The Bank Dick (1940)

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

Director:

Edward F. Cline (as Edward Cline)

Writer:

W.C. Fields (original screen play) (as Mahatma Kane Jeeves)

Stars:

W.C. Fields, Cora Witherspoon, Una Merkel

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
W.C. Fields	...	Egbert Sousé
Cora Witherspoon	...	Agatha Sousé
Una Merkel	...	Myrtle Sousé
Evelyn Del Rio	...	Elsie Mae Adele Brunch Sousé
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 aka Rupulsive Rogan
George Moran	...	Cozy Cochran aka Loudmouth Nasty
Bill Wolfe	...	Otis
Jack Norton	...	A. Pismo Clam

Storyline

Egbert Sousé leads an ordinary life but is about to have an extraordinary day. Henpecked at home home by his demanding wife Agatha and more or less ignored by his daughter Myrtle, he sets off for the day. He comes across a movie shoot whose drunken director hasn't shown up for work and Egbert, saying he has experience, is hired. Afterward, he gets credit for stopping bank robbers and is rewarded with a job as the bank guard. He seems headed for trouble however when he convinces his son-in-law Og, a teller at the same bank, to use $500 for can't lose investment. The investment is a scam however and when the bank examiner arrives, it looks bad for them. As you would expect however, it all turns out well in the end.

---

Plot Keywords:

manipulative female | henpecked husband | eating | smoking | kick | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

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

At one point, W.C. Fields's character falsely brags, "In the old Sennett days, I used to direct Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and the rest of 'em." This movie's director Edward F. Cline' did co-direct several of Buster Keaton's early short subjects.

---

Goofs

When W.C. Fields enters the hotel room of J. Pinkerton Snoopington, a hand can be seen on the doorknob on the other side pulling the door shut.

---

Quotes

Egbert Sousé: [Demonstrating cigarette tricks] I'll teach you when you grow up. I never smoked a cigarette until I was nine.

---

Connections

Referenced in Freaks and Geeks: Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers (2000)

---

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

Quite amusing movie, Fields seems very modern

The irreverent Fields gives spark to what would otherwise have been a quite humdrum comedy movie.

His politically incorrect jokes seem very present-day, and so makes you understand that the people back in the 1940's weren't so far removed from us as we sometimes think.

Fields is nasty to children, his wife and the bank examiner, whistles at pretty girls and in general just behaves terribly. You wouldn't think they would film stuff like that back in 1940, but Fields did. The movie is populated by crooks and phonies, as for instance the bank president, who says "let me give you a hardy handshake" and then just rests his hand lightly in Fields' for a second. It's a very observant and stinging visual commentary which tells more than many phrases: that's what films are good at, and it is used here to great effect.

The final car chase is really scary, with extra's ducking under cars with only inches to spare!