You're Telling Me!

You're Telling Me (1934) : Brief Review - Madness overloaded! WC Fields knocks the ball out of the park in Julian Leonard Street's hilarious cinematic adaptation. The name WC Fields needs no further introduction as his legacy is still unmatchable even after decades. The man who knew exactly how to make you laugh with his out-and-out crazy persona and innocently eccentric behaviour does it again. The 20s belonged to iconic comedies by Buster Keaton, Charles Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, and in the same way, the 30s were ruled by Marx Bros. And WC Fields. Gregory La Cava made a silent comedy out of Julian Leonard Street's "Mr. Bisbee's Princess", which is remembered for Andolh Zukor's act. But one must understand that the silent era had some limits to comedy. WC Fields' talkie version overcomes that obstacle, and he himself made it work with all his signature laughter. A hard-drinking, socially awkward inventor, Mr. Brisbee, wrecks his daughter's chances of marriage into a rich family. He meets Princess Lescaboura on a train by chance, and the princess decides to make things right for him. This is a great script for an outright comedy film. The comedies aren't really dependent on stories, but this one makes sure that the writing leaves an impact too. All the situations are well-placed, nicely lined-up, and how crazily funny they are. There is no need to say that the performance by WC Fields stands out. But I was mesmerised by Adrienne Ames's presence too, unexpectedly. Louise Carter and Joan Marsh add good support. I didn't know that Erle C. Kenton was so good at comedies. He showed Fields just how it should have been done. WC Fields was at his peak in the 1930s, and this film just adds another apple to the basket. Overall, an excellent comedy with organic gags, brilliant performances, and timeless tricks. RATING - 7/10* By - #samthebestest.

A W.C. Fields comedy, in which he plays optometrist Sam Bisbee, with an all-consuming passion to invent mostly impractical gismos, to his wife's consternation. But he's come upon one very practical invention: a tire that resists punctures, and even bullets, as he demonstrates in his lab. The bullets went bouncing around the room after hitting the tire(Very dangerous, of course). The president of National Tire Company(NTC)has expressed interest in this wondrous invention, if true. Therefore, W.C. puts 4 such tires on his car and drives to NTC headquarters for a demonstration. After introducing himself in the president's office, he returns to his presumed car, drawing onlookers, and shoots each tire in turn. They all go flat, to his great embarrassment.(If the demo had been successful, the onlookers would have been in danger of being hit by ricocheting bullets). He's laughed off the site, but now realizes that he wasn't shooting at his own car, which isn't to be found(He parked in front of a 'No Parking" spot). He takes a train back to his home in Crystal Springs. During the trip, he contemplates suicide by a bottle of iodine he happens to have in his pocket. But, he backs out at the last second. He then walks the aisle, and happens to spot a beautiful young woman with a bottle of iodine on her table. He assumes she also is contemplating suicide, so stops and admonishes her for such thoughts. He tells her his problems and near suicide. The young woman is Princess Lescaboura, who prefers to be called Marie. A couple of old busy bodies assume he's having an affair with the Princes, and blab it all over Crystal Springs when they arrive. Soon, everyone on the street shuns him. That is, until the Princess arrives on a train, to great fanfare. She tells the receiving crowd that she came mainly to see W.C., who had saved her life during the war. Now, everyone begins to look up to W.C.. But, he's still leery of her effect on his reputation, so runs off, somehow picking up a leashed ostrich as a body guard. Eventually, he's convinced that the people mean no harm. The mayor is supposed to dedicate a new golf course that day, by being the first to tee off on it. But, the Princess insists that W.C. be given that honor. She should have guessed he would have problems fulfilling that honor, especially with the caddy(Tommy Young)given him. I'll let you see for yourself all the problems W.C. encounters in fulfilling this honor. While so engaged, the president of NTC shows up. W.C.'s car was found, and the tires passed the puncture test. Now, he wants to buy the rights to manufacture them. He offers the paltry sum of $20,000., which W.C. is inclined to accept. But the Princess, says she will bid higher. Eventually, she induces the president to bid $ 1 million plus a royalty for each tire, which is accepted: enough to allow W.C. and family to retire handsomely. While his wife, daughter Pauline, her presumed new husband, and his mother, ride off to Niagara Falls, W.C. stays home, where he can enjoy some liquid refreshment as he pleases. The women who played Pauline(Joan Marsh), and Princess Lescaboura(Adrienne Ames) were both extraordinary beautiful and personable, which added to the enjoyment of the film. Of course, the idea that a lone inventor in a small general shop could manufacture a revolutionary tubed rubber tire is absurd, although such might conceivably come up with a novel rubber formula that could be made into a tire. Also, it's absurd to suppose that W.C. couldn't tell his own car from a police car. There are many other absurdities that I wont mention, but that's pretty standard for comedies. Here are some notable quotations from the film: W.C.: "Once you're married, it's just like being in jail" W.C.: "Mayor, you're OK. I voted for you last election: 5 times!" Princess: "I think you are the luckiest woman in the world" Mrs. Bisbee: "Is my husband dead?"

source: You're Telling Me!

Moviecut—You're Telling Me!

You're Telling Me! - Pretty good W.C Fields film with plenty of wry one-liners. Like many comedy features of the 1930s, it doesn't outstay its welcome – clocking in at just over an hour. Fields plays amateur inventor Sam Bisbee. A chance meeting with a down-to-earth princess quickly elevates his reputation when she visits his hometown and looks him up, especially in the eyes of snobby Mrs Murchison (played to perfection by Kathleen Howard). Her son Bob Murchison wants to marry Bisbee's daughter Pauline and Princess Lescaboura's arrival certainly helps sway his mother's haughty attitude and approval. Chief among delights in this film are Bisbee's madcap inventions – including a device to knock out burglars who chance to sit down, although my favourite moment is when Fields is accidentally handed a jug of roach killer instead of liquor. On being handed the real liquor jug, he decides he doesn't like the taste and opts to continue swigging the roach killer!

"You're Telling Me" is one of the better films from W.C Fields. The film includes the golf playing sketch, which was performed in the short "The Golf Specialist." The above film shows the sketch to better advantage as it is more smoothly done. Fields is an inventor of no particular merit. His crackpot schemes have never beared fruition. After Fields accidentally ruins a budding romance between his daughter and a rich socalite (played by the original Flash Gordon Larry Crabbe), Fields runs away from town after feeling a sense of loss and shame. The film then allows for some moments of drama: onboard a train, he befriends a visiting female member of the aristocracy. The latter character offers Fields some support after he takes her into his confidence. I have rarely seen the comedian look so crestfallen, even slightly vulnerable. It proves that W.C Fields could act, as well as be quite funny. It is a touching scene and allows the comedy to recharge its batteries. There is a very funny scene where Fields attempts to keep up with a car tyre that seems to have a life of its own! As the tyre is rolling down the street, Fields gives chase. I was laughing pretty hard! For a man who had a slight problem with alcohol, he could move well. I would rate "You're Telling Me" in the same league as "The Bank Dick," "Never Give a Sucker An Even Break" and "The Old Fashioned Way."

W.C. Fields as usual cannot do anything right, and when he comes home from an alleged late night at work (drunk, of course!), his wife gives him the second degree and he gets into a fight with the curtain strings which act like a noose as he tries to stagger off to bed. The townspeople all begin to gossip when he is spotted on the train with a glamorous princess (Adrienne Ames) they all assume is a floozy. Gossip gets out of hand and they have her being every sort of woman in every sort of business (show and otherwise) than what she really is. The princess hits it off with Fields and encourages him to try and make the best of things with his wife. So when one man suggests a bird, what kind of bird does he get? Well, this one wouldn't fit in any tweety bird cage, and the results are hysterical, especially when Ames shows up to put the entire town in its place. Fields does pratfalls like a ballet dancer does the minuet, and when he goes down the street with the bird he chooses for wife Louise Carter, it is as far from "Swan Lake" as you can get. The romantic subplot concerns daughter Joan Marsh and wealthy Buster Crabbe, the son of the town's snootiest matron (Kathleen Howard who would later play Fields' wife in "The Man on the Flying Trapeze"). Here, the romantic plot isn't intrusive and actually helps extend the plot and create more amusement. Carter's wife, too, isn't the typical Fields nag; She's actually a bit more feminine and all she seems to want is affection from him every now and then, so in that case, she's actually quite likable. But when society starts their gossip, she's bound to not believe her husband and that creates more complications. What results is an extremely amusing film that will have you cheering for the underdog and hissing at the high and mighty.

The film has a first rate cast with the incomparable W.C. Fields as Sam Bisbee (an inventor). He's married to his wife, Louise, and the father of a young woman, Pauline Bisbee. Sam always has something up his sleeves. The cast including his wife and daughter and others are first rate. Well, the Bisbees live on the wrong side of the tracks in their town. When Pauline falls for Bob Murchison (played by Buster Crabbe), they have to get the Murchisons's approval especially his mother. While Pauline's mother's background are the Warrens of Virginia, she does a decent job until her husband shows his embarrassing family. Anyway, the story is quite simple and amusing. Sam feels bad about how he failed his daughter. A train trip and meeting a Princess (played beautifully by Adrienne Ames) changes everything. It's a sweet comedy overall with great old time Hollywood stars.

In the few W. C. Fields movies that I've seen, he doesn't disappoint. I can now add to that "You're Telling Me!", wherein he plays an optometrist-inventor whose daughter's marriage plans get complicated by her fiance's mother's snobbish attitude. The protagonist's attempt to show his latest invention to some execs further complicates things. More zaniness follows. It's not any sort of profound movie, and doesn't try to be. It's just funny. Fields, despite his personal problems, always managed to be entertaining. You're sure to like this one.

Copyright 4 April 1934 by Paramount Productions, Inc. New York opening at the Paramount: 6 April 1934. U.K. release: 27 October 1934. Australian release: 30 June 1934. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward as the lower half of a double bill with Death Takes a Holiday: 30 June 1934 (ran 2 weeks). 66 minutes. SYNOPSIS: The impoverished Bisbees live on the wrong side of the tracks. Dad is an inventor, working on a puncture-proof tyre. Daughter is a charming young lady who falls for the son of the town's leading snob. Dad demonstrates his puncture-proof tyres by shooting bullets into his own tyre-fitted car. Unfortunately, he has parked in a non-parking zone and his own car has been towed away. NOTES: A re-make of So's Your Old Man (1926), directed by Gregory La Cava from a screenplay by J. Clarkson Miller, based on Julian Leonard Street's 1925 collection of short stories, Mr Bisbee's Princess. In this version, Bisbee is played by W.C. Fields, Princess Lescaboura by Alice Joyce, Kenneth Murchison by Charles Rogers, Mrs Bisbee by Marcia Harris, daughter Bisbee by Kittens Reichert. COMMENT: Except when playing character or cameo roles such as in Alice in Wonderland and David Copperfield, W.C. Fields was not overly popular outside the USA. It wasn't until his movies began surfacing on TV in the late 1950s that he really became a cult figure, although The Bank Dick did have something of a reputation amongst the corduroy brigade because of a two-reel condensation marketed by Castle Films. Aside from these three titles, Fields' work was unappreciated in Europe and Australia. Neither Paramount nor Universal made any effort to sell his films, let alone keep them in circulation. When they were finally broadcast, however, they quickly became extremely popular, with Fields' fan clubs springing up all over the world. Although a re-make of one of his most popular (at least in America) silent films, You're Telling Me is not typical Fields. Here he has more a character, even a dramatic role, in which he is required to mix pathos with slapstick. I found the mixture a little hard to take. I thought Fields was not as well served by script and direction as usual. Nonetheless, it's always a joy to see (and hear) Fields in action. W.C. can enliven even the most humdrum scene by his sheer presence. And I liked the support cast too.