It's a Gift (1934)

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Jack Cunningham (screenplay)
J.P. McEvoy (from "The Comic Supplement")
(more)

Release Date:

30 November 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

LOOK THIS GIFT IN THE FACE IF YOU WANT A BIG HORSE-LAUGH (original herald - all caps)

Plot:

A henpecked New Jersey grocer makes plans to move to California to grow oranges, despite the resistance of his overbearing wife.

Plot Keywords:

Orange | California | Insurance Salesman | Overbearing Wife | Porch

Awards:

1 win

Cast

W.C. Fields	...	Harold Bissonette
Kathleen Howard	...	Amelia Bissonette
Jean Rouverol	...	Mildred Bissonette
Julian Madison	...	John Durston
Tommy Bupp	...	Norman Bissonette (as Tom Bupp)
Baby LeRoy	...	Baby Dunk
Tammany Young	...	Everett Ricks
Morgan Wallace	...	James Fitchmueller
Charles Sellon	...	Mr. Muckle
Josephine Whittell	...	Mrs. Dunk
T. Roy Barnes	...	Insurance Salesman
Diana Lewis	...	Miss Dunk
Spencer Charters	...	Gate Guard
Guy Usher	...	Harry Payne Bosterly
Dell Henderson	...	Mr. Abernathy (as Del Henderson)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Adams	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
The Avalon Boys	...	Campfire Performers (uncredited)
Eddie Baker	...	Yard Attendant (uncredited)
Don Brookins	...	Member of 'The Avalon Boys' (uncredited)
Helene Chadwick	...	Mrs. Abernathy (uncredited)
Billy Engle	...	Campground Patron (uncredited)
Budd Fine	...	Driver (uncredited)
Art Green	...	Member of 'The Avalon Boys' (uncredited)
Edith Kingdon	...	Old Woman in Limousine (uncredited)
Jerry Mandy	...	Vegetable Man (voice) (uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	Butler (uncredited)
Patsy O'Byrne	...	Mrs. Frobisher (uncredited)
William H. Tooker	...	Old Man in Limousine (uncredited)
Walter Trask	...	Member of 'The Avalon Boys' (uncredited)
Chill Wills	...	Campfire Singer (uncredited)
Jane Withers	...	Little Girl Playing Hopscotch (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Z. McLeod		(as Norman McLeod)

Writing credits
Jack Cunningham		(screenplay)
J.P. McEvoy		(from "The Comic Supplement")
W.C. Fields		(based upon story by) (as Charles Bogle)
Claude Binyon		contributor to treatment (uncredited)
Lou Breslow		contributor to special sequences (uncredited)
Howard J. Green		contributor to treatment (uncredited)
Harry Ruskin		contributor to special sequences (uncredited)
John Sinclair		contributor to special sequences (uncredited)
Paul Girard Smith		contributor to treatment (uncredited)
Eddie Welch		contributor to special sequences (uncredited)
Garnett Weston		contributor to treatment (uncredited)

Produced by
William LeBaron	....	producer
Emanuel Cohen	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Leipold		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Henry Sharp		(photographed by)

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier		(uncredited)
John B. Goodman		(uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Montagne	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Harry Caplan	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Earl S. Hayman	....	sound (uncredited)

Stunts
John Sinclair	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
John Sinclair	....	stunt double: W.C. Fields (uncredited)

Other crew
Adolph Zukor	....	presenter
Teet Carle	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Rachel Smith	....	studio teacher (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (as Paramount Productions, Inc,)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1934) (USA) (theatrical) (as Paramount Productions, Inc,)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

68 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #343) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Ranch - 2813 Cornell Road, Agoura, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The source of the film was a play, "The Comic Supplement (of American Life)," by J.P. McEvoy, which opened in Washington, D.C. on 19 January 1925.

Goofs:

Continuity: The way Harold lands after tripping on the skate changes.

Quotes:

Insurance Salesman:If you should live to be 100...
[Harold chases him off the deck]
Harold:And suppose I live to be 200, I'll get a velocipede!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Psych: An Evening with Mr. Yang (#3.16)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away

Sit Down, Mr. Muckle!

If you can spell Carl LaFong, you can spell laugh....that's capital "L', small "a", small "u", small "g", small "h"!!! And Carl LaFong is only one of many bits that will have you weeping with laughter. This is, without a doubt, the best of Fields and it is more than 70 years old!! Watch some of the old comedies of the early 30's and be bored to death; very few stand the test of time as this one does. The story is simple - man inherits money, buys his dream, the dream turns bad, and then turns good, end of story. Fields' movies don't need much story; only something to frame his talents and the talents of his supporting players who are all spot-on in this film. The picnic scene will have you rolling in the aisles (or off the couch), the aforementioned Carl LaFong scene (in fact, the whole porch scene) and "Sit down, Mr. Muckle,honey" is a riot. Almost every set piece in "It's a Gift" will evoke laughter and as usual, the names of the characters are pure Fields madness. I give this classic a 10 and recommend it to all those comedy buffs who think that all humor has to have sexual or political content to succeed.