Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)

Hard-working, henpecked Ambrose Wolfinger takes off from work to go to a wrestling match with catastrophic consequences.

Directors:

Clyde Bruckman, W.C. Fields (uncredited)

Writers:

Ray Harris (screen play), Sam Hardy (screen play)

Stars:

W.C. Fields, Mary Brian, Kathleen Howard

Cast

Complete credited cast:
W.C. Fields	...	Ambrose Wolfinger
Mary Brian	...	Hope Wolfinger
Kathleen Howard	...	Leona Wolfinger
Grady Sutton	...	Claude Neselrode
Vera Lewis	...	Mrs. Neselrode
Lucien Littlefield	...	Mr. Peabody
Oscar Apfel	...	President Malloy
Lew Kelly	...	Adolph Berg
Tammany Young	...	'Willie' the Weasel
Walter Brennan	...	'Legs' Garnett
Edward Gargan	...	Patrolman No.1
James Burke	...	Patrolman No.2
Carlotta Monti	...	Ambrose's Secretary

Storyline

Ambrose Wolfinger wants the afternoon off (his first in twenty-five years) to go to a wrestling match. He tells his boss that he must attend his mother-in-law's funeral. The afternoon is no joy. He tries to please a policeman, assist a chauffeur, chase a tire, and ends up getting hit by the body of a wrestler thrown from the ring. A series of mishaps leads his boss to send floral tributes to the house and notify the papers of the death (due to poisoned liquor). His shrewish wife, judgmental mother-in-law, and good-for-nothing brother-in-law add to his burdens. In the end he enjoys their fawning loyalty, a raise in pay, and his first vacation.

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Plot Keywords:

murder of wife | wrestling match | mother in law | wrestler | policeman | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 August 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Everything Happens at Once

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

66 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. Its earliest documented telecast took place in Seattle Monday 13 April 1959 on KIRO (Channel 7); in Grand Rapids it first aired 23 November 1959 on WOOD (Channel 8), in St. Louis 31 December 1959 on KMOX (Channel 4), in Detroit 8 February 1960 on WJBK (Channel 2), in San Francisco 5 March 1960 on KPIX (Channel 5), and in Cleveland 17 September 1960 on WJW (Channel 8). It was released on DVD 20 March 2007 as one of 5 titles in Universal's W.C. Fields Comedy Collection Volume 2 and again 4 June 2013 as one of 10 titles in Universal's W.C. Fields Comedy Favorites Collection; it has also enjoyed an occasional airing on cable TV on Turner Classic Movies.

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Goofs

Mother-in-law Cordelia says "Well he's a fiend, a wool in sheep's clothing" ... Leona Wolfinger immediately catching the error says "What?" and immediately Cordelia corrects herself "A wolf in sheep's clothing ..." and the scene continues as if no error occurs; a great recovery.

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Quotes

Homicidal maniac in cell: I had three wives.
Ambrose Wolfinger: Oh, yes.
Homicidal maniac in cell: But this is the first one I killed in all my life!
Ambrose Wolfinger: Oh, that's in your favor, yeah.
Homicidal maniac in cell: [Groans]
Ambrose Wolfinger: They have no more case against you than a sheep has against a butcher.

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Connections

Remade as Andy Plays Hookey (1946)

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Soundtracks

On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away
(1897) (uncredited)
Music and lyrics by Paul Dresser
Sung a cappella by W.C. Fields, Walter Brennan, Tammany Young and Lew Kelly

User Reviews

"Dont swat flies!"

Tedg from Virginia Beach noted the socks scene, and I completely agree. However one important thing he may have overlooked or forgot to mention. First of all my copy comes from late night Boston TV in the 70's, how much it is cut I don't know but like the rest of you I cant wait for a good DVD copy. I also agree with fowler and others that other than the bank dick this is his finest movie, I still laugh myself silly every time I watch it. Especially the jail scene (I take the scissors). My wife and kids are sick of it and I can only find "newbies" to watch it with, but I love ALL fields. Anyway about the socks, he goes to put his socks back on to go downstairs and she is standing over him nagging at him, he puts a sock on one foot and she is making him so "nervous" that he mistakingly puts the other sock on the same foot, puts one slipper on the socked foot and when he goes to put the other slipper on he realizes he has no sock on that foot. Now he starts looking around the floor and on the bed, shes still nagging and says " What are you doing now!!" he say's I cant find my sock and on it goes. Nobody is or was as funny as WC not even the little tramp by a long shot.