies of the 20s - 40s and watching such people as Laurel & Hardy, the Marx Brothers, Bob Hope, & Charlie Chaplin, but Fields was never a favorite. I think the reason for this was because I was too young to truly understand the character. I was only 5 years old or so. But, after receiving a DVD showing 6 short films it restored a new interest in Fields' work. I have seen films such as "You Can't Cheat An Honest Man", "My Little Chickadee", and "The Bank Dick", but I hadn't seen "It's A Gift" until recently. I think it is an absolute comedy masterpiece that was a perfect vehicle to showcase the Fields persona.

Fields plays Harold Bissonette owner of a grocery store and has been married to Amelia, his annoying wife, for twenty years. They have two children, or brats as Fields might call them, who make life difficult for him. Fields has a grand idea, he wants to go into the orange business and buy an orange ranch. He plans on getting enough money to do so after his beloved (?) uncle dies. And that is the set-up. You wont get another bit of information out of me concerning the plot, namely because there's nothing more to tell. The film now consist of gags built in the story. Only I don't recall ever laughing so much.

The movie is directed by Norman Z. McLeod. Most fans of early comedies may know that name. He directed several Bob Hope films ("My Favorite Spy", "Casanova's Big Night", & "Paleface") along with two Marx Brother comedies ("Horse Feathers" & "Monkey Business") so I think some credit should be thrown his way as well. He understood comedy and brought out the best in his actors.

Fans of "The Great Man" are really going to appreciate this film. It reminds me of a Harold Lloyd film "Hot Water". But now after seeing this, I must admit, Fields seems to have much more fun with the character. Not to say that Lloyd was trying to play that type of character. This is honestly one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Get ready to laugh.

Bottom-line: One of Fields' best films. A comedy masterpiece showing the Fields persona in great stride. For my money and time one of the funniest films ever!

If you can sit down and watch this movie from beginning to end, WITHOUT laughing, call the undertaker, cause YOUR DEAD!!! This movie is SO funny that it is BETTER than five stars! You HAVE to watch it!!!

W.C. Fields is without an equal when portraying a henpecked husband. Playing downtrodden New Jersey grocer Harold Bissonette in this 1934 offering, Fields in at the mercy of his sharp tongued wife played wonderfully by Kathleen Howard. Fields, a harmless schnook is also being pestered by his young son Norman and older daughter Mildred. Baby Leroy, also part of the cast, doesn't need to try hard to get under the skin of the slow burning Fields.

The family is taking issue with his decision to buy an orange ranch in California courtesy of an inheritance from his Uncle Bean. Fields setting himself up as an orange expert has purchased a useless old farm without first having seen the property. As the family makes their way across country, Fields must endure many hysterical challenges. Despite all his shortcomings all ends up well for the Bissonettes.

The scene in the grocery store with blind customer Mr. Muckle destroying a lightbulb display and glass doors while another customer is screaming for kumquats is a classic comedy scene. Fields attempt to get some shut eye outside on his porch swing while being overwhelmed by every noise imaginable is also farcical.

"It's a Gift" may very well be W.C.Fields' most brilliant film. Certainly, it is his most consistently hilarious one, but at the same time his darkest. The paradox loving critic who once maintained that comedy was a sadder art than tragedy as it left people unchanged in their follies and vices could well have had a film like this in mind as an illustration of that doctrine. One inch below its hilarious surface, there is pretty consistent domestic misery. Stuffed full of marvelously funny sequences,"It's a Gift" details the automobile move from East Coast to West sometime during the 30's by a sorely beset grocery store owner, his nagging wife ("I've never had a servant, probably never shall!"), his selfish affianced daughter, and his pip of a bratty son. Unlike happier Fields comedies in which he has at least one good human relationship, usually that with his daughter, here to the entire family he is merely odd man out. Added to this alienation, there's the fact that the entire human and physical universe is against him, both on his trip across the States as well as before it. Thus he is thwarted in due course by an ill-placed roller skate, a selfish blind man, Baby LeRoy, an enabling mother, a molasses spill, clinking milk bottles, a bouncing coconut, a persistent insurance salesman, a noisy street peddler, grapes dropped into his open mouth during sleep, an unfoldable folding chair, a gated mansion, a statue in its park that "runs right in front of his car," and finally an orange grove that's without oranges, much less a single tree. Though the Fields character pulls off something of an economic triumph in the final sequences, it is the continuing alienation of his character that is reinforced in the final frame. As his ever selfish family sets off to some new snobbish event in fancy clothes and in an even fancier car, Fields by choice remains alone, essentially as he was before the trip to California, though he does have a new companion of sorts now, a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice which he can generously spike with his always present flask of hard liquor.

This is one of the most hilarious movies ever made, and one of the least-known and appreciated. W.C. Field is outstanding as the California grocer, Mr. Bissonette, who has inherited an orange grove. The funniest scene is when a blind man comes into his store and breaks everything with his cane, while Bissonette stands my helplessly. You will be on the floor in stitches!

Though made in 1934, this movie is not dated in the least and the quality of this version is quite acceptable. If you've never seen this Fields classic, don't hesitate. You'll watch it again and again and laugh until your sides ache.