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W.C. Fields and Me

Play trailer Poster for W.C. Fields and Me PG 1976 1h 51m Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
67% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
In 1920s New York City, W.C. Fields (Rod Steiger) is a successful headlining entertainer, but when his girlfriend (Bernadette Peters) leaves him and his broker loses his money, Fields begins anew in California. While working at a wax museum, Fields eventually lands a film role that ascends him to stardom. Back in the limelight and palling around with John Barrymore (Jack Cassidy) and the like, Fields meets an aspiring actress (Valerie Perrine) at a party, with whom he forms a rocky relationship.
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W.C. Fields and Me

Critics Reviews

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Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 08/03/2023
The story is very possibly apocryphal, but I had fun... [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) 05/09/2023
I'm not crazy about Steiger, but he does a hell of a job in this one. Giving us a rounded portrait of an unhappy clown, a man who drank constantly to prove his manhood. Go to Full Review
David Dugas United Press International 08/04/2021
Rod Steiger delivers a fine performance as Fields, capturing his acerbic humor and crankiness while fleshing out the private man as a victim of his own eccentricities and weaknesses. Go to Full Review
Donald McLean Bay Area Reporter 05/13/2020
Those problems aside [W.C. Fields and Me] offers a hilarious script by Bob Merrill filled with Field's biting, caustic humor, including all those memorable incidents he is noted for. Go to Full Review
Ruth Batchelor Los Angeles Free Press 11/14/2019
The biggest trouble with W.C. Fields and Me has to be the "Me" being Monti. Go to Full Review
Bernard Drew Gannett News Service 10/23/2019
W.C. Fields is a tough nut to crack and nobody in this movie tries too hard to crack him. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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09/07/2020 Good film stuff. Especially entertaining for film buffs. See more 07/24/2013 I think it definitely was a labor of love for Steiger. I loved the book. I didn't like Steiger's accent which was cartoony.impersonation of Fields Fields never delivered his lines in such a loud extended drawl. He was softer and often delivered his lines in Popeye-like mumbles.. It feels particularly awkward here when he is doing Fields in real world moments like a circus showman. To Steiger's credit I suppose this is what most people think W.C. Fields sounded like. I wish it made more use of the many colorful stories from the book.Fields told to bamboozle and entertain. It very much plays up his relationship with Barrymore and his drinking buddies which is pretty good and an act of betrayal towards Miss Monti. What he did is probably not what you are thinking. Its a sincere and entertaining enough to get you through if you have an interest in Fields. You will know a little more of the man. But its a little Hollywoodized and doesn't paint as colorful a picture as the book which is a breezy read. See more 05/20/2013 Despite an odd use of intermittent narration from Perrine that sometimes feels like an info dump, Hiller's semi biopic about the iconic comedian and his mistress is still a fine comic-drama, thanks to Steiger's commanding screen presence and immersion in the title role, some great and funny dialogue, especially Fields' remarks about other actors and officials, an an interesting look into the chaotic and sometimes two-faced nature of the early film business. See more Read all reviews
W.C. Fields and Me

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1920s New York City, W.C. Fields (Rod Steiger) is a successful headlining entertainer, but when his girlfriend (Bernadette Peters) leaves him and his broker loses his money, Fields begins anew in California. While working at a wax museum, Fields eventually lands a film role that ascends him to stardom. Back in the limelight and palling around with John Barrymore (Jack Cassidy) and the like, Fields meets an aspiring actress (Valerie Perrine) at a party, with whom he forms a rocky relationship.
Director
Arthur Hiller
Producer
Jay Weston
Screenwriter
Bob Merrill
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 24, 2012
Runtime
1h 51m
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