The Bank Detective (1940)
"The Bank Dick" (original title)

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

Director:

Edward F. Cline

Writer:

W.C. Fields (original screen play)

Stars:

W.C. Fields, Cora Witherspoon, Una Merkel

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Dick Purcell	...	Mackley Q. Greene (as Richard Purcell)
Grady Sutton	...	Og Oggilby
Russell Hicks	...	J. Frothingham Waterbury
Pierre Watkin	...	Mr. Skinner
Al Hill	...	Filthy McNasty
George Moran	...	Cozy Cochran
Bill Wolfe	...	Otis
Jack Norton	...	A. Pismo Clam

Storyline

Egbert Souse, "accent grave over the e", henpecked by his whole family, is recruited to replace a drunken film director, then seems to have captured a bank robber and is hired as guard in the Lompoc Bank, where Og Oggilby, his daughter's fiancée, is teller. Souse persuades Og to embezzle $500 to buy phony stock; then the bank examiner shows up. Can Souse keep him occupied for four days? The climax is an extended chase sequence.

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Plot Keywords:

bank | stock | bank examiner | bar | father daughter relationship | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 November 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Great Man

Filming Locations:

Lompoc, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Universal's censors initially objected to W.C. Fields' script and demanded many changes. Director Edward F. Cline suggested that Fields should go ahead and film it their way, and that the front office wouldn't notice the difference. They didn't.

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Goofs

In the opening bit of dialogue, one of the old ladies points out that there is an "accent grave" over the final e in a character's name, meaning it would be pronounced "Sous-AY", not "Souse". In fact, it's an accent aigu (or acute accent), in both pronunciation and painted on the mailbox she's looking at.

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Quotes

Myrtle Sousé: I'll bet that's Og!
Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch: Mmm, he's got her bettin' now. She never gambled 'fore she met him.

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Connections

Referenced in Spellbound (1945)

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Soundtracks

"Home Sweet Home"
(1823) (uncredited)
Music by H.R. Bishop
Background music near the beginning of the movie and at the end

User Reviews

All time classic and Fields best for sure

This movie is so brilliant, it is almost sad that Fields did not make more movies than he did. As 1940 approached, he actually was doing his best work but was in deteriorating health through his death in 1946. This movie was all written and done under Field's supervision and a masterpiece it is.

The all time funniest scene in movie history, in my opinion, was when he gets the bank examiner, J. Pinkerton Snoopington drunk and sick and brings him back to the hotel he was staying at. When he allegedly falls out the window and Field's comes running down the stairs to retrieve him was so brilliantly executed, it's amazing. He moves the camera to the far side of the lobby which allows you to get the full view of him running down the stairs. While the content of this humor may seem ordinary, it was filmed and executed brilliantly and is forever etched in my mind as the single most funny scene I can think of in movie history.