- Actors: W.C. Fields, Marjorie Kane, Arnold Gray, Dorothy Granger, Elise Cavanna
- Directors: Arthur Ripley, Clyde Bruckman, Edwin Middleton, Leslie Pearce, Monte Brice
- Writers: W.C. Fields
- Producers: Lou Brock, Mack Sennett
- Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC, Import
- Subtitles: English
- Region: (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- MPAA Rating:
- Studio: Paradox
- Release Date: Oct 1 2002
- Run Time: 115 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 1559409053
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
Ten years elapsed between W.C. Fields's debut in the 1915 short "The Pool Sharks" and his role in D.W. Griffith's Sally of the Sawdust, but it didn't take long for Fields to become one of the all-time great screen comedians. This essential collection--the silent "The Pool Sharks" plus the five "two-reeler" sound shorts that established Fields's acerbic style--provides a comprehensive document of the comedian's work in progress. "The Pool Sharks" develops a routine that Fields created in vaudeville and later perfected on film, with stop-motion animation used here to realize the comedian's wacky luck at billiards. It's a clever appetizer, but Fields was a verbal comic, so the two-reelers are the full-course meal.
Like the Marx brothers' The Cocoanuts a year earlier, 1930's "The Golf Specialist" mines humor from high jinks in sunny Florida, where Fields is nearly upstaged by a stone-faced golf caddy. The classic "The Dentist," despite the later addition of strident musical cues, is presented in its entirety, including an oft-censored bit in which Fields tugs a molar from a woman who's wrapped around him in a highly suggestive position. "The Pharmacist" and "The Barbershop" are variations on the theme, allowing Fields to toss off bons mots and scathing sarcasm, but it's the anomalous "The Fatal Glass of Beer"--a hilarious send-up of Yukon gold-rush adventures--that proves an unlikely highlight. It's typically sour-pussed in its agenda, with a running gag (involving the line "It ain't a fit night out for man nor beast") that just grows funnier with each repetition. Fields's comedy wasn't fully developed here--he became masterful in later features--but 6 Short Films is crucial in demonstrating his rapid refinement of the vintage Fields persona. --Jeff Shannon
Video Details
W. C. Fields' prolific career placed him at the forefront of slapstick comedy. Gathered here are six gems that feature the comic genius at his peak: The Golf Specialist, Pool Sharks (silent), The Pharmacist, The Fatal Glass of Beer, The Barber Shop, and, of course, the notorious The Dentist. This unique collection will delight new generations of viewers with Fields' hilariously sardonic routines.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very Entertaining DVD,
By Alex Udvary (chicago, il United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: W.C. Fields: 6 Short Films (Full Screen) (DVD)
Of course growing up I knew who W.C. Fields was, but, I have to admit, he was not one of my favorites. When I was younger I loved watching Laurel & Hardy, the Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope, and Harold Lloyd, but W.C. Fields was an acquired taste. I had seen him in movies such as "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man", "The Bank Dick" (often thought of as his best), and "My Little Chickadee" (with Mae West). But I think I was too young too appreicate his style of humor. I should point out I was only 4 or 5 when I was watching these comedians, so a lot of the humor was "too much" for me. The same way Groucho making jokes about wanting to marry women for their money went over my head. But now that 15 or 16 years have past I've come to think more fondly about Fields.This DVD set contain 6 shorts, five of which were made by Mack Sennett. I will review each short individually. "THE POOL SHARKS" (1915) - The oldest of the shorts in the collection is actually Fields first! The piece runs 11 minutes so as you can guess the piece is built around two or three gags. Think in terms of the shorts Chaplin or Keaton made. They are fun to watch because of how silly they are but, that's the problem. They are so silly, they make absolutely no sense. These one-reelers just offer you a quick sample of the comedians talents. "The Pool Sharks" is fun to watch, but, the other shorts on here make this one look pale. Also, Fields' humor is more suited for sound. ** 1\2 out of ***** "THE GOLF SPECIALIST" (1930) - Perhaps Fields' most popular short, is actually the only one in the collection I've seen before. Now my opinion of this short is not the majority opinion. As I explained with "The Pool Sharks", these shorts were just excuses to showcase the talent involved, whoever it may be. So they place the comedian in odd situations and let him or her "go to work". "The Golf Specialist" is just about plot-less but it's a "pot-boiler" to show off Fields, but the piece is repetitious. I'm not saying there aren't any inspired moments, there are, but it doesn't go anywhere. So much more could have been done. Funny but slight. ** 1\2 out of ***** "THE DENTIST" (1932) - Like all the shorts on here they revolve around two or three gags and some quirky one-liners from Fields. They are light diversions, and this one I liked. At first it starts off as a golf comedy (i.e. the above comedy) and then goes into Fields playing a dentist. Has plenty of choice moments. *** out of ***** "THE FATAL GLASS OF BEER" (1933) - At first mention you'd think it was Fields who would drinks that "fatale glass of beer", but it isn't. The story revolves around Fields' son. Has a funny reoccuring gag concerning snow when ever a certain sentence is said by Fields. Not my favorite in the collection, but over-all I liked it. *** out of ***** "THE PHARMACIST" (1933) - One of my favorites on the DVD. Basically a lot of non-sense, but it's funny. Fields gets in a few nice biting remarks. *** out of ***** "THE BARBER SHOP" (1933) - This is actually my favorite off the DVD. Fields plays the barber and yet you never see him give anyone a haircut or shave. Instead he plays his bass, flirts with his co-worker, and causes nothing but havok. My favorite scene has Fields actually trying to give someone a shave. Catch what he says concerning "a mole". *** out of ***** So what are my thoughts concerning Fields now after seeing this DVD? It has really turned me into a strong admirer of his work. I can't wait to buy more stuff. If your a W.C. Fields fan this will turn out to be a treat. *** 1\2 out of ***** Bottom-line: Funny collection of W.C. Fields shorts. Shows him often at his best displaying his gifts for one-liners and his comedic timing. Fans will love it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
a great compilation,
By Ted "Ted" (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: W.C. Fields: 6 Short Films (Full Screen) (DVD)
This release by the Criterion contains 5 short films made by W.C. fields between 1930 and 1933 It also contains a short film made in 1915.In the film "Pool Sharks" 1915, Fields is a pool player and does tricks that defy the laws of physics. The film is credited as W.C. Fields' first film though he was in a film before this one. This film has the earliest example of stop-motion animation I have ever seen. The film, "The Golf specialist" 1930 is a slapstick comedy where Fields stars as an inept golf player with an equally inept caddy. In "The Dentist" 1932 Fields is an incompetent dentist In "The Fatal Glass of Beer" 1933 Fields is a man in the Yukon whose son has recently come home after a stay in prison In "The Pharmacist" 1933 Fields is a pharmasict whose wife and daughters give him a hard time In "The Barber Shop" 1933 Fields is a clumsy barber thant manages to injure his customers badly. Each of these films were prevously released on videotape on a 2 casette set. The DVD has no added special features though.
4.0 out of 5 stars
W. C. Done Right,
By
This review is from: W.C. Fields: 6 Short Films (Full Screen) (DVD)
I had seen all these shorts when I bought this DVD, but I was hoping that I would actually be able to hear all the hilarious asides spoken by the Great Man. I was not disappointed. While the sound is hardly hi-fi, everything is quite audible compared to other copies of these same shorts being sold.I disagree that these shorts represent W.C. at his peak. If you want his best films, buy "It's a Gift" and "The Bank Dick", and any of his films of the 30's you can find. But for the fan, this DVD is a delight.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
