W.C. twice is unjustly credited with foiling a bank robber's getting away , and in recovering the money. In truth, his part was incidental to the capture. Yet, he is showered by praise, a substantial monetary reward, and offer of a menial job as bank 'dick'(guard). In fact, in the second incident, instead of thwarting the robber in his role as bank dick, the robber uses him as a shield, then as his wheelman in his getaway. It's only when the getaway car is cornered by two other cars, and the robber somehow is knocked unconscious, that W.C.is proclaimed a hero. This anomaly may be seen as a satire on the standard Hollywood hero, and on the sometimes subtle distinction between a true heroic act and one that is merely passive or accidental. W.C is also extremely lucky in that the 'penny' goldmine stock he talked his prospective son-in-law into embezzling $500. from the bank to buy, suddenly turned into a bonanza. Apparently, the combination of the reward money, plus the selling of this stock made his extended family rich enough to buy a mansion, with servants, as we see in the finale... Thus, of the Horatio Alger formula for success: luck and pluck, W.C. shows that, at least in the short run, pluck may not be necessary(which we all know). Familiar-looking Russell Hicks is playing an atypical role for him of the con man who tried to sell the 'penny' goldmine stock to W.C., and ended up selling it to his future son-in-law.Bespeckled Frank Pangborn played the bank auditor, whose inopportune arrival caused Og to faint several times, as he hadn't yet replaced the $500. he had 'borrowed' from the bank. His presence also induced W.C. to unleash several schemes to delay his auditing activity until Og had received his $500. bonus.... Una Merkel played W.C.'s marriage-crazed teen daughter. Just what she saw in Grady Sutton(Og) is beyond me. Clearly, they were awaiting better financial prospects before marrying....Evelyn Del Rio plays W.C.'s pugnacious young daughter.The climax of the film is represented by the Keystone Kops-like car chase near the end. An even more elaborate chase is seen in W.C.'s last film "Never Give a Sucker a Break". At one point, the getaway car drives over a trench being dug by about 10 men, their raised pick axes being lowered in a strike just before the car was about to hit each. Later, a motorcycle cop rides into the trench, knocking each, in succession, into the air. This offers an interesting bit of choreography. I'm sure I've seen this stunt before, but I don't know where.Best one-liner:W.C.: "Is that gun loaded?" Mother of 'cowboy': "No, but I think you are" Most astonishing put down: An African American is behind W.C., in a bank teller line. The teller motions for W.C. to get out of the way, so he can serve the African American first.

"The Bank Dick" is the most consistently funny comedy from W.C Fields. The routines and the dialogue are far above average, as is Fields himself. The plot concerns a small town loafer who first becomes a movie director during a film's shoot. Later on, he accidentally foils an attempted robbery at the local bank. For his reward, W.C Fields is employed as the bank's security guard. All kinds of comic mayhem ensure! Released in 1940, "The Bank Dick" was about the last film of any quality from W.C Fields. He only lived a few more years and his chronic drinking was getting the better of him. The laughs are pretty good here and Fields has dialogue that's worthy of his style.

W. C. Fields dominates this film. For such a basically rotten guy, we still sympathize with him because he is the head of a dysfunctional, mean spirited family. Of course, he's no gem himself, smoking, drinking, carrying on in front of young women. His daughter wants to marry a guy named Og Ogilby (Fields was a master at creating the most ridiculous names for his characters). The boy has little to offer, working in a bank for very little. The story evolves around a bank robbery where Fields (whose name is Souse with the "e" pronounced so he doesn't have the name of a perennial drunk). Fields accidentally apprehends some bank robbers and is rewarded with a job as a band guard. He talks Og into embezzling money and investing it in a gold mine so he can be rich enough to marry his daughter. Things take many turns. The important thing is Fields is on the screen continuously, not having to share time with other stars. Will he land on his feet?

Henpecked Egbert Sousè (W. C. Fields) has comic adventures as a substitute film director and unlikely bank guard.Otis Ferguson was not so keen on it. He said, "When the man (W.C. Fields) is funny he is terrific... but the story is makeshift, the other characters are stock types, the only pace discernible is the distance between drinks or the rhythm of the fleeting seconds it takes Fields to size up trouble and duck the hell out." It is number 8 of Stanley Kubrick's ten most favorite films. I have to agree more with Kubrick on this one. Ferguson comes down too hard, as some of the things he criticizes are what make it such a great comedy. That sort of stuff may not fly today for sophisticated audiences, but Fields fits right in with Keaton, Chaplin and others... he is a natural successor to the silent age.