W. C. Fields was one of the truly great comedians of the twentieth century. His persona was that of a curmudgeonly soul adrift in a world in which wives and children belittled him and even inanimate objects refused to behave. His wisecracks have become the stuff of legend; "Some weasel's taken the cork out of my lunch," and "You can fool some of the people some of the time - and that's enough to make a decent living," His art was unique and is well-captured in the pages of this attractive and timely book. The W. C. Fields Films (McFarland & Co, Inc.) is both a revealing summary of the Great Man's screen career for those who are familiar with him and an excellent introduction for those who are not.Neibaur writes with considerable authority but in an accessible style and provides keen insight into each film and its context. Important information emerges about the lost movies and evocative images grace the text throughout. As the author points out, Fields' films have never been so readily available as they are now. Hopefully this will encourage a whole new generation to seek them out and discover for themselves some of the wellsprings of popular culture.
This entertaining and thoroughly researched book is a much needed addition to Fieldsian literature. With this at hand I now feel compelled to renew acquaintance with old favourites and look for several titles that I missed out on seeing including The Fatal Glass of Beer which sounds like an absurdist classic. Highly recommended for everyone in need of a tonic.
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