IMDb > You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939)

You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   548 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
W.C. Fields (story)
Everett Freeman (screenplay)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for You Can't Cheat an Honest Man on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 February 1939 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Plot:
Larson E. Whipsnade runs a seedy circus which is perpetually in debt. His performers give him nothing but trouble... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
User Comments:
W.C. Fields in the Sawdust more (13 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

W.C. Fields ... Larson E. Whipsnade
Edgar Bergen ... The Great Edgar
Charlie McCarthy ... Charlie McCarthy
Constance Moore ... Victoria Whipsnade
John Arledge ... Phineas Whipsnade
James Bush ... Roger Bel-Goodie
Thurston Hall ... Mr. Archibald Bel-Goodie
Mary Forbes ... Mrs. Bel-Goodie
Edward Brophy ... Corbett
Arthur Hohl ... Burr
Princess Baba ... Princess Baba, The Great Edgar's Assistant
Blacaman ... Blacaman - The Lion Tamer
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson ... Cheerful (as Eddie Anderson)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Adams ... Eddie, Circus Attendant (uncredited)
Dorothy Arnold ... 1st Debutante (uncredited)
Irving Bacon ... Jailer (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler ... Highway Patrol Officer (uncredited)
Dora Clement ... Woman (uncredited)
Jack Clifford ... Riding master (uncredited)
Charles Coleman ... Robinson, Bel-Goodie's Butler (uncredited)
Evelyn Del Rio ... Little girl who cries (uncredited)
Drew Demorest ... Barker (uncredited)
Dick Dickinson ... Contortionist (uncredited)
Jan Duggan ... Mrs. Sludge (Ping-pong spectator) (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn ... Cop (uncredited)
Billy Engle ... Circus attendant (uncredited)
Jack Gardner ... Ticket seller (uncredited)
Grace Goodall ... Screaming Spinster / Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Jennifer Gray ... 3rd Debutante (uncredited)
Bobby Hale ... Circus Attendant (uncredited)
Ted Hardy ... Russian circus performer (uncredited)
Sam Harris ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson ... Butler (uncredited)
Otto Hoffman ... Mayor (uncredited)
Lloyd Ingraham ... Mayor / Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Frank Jenks ... Jerry (assistant) (uncredited)
Si Jenks ... Hillbilly (uncredited)
Tiny Jones ... Spectator (uncredited)
Jack Kenny ... Barker (uncredited)
Joe King ... Policeman (uncredited)
Ivan Lebedeff ... Ronnie (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold ... Blonde at party (uncredited)
Jimmie Lucas ... Barker (uncredited)
Kathryn Marlowe ... 2nd Debutante (uncredited)
Eric Mayne ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Frank Melton ... First yokel (uncredited)
Harold Miller ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
James C. Morton ... Judge (uncredited)
Ray Moyer ... Fire Eater (uncredited)
Byron Munson ... Ping-Pong player (uncredited)
Charles Murphy ... Lon (roustabout) (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor ... Cop with Judge (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr. ... Western Union man (uncredited)
David Oliver ... Man cheated at window (uncredited)
George Ovey ... Circus attendant (uncredited)
Lee Phelps ... Sheriff (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford ... Truck driver (gong customer) (uncredited)
Harry Stafford ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Grady Sutton ... Chester Dalrymple (uncredited)
Ferris Taylor ... Deputy sheriff (uncredited)
Don Terry ... Ping-Pong player (uncredited)
Walter Tetley ... Boy with candy cane (uncredited)
Edward Thomas ... Bel-Goodie butler (uncredited)
Lelah Tyler ... Society woman / Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Minerva Urecal ... Screaming Spinster at Circus (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Russell Wade ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Beryl Wallace ... Girl (uncredited)
Delmar Watson ... Boy with slingshot (uncredited)
Florence Wix ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Bill Wolfe ... Ticket buyer / Brentwood, World's smallest giant (uncredited)
Edward Woolf ... Thin Man (uncredited)
Bill Worth ... Elwood, World's largest midget (uncredited)
Arthur Yeoman ... Barker (uncredited)
Duke York ... Minor Role (uncredited)
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Directed by
George Marshall 
Edward F. Cline (uncredited)
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
W.C. Fields  story (as Charles Bogle)
Everett Freeman  screenplay
Henry Johnson  uncredited
Lew Lipton  uncredited
Richard Mack  screenplay
George Marion Jr.  screenplay
Manuel Seff  uncredited
James Seymour  uncredited

Produced by
Lester Cowan .... producer
 
Original Music by
Frank Skinner (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Milton R. Krasner  (as Milton Krasner)
 
Film Editing by
Otto Ludwig 
 
Art Direction by
Jack Otterson 
 
Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman  (as R.A. Gausman)
 
Costume Design by
Vera West (gowns)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vernon Keays .... assistant director
Vernon Keays .... second unit director
 
Art Department
Charles H. Clarke .... associate art director
 
Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown .... sound supervisor
Robert Pritchard .... sound technician
 
Music Department
Charles Previn .... musical director
Sam Perry .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Paul Van Loan .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Franz Waxman .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
 
Other crew
David Lipton .... unit publicist (uncredited)
Cliff Work .... production assistant (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
76 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
USA:Approved
Company:
Universal Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
W.C. Fields became a big hit on radio, especially on Edgar Bergen's radio program, where he had a long-running "feud" with Charlie McCarthy. This film was an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of that feud by having it carried on in a movie. more
Quotes:
Whipsnade: You know, getting married is like buying a new horse... going into a strange saloon... more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1 (1999) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Sobre las olas (Over the Waves) more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
W.C. Fields in the Sawdust, 16 June 2007
10/10
Author: drednm

In yet another variation of his "Poppy" role from his Broadway hit of the 1920s, Fields here plays Larson E. Whipsnade, owner of a circus. He has 2 children who have been off at school. The daughter, Constance Moore, feels compelled to marry for money. The son has no role.

At the circus, among Fields' attraction are Edgar Bergen and his dummies. Fields and Bergen had a solid chemistry and the radio "fued" between Fields and the dummy Charlie McCarthy were hugely popular. Their banter here is quite funny.

The plot is thin and revolves around the daughter's marriage and the financial troubles of the circus. But it's enough for Fields to build some hilarious routines around. The climactic ping pong game at the home of the groom's parents is very funny. Also funny is Fields dressed up as circus star, Buffalo Bella, the sharp-shooter.

Moore and Bergen have zero chemistry as the "lovers." But good support is provided by Eddie Anderson, Mary Forbes, Thurston Hall, James Bush, Grady Sutton, and especially Jan Duggan as Miss Sludge, the woman who starts the ping pong match. Duggan memorably co-starred with Fields in THE OLD FASHIONED WAY.

The Fields universe rarely goes well but there is a happy ending.

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