Das ist geschenkt (1934)

Das ist geschenkt: Directed by Norman Z. McLeod. With W.C. Fields, Kathleen Howard, Jean Rouverol, Julian Madison. A henpecked New Jersey grocer makes plans to move to California to grow oranges, despite the resistance of his overbearing wife.

“I think only in The Bank Dick was W.C. Fields more henpecked than he is in Itu0026#39;s A Gift. He also has a perfect foil for his brand of humor in Kathleen Howard as his wife in the second of three films she did with the man from Philadelphia.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn this film more than most of Fieldsu0026#39;s films I think the real secret of his comedy comes out. I canu0026#39;t think of a single funny line from Itu0026#39;s A Gift worth remembering. But what does stick with you are all the gestures and expressions with his body and face that Fields gives us to show the hellhole of his married state.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eKathleen Howard in fact doesnu0026#39;t let the poor guy get a word in edgewise. What a motormouth that woman had, constantly finding fault and running him down from the first to the last minute of the movie. Right at the beginning of the film the poor guy canu0026#39;t even have the bathroom to himself as kids and wife just barge in on him with their problems and complaints. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn that scene where Fields is trying to shave, to later on when he goes out on the porch hammock to get some peace and quiet, itu0026#39;s nothing in what he says, but in all the reaction shots where the comedy comes from. Even in the famous scene at the general store with the blind man Mr. Muckle. The comedy is all in Fieldsu0026#39;s reactions to Muckle running amuck. Trying not to say anything to observe political correctness. Remember Muckle is also identified as the house detective in the hotel across the street.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eKathleen Howard serves as Fieldsu0026#39;s greatest foil, no wonder he did three films with her. Note how Hyacinth like she is in insisting that her name Bissonette be pronounced Bissonay.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eStill Fields pursues the American dream and when Uncle Bean dies and wills him some California property, he loads up the truck and moves to, well not Beverly Hills, but close enough so he can get an orange grove and grow them. It comes about in an interesting way that you have to see the film for.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s A Gift is one of the finest efforts of Americau0026#39;s most beloved misanthropes.”