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Looking for some quality comedy entertainment to check out?
Who better to turn to for under-the-radar comedy recommendations than comedians?
Adam Resnick is a writer whose name makes comedy geeks sit up and take notice.
Thankfully,Million Dollar Legsis both.
Did that surprise you?Its not a movie most people would be aware of.
Unlessthey owned a book calledThe Films of W.C. Fieldsas a child.
So, yeah, I was a little surprised.
How did this first cross your radar?
but it was so strange, it actually creeped me out a little.
Which is my sweet spot, I guess.
Its a weird amalgam of political satire and live-action cartoon.
A scene in a luncheonette, I can stare at that forever.
I like the way the audio sounds, sort of scratchy and tinny.
There are a few W.C Fields movies from this period that are really good.
Theres one calledIf I Had a Million, also kind of strange.
Its funny two weird ensemble movies with W.C. Fields and Jack Oakie with the word million in the title.
Youd think someone at Paramount wouldve flagged that.
Both written, or partially written, by Joe Mankiewicz, by the way.
Thats money in the bank!Right off the bat, you have to love the name.
He pretty much delivers on it too.
I sense a very strong vaudeville background.
Another said, Lyda Roberti is incredible!
Maybe text Leonard Maltin to get some intel on them.
Ben Turpin, geez.
He does that thing with his eye that makes my eye hurt.
He fits into the movie, but I sort of look away whenever hes onscreen.
I cant look at that.
Hes like an unpleasant version of the Moon with the rocket in its eye.
That said, I dont recall seeing much of Mr. Turpins work.
It doesnt strike me as something people would be begging for.
I doubt they were begging for it in 1932.
Although I guess theres always a lame modern twist for any idea.
I mean, theres never been a shortage of hack comedies with the big game in the third act.
But this movie is too of its time.
Part of its appeal for me is how ragged and incomplete it feels.
Lots of strange jump cuts that look like they go back to the negative.
Its only about an hour long.
Who knows what was cut out or why.
Leaves you feeling a little unsettled.
That was my experience, anyway.
I liked that feeling.
I didnt know if there were any other films from his oeuvre that youd recommend.Most of his early-30s movies.
Butsometimes its just his performance in a film more than the movie itself.
Oh, and a lot of his early shorts are great, likeThe DentistandThe Fatal Glass of Beer.
Do you think theres a lesson to be learned by modern audiences from watching this film?
You either feel it or you dont, like anything else.
