Never Give a Sucker An Even Break (1941)

Synopsis: 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.... 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. [More]

Starring: W.C. Fields, Margaret Dumont, Gloria Jean, Leon Errol

Starring: W.C. Fields, Margaret Dumont, Gloria Jean, Leon Errol, Anne Nagel, Franklin Pangborn, Mona Barrie, Susan Miller, Charley Lang, Nell O'Day, Claude Allister, Leon Belasco, Emil Van Horn, Billy Wayne, Minerva Urecal, Jody Gilbert, William Gould, Emmett Vogan, Jack Lipson, Dave Willock, Duke York, Ed Bruce, Kay Deslys, Kathryn Sheldon, Michael Visaroff, Irene Colman, Carlotta Monti, Francis Morris, Frank Austin, Jack Roper, Charles McMurphy, Emma Tansey, James Brick Sullivan, Harriette Haddon, Marcia Ralston, Bill Wolfe, Jean Porter, David Sharpe, Victor Potel, Charles Lang, Prince the Dog

Director: Edward Cline

Director: Edward Cline
Screenwriter: John T. Neville
Composer: Frank Skinner
Screenwriter: Prescott Chaplin
Story: W.C. Fields

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