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The Man on the Flying Trapeze

Play trailer Poster for The Man on the Flying Trapeze 1935 1h 5m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
An unlucky memory expert (W.C. Fields) has a loyal daughter (Mary Brian), a nagging wife (Kathleen Howard) and a great thirst.

Critics Reviews

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 04/30/2022
3.5/4
The classic scene involves Ambrose receiving four(!) parking tickets in a row, but other comic set-pieces are just as effective. Go to Full Review
William E. Clark New York Age 07/13/2021
[The Man on the Flying Trapeze] will convince the most skeptical of the universal appeal of the Field's humor. Go to Full Review
Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine 04/17/2020
W. C. Fields trying to get to a wrestling match. Some delicious scenes where he shows the value of his private system of keeping files, in an otherwise normal office. Go to Full Review
Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 11/14/2009
A plangent anti-Cult of Domesticity symphony Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Roel S 10/09/2022 Almost unwatchably bad. Being 75, I had still never seen a W.C.Fields movie. It should have stayed that way. See more 07/21/2022 Man on the Flying Trapeze tells the story of a downtrodden man (played by the talented W. C. Fields) who just wants to go to a wrestling match on his first day off from work in 25 years. The film is pretty funny with the jokes and gags that the iconic W. C. Fields provided. As always, the great Fields always puts on a wonderful performance. A very nuanced moment in Man on the Flying Trapeze was the makeup especially when we see W. C. Fields look all bruised up because it contains so much symbolism in my opinion. The way he looks after a long and difficult day after dealing with bastions of inconvenience shows that not only was he damaged physically but also emotionally. His character was slowly losing his patience after dealing with series of misfortunes. Man on the Flying Trapeze is an impressive comedy. See more @Blobbo 08/26/2020 Brilliant and one of Field's finest, See more john l 03/25/2017 Slow moving with a couple extended sketches that were a bit long. There's just enough plot about W.C. Fields trying to see a wrestling match for which he paid $15 to get a ringside seat to tie together the sketches, one-line quips and vaudevillian sight gags. It's not as strong as some of his others, but W.C. Fields fans will still enjoy it. John See more 03/25/2011 Enjoyable W.C. Fields comedy. It's slightly less absurd than other films of his, but it has some great moments. See more 03/31/2010 This is one of W.C. Fields finest movies. It has several very classic and funny scenes. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Kathleen Howard and Grady Sutton. Excellent screenplay and it?s a very memorable and amusing film. See more Read all reviews
The Man on the Flying Trapeze

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Movie Info

Synopsis An unlucky memory expert (W.C. Fields) has a loyal daughter (Mary Brian), a nagging wife (Kathleen Howard) and a great thirst.
Director
Clyde Bruckman, W.C. Fields
Producer
William LeBaron
Screenwriter
Sam Hardy, W.C. Fields, Ray Harris
Production Co
Paramount
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Jun 14, 2004
Runtime
1h 5m