SYNOPSICS
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941) is a English movie. Edward F. Cline has directed this movie. W.C. Fields,Gloria Jean,Leon Errol,Billy Lenhart are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1941. Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941) is considered one of the best Comedy,Musical movie in India and around the world.
Fields wants to sell a film story to Esoteric Studios. On the way he gets insulted by little boys, beat up for ogling a woman, and abused by a waitress. He becomes his niece's guardian when her mother is killed in a trapeze fall during the making of a circus movie. He and his niece, who he finds at a shooting gallery, fly to Mexico to sell wooden nutmegs in a Russian colony. Trying to catch his bottle as it falls from the plane, he lands on a mountain peak where lives the man- eating Mrs. Hemogloben. When he gets to the Russian colony he finds Leon Errol (father of the insulting boys and owner of the shooting gallery) already selling wooden nutmegs. He decides to woo the wealthy Mrs. Hemogloben but when he gets there Errol has preceded him. The Mexican adventure is the story that Esoteric Studios would not buy.
Same Actors
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941) Reviews
Otis Criblecobis
W.C. Fields was a pioneer of the American cinema. As such, he was a true original who not only acted, but also wrote most of the material for his films. Mr. Fields left an important body of work for us to watch, laugh and admire. His "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break" was his last film. The film, although a bit dated, still has some sparks thanks to Mr. Fields, playing the Uncle Bill of the story. The film, directed by Edward C. Cline, still has a lot of laughs. The film is a satire about the movie industry that Mr. Fields knew so well. Mr. Fields takes us behind the cameras to show us the craziness that is associated with making films. Of course, it is somewhat exaggerated as we don't believe what goes on at some of the Esoteric Studios. Aside from Mr. Fields, Gloria Jean plays his niece, the sweet voiced girl appearing in one of the films in production. Also, Leon Errol, Margaret Dumont and some old pros are seen doing their best.
A sad and funny sign-off
Fields adds a commentary on the indignities of old age to his repertoire. Often more somber than his reputation -- and all the funnier because of it -- Fields here plays a version of himself trying to sell a script to a movie studio. So we see a drawling, slow-moving older fellow in the humiliating position of pitching an idea to a producer who isn't necessarily honored or interested. Fields's script is, of course, ridiculous, just as his ideas in real life must have seemed crazy to many a studio executive. We "see" the script played out as the producer reads it, giving Fields a chance to go through his paces -- delightful, as usual, even if his obviously failing health makes it melancholy at the same time. Leaving the meeting with his tail between his legs, Fields is lovingly embraced by his niece, Gloria Jean, who contrary to what you might think, is wonderful. Her love for her uncle, and all his eccentricities, is endearing throughout. What can one say about the Keystone Kops-like windup, except that they probably had to tack a conventional finish onto a very unusual movie? This was Fields's final full-length performance, as if he knew the end was near. A sad and funny sign-off by the best comedian in movie history.
Classic Fields at his Best
Without doubt, "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break" is Fields at his absolute best. The "plotline" is so completely beyond belief that it provides the nearly perfect vehicle for Fields' unique and irreverent style with its constant stream of sight gags and one-liners. His mumbled verbal interactions with Madame Hemoglobin (Margaret Dumont) and the "tiny waitress" in the café (Jody Gilbert) are as memorably irreverent as anything he had done previously and are worth listening to closely to fully appreciate. The constantly changing scenes and situations in this film provide ample opportunity for his verbal and visual "charms" to be fully utilized, and in my opinion this is his finest and most consistently funny effort. If you haven't seen this film, give it a viewing or two. If you are a true Fields fan, you'll enjoy it as much as or more so than any of his other more well-known offerings.
W.C. Fields' last starring role with Gloria Jean representing the youth
In this movie W.C. Fields plays himself.Or at least he shares the name with him.He tries to sell the weirdest film story to Esoteric Studios.He introduces the script to the producer, Mr. Pangborn (actor Franklin Pangborn shares the name with that character).He's not too pleased with the story, where Fields is with his niece, Gloria Jean, played by Gloria Jean.In the story these two are flying to Russia with an airplane that has an open-air rear platform.Fields jumps off the plane to go after his flask (naturally) but lands safely in a nest high atop a cliff where he finds a beautiful and naive daughter and her not so beautiful mother.He escapes the cliff but comes back to marry the mother, Mrs. Hemogloben after he finds out she's wealthy (only to escape again).Why wouldn't this story sell, I just wonder!? Then we see Fields giving a ride to a woman who wants to go the Maternity hospital where her daughter is about to give birth.And what a ride it is! In this Edward F. Cline movie Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941) W.C. Fields gives his last starring performance.This boozing comedian lived during years 1880-1946.He comes up with lots of funny and witty stuff in this movie.Just look at those moments with the heavy waitress.Gloria Jean, who was 14 at the time is adorable as the niece.How she says: "My uncle Bill.. but I still love him!"And her singing with the strong operatic voice is just fantastic.Franklin Pangborn is hilarious.Margaret Dumont, who often romanced with Groucho Marx now romances with Fields as Mrs. Hemogloben.You got to love her.Susan Miller is her daughter Ouliotta Delight Hemogloben who has never seen a man before.Got to love her too and would like to play that kissing game with her that Fields does.Then there's Leon Errol as a rival.We also see two young hecklers, Billy Lenhart (Butch) and Kenneth Brown (Buddy).What a funny comedy this is!
Selling A Screenplay, Fields Style
Never Give A Sucker An Even Break was W.C. Fields's last starring film and last one that he had complete creative control. All of his future film work would be guest appearances and specialties. This film is as anarchistic as anything the Marx Brothers ever did, in fact it anticipates Monty Python by over 30 years. Most of it is Fields relating an idea for a screenplay to studio head Franklin Pangborn. This is where it gets positively surreal. To cement the Marxian connection Fields gets to pay court to Groucho's favorite foil Margaret Dumont. But the relationship here is totally different. Margaret is always the butt of Groucho's bon mots half of which she confessed herself went over her head. With Fields as with other women like Kathleen Howard who henpecked him previously, the women dominate and Fields gets his points across, but mostly with pantomime and facial expression. The film is also to showcase Universal's backup teenage soprano Gloria Jean. Remember at this time before Abbott&Costello score a hit with Buck Privates, Deanna Durbin was their number one star. But the best way to keep a star under control was to have a replacement waiting in the wings. That was Gloria Jean's function. She had done well with Bing Crosby in a film the previous year, If I Had My Way, that allowed a far better expression of her talents. She had a pleasing soprano voice and Fields lowered the cynicism quotient in his scenes with his 'niece'. Still Never Give A Sucker An Even Break is a Bill Fields film all the way. Too bad this was the last film to give his talents full range.