The Bank Dick (1940)

Director:

Edward F. Cline

Writer:

W.C. Fields (writer)

Release Date:

29 November 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Bank | Stock | Farce | Fiancé | Fall From Window

Awards:

1 win

Cast

W.C. Fields	...	Egbert Sousè
Cora Witherspoon	...	Agatha Sousè
Una Merkel	...	Myrtle Sousè
Evelyn Del Rio	...	Elsie Mae Adele Brunch Sousè
Jessie Ralph	...	Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch
Franklin Pangborn	...	J. Pinkerton Snoopington
Shemp Howard	...	Joe Guelpe, Bartender
Dick Purcell	...	Mackley Q. Greene, Movie Location Scout (as Richard Purcell)
Grady Sutton	...	Og Oggilby
Russell Hicks	...	J. Frothingham Waterbury
Pierre Watkin	...	Mr. Skinner, Bank President
Al Hill	...	Repulsive Rogan
George Moran	...	Loudmouth McNasty
Bill Wolfe	...	Otis
Jack Norton	...	A. Pismo Clam, Movie Director
Pat West	...	Assistant Director
Reed Hadley	...	Francois, Movie Star
Heather Wilde	...	Miss Plupp
Harlan Briggs	...	Doctor Stall
William Alston	...	Mr. Cheek (as Bill Alston)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harriett De Bussman	...	Minor Role (scenes deleted)
Clyde Dembeck	...	Minor Role (scenes deleted)
Edward Hearn	...	Minor Role (scenes deleted)
Ethelreda Leopold	...	Minor Role (scenes deleted)
Patsy O'Byrne	...	Minor Role (scenes deleted)
Eddie Acuff	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lowden Adams	...	Francois' valet (uncredited)
Fay Adler	...	Secretary / Stenographer (uncredited)
Vangie Beilby	...	Old lady with dog (uncredited)
Becky Bohanon	...	Girl (uncredited)
Melinda Boss	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Tom Braunger	...	Boy (uncredited)
Nora Cecil	...	Lompoc Ladies Auxiliary (uncredited)
Jack Clifford	...	Cop (uncredited)
Eddie Coke	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Russell Coles	...	Bank Employee (uncredited)
Gene Collins	...	Boy (uncredited)
Jan Duggan	...	Mrs. Muckle - Mother in Bank (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn	...	James the Chauffeur (uncredited)
Mary Field	...	Woman (uncredited)
Monty Ford	...	Director's Assistant (uncredited)
Dorothy Haas	...	Script Girl (uncredited)
Larry Harris	...	Boy (uncredited)
Charles Hart	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Fay Holderness	...	Lady passerby (uncredited)
Bobby Larson	...	Clifford Muckle, boy in bank (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Billy Mitchell	...	Depositor withdrawing Money (uncredited)
Patsy Moran	...	Lady with fruit hat (uncredited)
Joseph North	...	Judkins, the Butler (uncredited)
William J. O'Brien	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
David Oliver	...	Straw-hatted teller (uncredited)
Pat O'Malley	...	Cop (uncredited)
John Rawlings	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Sam Rice	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jack Roper	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Margaret Seddon	...	Old lady in car (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Pursuit Driver (uncredited)
Kay Sutton	...	Young woman on bench (uncredited)
Emma Tansey	...	Old woman on bench (uncredited)
Edward Thomas	...	Footman (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Frankie Van	...	Director's Assistant (uncredited)
Dorothy Vernon	...	Old lady (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Max Wagner	...	Shirtless ditchdigger (uncredited)
Frank Ward	...	Boy (uncredited)
Bonnie Washington	...	Miss Plupp's maid (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward F. Cline

Writing credits
W.C. Fields		(writer) (as Mahatma Kane Jeeves)

Produced by
Jack J. Gross	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Cliff Work	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Frank Skinner		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Milton R. Krasner

Film Editing by
Arthur Hilton

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson
Richard H. Riedel

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West

Production Management
Matty Fox	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Ceder	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Edward Montagne	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Richard H. Riedel	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound supervisor
William Hedgcock	....	sound technician

Stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunt double: W. C. Fields (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director
Heinz Roemheld	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Ralph Ceder	....	collaborating director
Melinda Boss	....	executive secretary: Mr. Fields (uncredited)
Richard Carroll	....	assistant to writer (uncredited)
Charles Grayson	....	assistant to writer (uncredited)
Tony Rice	....	stand-in: Mr. Fields (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

The Bank Detective (UK)
The Great Man (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Lompoc, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The newspaper being read by Egbert Sousé is the Lompoc Picayune Intelligencer.

Goofs:

Continuity: Souse is reading an account of the robbery and one of the robbers is called "Loudmouth McNasty". At another point a policeman says his name is "Repulsive Rogan". However, in the beginning and end credits he is named "Filthy McNasty".

Quotes:

Myrtle Sousé: I'll bet that's Og!
Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch: Mmm, he's got her bettin' now. She never gambled 'fore she met him.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grandpa's Marijuana Handbook: The Movie (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

Listen to the Mockingbird

Classic Comedy That Gets Even Better As It Goes Along

W.C. Fields uses his expert timing and his large collection of gags to make "The Bank Dick" a classic comedy that gets even better as it goes along. The amusing, tangled plot gives Fields plenty of material to work with, and the other characters also pitch in to keep you smiling.

After a few amusing introductory scenes that introduce Egbert Sousé, the kind of character Fields loved to play, things really start rolling once Egbert somehow manages to land a job as a bank detective. The wackier the plot gets, the more it shows just how effective Fields's dry style can be. His stoic character and the confusion going on around him often make a hilarious combination. It's very entertaining, goes by quickly, and is filled with comic detail that makes it just as funny when you watch it over again.