W.C. Fields in The Fatal Glass of Beer

W.C. Fields in The Fatal Glass of Beer

W.C. Fields in The Fatal Glass of Beer

Mr. Snavely, a Yukon prospector, lost his only son years ago to the temptations of the big city; now the prodigal Chester, released from prison, comes home to Ma and Pa. A parody of Yukon melodrama; includes the famous looking-out-the-door routine. first saw this send-up of "the prodigal son" when I was a high school freshman. I think my teacher and I were the only 2 people laughing. I was astonished that a film that looks like it was filmed in a garage could make my face hurt. It has wonderfully screwy story arc, corny gags; it's all over the place and ends abruptly, but is truly entertaining.


W.C. Fields

WC Fields, the original cranky old man. A bulbous-nosed, self-obsessed alcoholic who hated pretty much everything except drinking, he was a true eccentric and an unknown quantity in a time of Puritanism in the burgeoning American film industry. He was a breath of fresh air, and a stink bomb at the same time, almost uniquely finding huge success both on the Vaudeville stage and in Hollywood without compromising his "bachelor" sensibilities.