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The Bank Dick Overview:

The Bank Dick (1940) was a Comedy - Black-and-white Film directed by Edward F. Cline and produced by Jack J. Gross and Cliff Work.

SYNOPSIS

Fields, crediting himself as "Mahatma Kane Jeeves," wrote this comedy classic in which he portrays Souse (pronounced Soo-zay), a lush who inadvertently trips a bank robber and ends up becoming a bank detective. He takes full advantage of his new job and embezzles bank funds to finance a fly-by-night mining operation. Notable for being Fields's last major role and for what many consider to be the funniest chase sequence in cinematic history.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

The Bank Dick was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1992.

The Bank Dick BlogHub Articles:

The Bank Dick (1940)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 9, 2024 From 4 Star Films

When W.C. Fields goes and names his protagonist Egbert Sousé it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to get the joke, although he does spend much of the movie explaining the correct pronunciation. The other half he spends drinking at his favorite bar: The Black Pussy Cat Cafe. His hometown is none ot... Read full article

The Bank Dick (1940)

By Beatrice on May 1, 2013 From Flickers in Time

The Bank Dick Directed by Edward F. Cline 1940/USA Universal Pictures Repeat viewing #140 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Elsie Mae Adele Brunch Sousé: Shall I bounce a rock off his head? Agatha Sousé: Respect your father, darling. What kind of a rock? Well, it’s time for anothe... Read full article

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The Bank Dick Quotes:

Elsie Mae Adele Brunch Sousé: What's the matter, Pop? Don't you love me?
Egbert Sousé: [raising his hand in anger] Certainly I love you!
Agatha Sousé: Don't you dare strike that child!
Egbert Sousé: She's not gonna tell ME I don't love her.
Egbert Sousé: Did you warble my little wren?
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.
Myrtle Sousé: [doing a crossword puzzle] What's a six-letter word meaning "embezzlement"?
Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch: Prison.
Egbert Sousé: The jockey was a very insulting fellow. He referred to my proboscis as an adscititious excrescence. I had to tweak his nose.
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The Bank Dick Facts
Universal's censors initially objected to W.C. Fields' script and demanded many changes. Director Edward F. Cline suggested that Fields should go ahead and film it their way, and that the front office wouldn't notice the difference. They didn't.
"Mahatma Kane Jeeves" (the pseudonym used by W.C. Fields as screenwriter) is a play on words from stage plays of the era. "My hat, my cane, Jeeves!"
Screen credits erroneously list Al Hill as Filthy McNasty and George Moran as Cozy Cochran, but their correct role identifications are Repulsive Rogan (Hill) and Filthy McNasty (Moran).
In 1992, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Near the beginning of the movie, Egbert Sousé is whistling "Listen to the Mockingbird" as he & Joe the Bartender enter the bar. Joe is played by Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges fame, and "Listen to the Mockingbird" was the Three Stooges' theme music.
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