W.C. Fields et moi

I was at a favorite Second-Hand goods store last week, and upon finding a copy of the book "W.C. Fields & Me" By Carlotta Monti with Cy Rice, I snapped up the hard-cover copy, there and then. When this film was in it's Original release in Melbourne, Australia at the cinema I worked at as Projectionist, I had the pleasure to screen this Movie Two Sessions a Day - for it's Original run - and Loved Screening each and every session including it's accompanying suitable Musical score that plays in the background as the film UN-spools. I have been hoping against hope, that One day I can get my own Blu-Ray or DVD Copy of "W.C. Fields & Me", as I believe Rod Steiger did an excellent recreation of the character of Fields. Dear reader, to get a better knowledge of the Life that W.C.Fields had led up to the point where the Film begins from, I would recommend Movie Fans get their hands on some of the Biographical Books detailing the earlier life of Fields, from say his earliest Teenage years through to where the film takes up from, I assure you will get far-more from this Movie, if you make that effort. The stunning Valerie Perrine who features in the film as Carlotta Monti, tends to bring balance to the film as it rolls along to a memorable ending, at least it is memorable for me, in more ways than one, I cannot tell you more, as that would spoil the film for you, and I love this film too much to do that. Here is hoping Universal will release this "soon" with the Best Quality available, to all fans of this forgotten Gem of a Movie. There is only one more Movie Starring W.C. Fields I need to complete my W.C. Fields Movie Collection, and that is the Film with W.C. Fields and Zasu Pitts of "Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" 1934,( but not the 1940s Faye Bainter Version ) Both movies = Comedy and Tear-Jerker all in one movie, Highly recommended to all W.C. Fields aficionados...If any fans can help me with this I could love you forever...

This adaptation of W.C. Fields' life is a pretty good one which shows the great comic, warts and all. This is based on the book published by Field's mistress of many years, and she is played by Valerie Perrine, who does a splendid job. Steiger is very good, but I have to agree with a previous poster that he sort-of resembles a blown-up Van Johnson rather than Fields. The only technical flaw I could see in an otherwise splendid recreation of 30's Hollywood is one street scene where the street is dressed with the proper 1930s autos, but then a late 1960s Lincoln Continental Mark III passes by, followed by a 1973 Pontiac LeMans and a Volkswagen Beetle! After this gaffe, the parade of passing cars returns to the classic 1930s cars. The late Jack Cassidy does a pretty good job playing John Barrymore, and the Mancini score is, as always, an asset. This is streaming on Netflix in a gorgeous wide-screen copy.

I'm not figuring out why W.C. Fields And Me was panned the way it was by some critics. Although it's hardly a linear biography, Rod Steiger gave a good interpretation of the character. The parts I liked best was when he was away from performing and we got to see some of what may be the inner workings of that very uniquely funny man.

We've never had a comedian like W.C. Fields and I doubt we'll see his like again. The mold was shattered in a million pieces when the comedy gods made him. His comedy style wasn't with one liners or fancy dialog. He created a character of an everyman with a big dose of curmudgeon, his body language during a scene was as important, even more than the words of a script.

The film is based on the memoirs of Carlotta Monti who was Fields's live-in mistress. Quite a bit more was added to it. The famous story of Lee Tracy urinating off a hotel balcony in Mexico is attributed to Fields. Now the story of Fields spiking Baby LeRoy's formula with some of his best gin, that's a tale told and retold and seems to be the real deal.

For those who want to see W.C. Fields at his very best I cannot too highly recommend The Bank Dick. In a way I'm glad Steiger did not use it because no one, absolutely no one could do justice to what W.C. Fields did in that film.

Valerie Perrine complements Steiger very well as Carlotta Monti and Jack Cassidy makes his scenes count playing John Barrymore who was Bill Fields drinking companion and America's greatest actor in his generation. Both lost their lives and health eventually to booze.

But both left us a lot of great performances.

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In 1976, Universal spent significant money to bring two golden-age Hollywood biopics to the screen: Gable and Lombard and W.C. Fields and Me. Both were panned, gave little return on the money spent, and have been relegated to rarely seen, not-on-video status. I haven't seen Gable since the year of its release, but caught up with W.C. on cable awhile back. It's imperfect, but certainly interesting, well-acted and worth another look. (I'd like to see Gable again, too, to see if it's worse or better than I remember.)

Steiger gives a good interpretation of Fields, though unable to channel the unique comic gifts that he possessed. It was always good to see Perrine onscreen in her too-few roles, and Jack Cassidy was effective in one of his last roles prior to his untimely death. The design and technical work result in a great look, unfortunately panned and scanned in the TV version that is seen today (when it's seen at all.)

Interestingly, the Fields portrayal can be traced back to the memorable serial killer Steiger portrayed in 1968's No Way To Treat A Lady, adapting several disguises and voices, one of which evoked Fields. Universal has been pretty good about releasing older films of theirs to DVD at a good price; how about a couple of widescreen editions of these flawed but interesting biopics?

When I first went to see this movie in a theater I went to watch Steiger, who never, to my knowledge, did a lick of comedy previously, fall flat on his face.

However, about five minutes into the movie I could no longer see Steiger. He had so well portrayed the great comic that you would think he invoked the very spirit of Fields and allowed Fields to tell his own story.

The research behind the acting must have been quite thorough, as I never once saw anything I could fault. His mastery of Fields speech patterns was impeccable and not overdone like so many who attempt to sound like Fields. The story line never took liberties for dramatic effect, and as far as I can tell, remained true to the real life and events of W.C.Fields.

I can only hope that, some day the studio will relent and put this great movie out on DVD or Blu-Ray; despite the poor box office returns. I really would like to see this movie again; and consider it one of the all time great biographical works.