Bank Dick, The (1940)
“You’d like to have a nose like that full of nickels, wouldn’t you?”
Synopsis: |
Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
Response to Peary’s Review: he nonetheless finds himself haplessly caught up in one adventure after the other. Unfortunately, though Fields is as enjoyable as ever, much of the humor in The Bank Dick is either dated (there’s far too much physical slapstick), blatantly offensive (note the awful scene with the wild-eyed black customer at the bank), or simply a retread of themes from his earlier films. With that said, The Bank Dick possesses wonderful performances by its cast of supporting actors (particularly Franklin Pangborn and Grady Sutton), and remains essential viewing for all film fanatics. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
Must See? Categories
(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) Links: |
One thought on “Bank Dick, The (1940)”
Agreed; a must – mostly for historical reasons, not because I’m a particular fan of any of Fields’ starring vehicles. (I’ve thought it might have been interesting to see him do more real character work – i.e., his role in ‘David Copperfield’.)
Oddly, though Fields is mildly amusing here and exhibits some refreshing timing, the supporting cast threatens to upstage him at every turn – and their performances (as noted) have held up better. They also have some of the better lines: the mother-in-law answering the crossword question that “a six-letter word for embezzlement” is “prison”; the doctor stating “the first thing you’ve got to do is cut out all health foods for a while.”, etc. One of the sweetest moments comes silently when daughter Merkel (who doesn’t seem to me to despise Fields) sits on Sutton’s lap and he responds boyishly to her kiss.
The script drips with disdain for comic effect, and seems to only have respect for bartenders. As well, Fields appears to be playfully trying to get as much vulgarity as he can past the censors (putting ‘dick’ in the title, ‘pussy’ in the cafe name, referring to someone whose last name begins with ‘Effing~’, etc.).
The one big laugh (aside from the noted, hilarious “hearty handclasp”) comes when the con-man is undone; the finale is lively (with Fields stepping on the gas not only with a car but with the script in general), and it’s fun learning Fields’ ultimate fate.