The Bank Dick (1940)

Director:

Edward F. Cline

Writer:

W.C. Fields (writer)

Release Date:

29 November 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Was His Face Red . . . And His Nose, Too ! when the bandits took the money . . . and the SAFE !

Plot:

Henpecked Egbert Sousè has comic adventures as a substitute film director and unlikely bank guard.

Plot Keywords:

Bank | Stock | Racist Remark | Hotel | Bank Examiner

Awards:

1 win

Cast

W.C. Fields	...	Egbert Sousè
Cora Witherspoon	...	Agatha Sousè
Una Merkel	...	Myrtle Sousè
Evelyn Del Rio	...	Elsie Mae Adele Brunch Sousè
Jessie Ralph	...	Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch
Franklin Pangborn	...	J. Pinkerton Snoopington
Shemp Howard	...	Joe Guelpe, Bartender
Dick Purcell	...	Mackley Q. Greene, Movie Location Scout (as Richard Purcell)
Grady Sutton	...	Og Oggilby
Russell Hicks	...	J. Frothingham Waterbury
Pierre Watkin	...	Mr. Skinner, Bank President
Al Hill	...	Repulsive Rogan
George Moran	...	Loudmouth McNasty
Bill Wolfe	...	Otis
Jack Norton	...	A. Pismo Clam, Movie Director

Also Known As:

The Bank Detective (UK)
The Great Man (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Lompoc, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Screen credits erroneously list Al Hill as Filthy McNasty and George Moran as Cozy Cochran, but their correct role identifications are Repulsive Rogan (Hill) and Filthy McNasty (Moran).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Snoopington is in the bank preparing to examine the books, the bank employee helping him is heard saying, "Let me give you a hand here", but the actor's lips are not moving.

Quotes:

Egbert Sousé: Don't be a luddy-duddy! Don't be a mooncalf! Don't be a jabbernowl! You're not those, are you?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: 46 Long (#1.2)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Listen to the Mockingbird

This is Just Too Funny

This is the second best Fields film (after It's a Gift) and it's similar in that it casts Fields as the lovable drunk with an absolutely hateful family. From the almost surreal episode directing the movie to the eye-poppingly ridiculous chase scene, this one is pure comic entertainment. One side note: it's sad and not a little scary how bloated and tired the Great Man looks in this compared to just six years earlier when It's a Gift was released.