Movie Description In his last starring role, W.C. Fields plays himself, having a typical day at his studio, Esoteric Pictures. Director Eddie Cline masterfully imparts a certain level of surreal spontaneity to Field's digressions and misadventures. Fields eats breakfast, spars with a sarcastic waitress (Jody Gilbert), and then pitches his fractured script to studio head Franklin Pangborn. The script reading becomes a film within a film, commencing with the hero of the tale (Fields again playing himself) leaping out of an airplane in hot pursuit of a flask of whiskey. He lands on the bed of an innocent young girl and tries to seduce her before her mom (Margaret Dumont) comes crashing in. Fields then escapes over a cliff in a basket. Things get even more bizarre before Pangborn throws him out, and back into a "reality" that culminates in a lengthy, frenetic car chase. There's also some musical interludes courtesy Gloria Jean, a singing star Universal was grooming for success at the time. Though Fields undoubtedly bristled at the studio's insistence he share the bill, the two actually display a touching rapport in their scenes together; just another small miracle in this truly unique and hilarious film.
| Credits | | Cast: | Anne Nagel, Bill Wolfe, Billy Wayne, Carlotta Monti, Charles Lang, Charles McMurphy, Dave Willock, David Sharpe, Emil Van Horn, Emma Tansey, Francis Morris, Frank Austin, Franklin Pangborn, Harriette Haddon, James Brick Sullivan, Jean Porter, Jody Gilbert, Kay Deslys, Marcia Ralston, Michael Visaroff, Victor Potel |
Notes Theatrical release: October 10, 1941.
The classic car chase finale was reused in Abbot & Costello's IN SOCIETY.
Although he appeared in four more films, this was W.C. Fields' last starring role.
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