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MISSISSIPPI (1935) W. C. Fields, Bing Crosby

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Offline NoahYoung

The Golden Age of Hollywood certainly liked to make period pictures, and those starring the top comedians were no exception. Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, and Wheeler and Woolsey had previously made some, and later Abbott and Costello would also.

W.C. Fields had appeared in a few period pictures before, including the much-acclaimed DAVID COPPERFIELD released earlier in 1935, and his starring vehicle, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY the previous year.  In the former film, he was very much a supporting player, but here he is featured front and center, sharing roughly the same amount of screen time as the top-billed Bing Crosby.

I almost hesitate to call MISSISSIPPI a comedy, since except for Fields, everyone else plays it straight. Although the subject matter is indeed serious, it could be made into a more conventional comedy, as did Keaton in the somewhat similar OUR HOSPITALITY. Keeping the story devoid of humor is was makes this film work so well, which to me accentuates the humor that Fields injects into each and every scene.

The film takes place in 1860 as Crosby plays a singer from Philadelphia engaged to the daughter of a traditional southern gentleman. The engagement is broken when the family, including the bride-to-be, brands Crosby as a coward for refusing to fight a duel with her former suitor. Crosby then joins Fields as a singer on his showboat. Fields concocts a way to brand Crosby as the "singing killer." Most of the humor derives from Fields' braggadocio for both himself and in building up Crosby's reputation.

Crosby and Fields work surprisingly well together. By all accounts they were cordial to each other on the set, but Crosby was furious when he saw the preview, since Fields had completely stolen the picture. About a third of the picture was re-edited to include more screen time for Crosby, including an additional song. Although Crosby doesn't exactly play second-fiddle, Fields is what makes this film memorable.

I've recently made comments on this board regarding tastes in music with regard to enjoying a film, so I'll go on record saying that I enjoy Crosby's singing and have many of his recordings in my collection. The songs in this film were written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. I particularly like "Easy to Remember", later recorded by Frank Sinatra on his superb CLOSE TO YOU album in 1956.

The actor playing Crosby's future father-in-law is a dead ringer for Mark Twain. I was waiting for him to say, "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated," although this is a mis-quote anyway.

The lead actresses are gorgeous -- Gail Patrick and Joan Bennett. The latter went on to star in the gothic soap opera, DARK SHADOWS.

There is some un-PC dialog delivered by Fields that will offend at least 2 groups of people. Avoid this film if that bothers you.

Overall, this is a very well-made and enjoyable picture that will satisfy both Fields and Crosby fans alike. Pity that the future teaming of Fields with Mae West was such a misfire, since this film proves that Fields could co-exist in a movie with another star of equal stature.

Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline NoahYoung

I forgot to point out that pre-cable, this was a fairly hard film to see. While most of Fields' sound Paramount and Universal starring features were shown fairly regularly, this one wasn't. I first saw it on a rare PBS channel showing probably in the late 70s or early 80s. POPPY was shown infrequently in those days, and YOU'RE TELLING ME possibly never, due to litigation. Things changed when cable rolled around, but I don't think MISSISSIPPI was released on physical media until the Fields DVD set which collected most of his sound films.

This all might seem quaint to the young'uns, but this is what we had to deal with back in the 70s. When these films did show up on TV, you had to keep your fingers crossed that it wouldn't say "Edited for television" during the first scene right after the credits.


Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline HomokHarcos

Unusually, for Old Hollywood films from this time which seemed to have a romanticized view of the Antebellum South, in this movie Bing Crosby (the protagonist of the film) scoffs at Southern traditions, such as duelling. I’m also a fan of Bing Crosby’s music, and while his film roles are more hit and miss, I feel like this was more tolerable.


Offline NoahYoung

Unusually, for Old Hollywood films from this time which seemed to have a romanticized view of the Antebellum South, in this movie Bing Crosby (the protagonist of the film) scoffs at Southern traditions, such as duelling. I’m also a fan of Bing Crosby’s music, and while his film roles are more hit and miss, I feel like this was more tolerable.

When I think of Bing Crosby films, I think more of the "Road" pictures with Bob Hope and HIGH SOCIETY with Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. He did have big hits with GOING MY WAY and THE BELLS OF SAINT MARY'S but to be honest I don't think I've ever seen them in full, just a few minutes here and there if it happened to be on TV when channel surfing. Of course there's WHITE CHRISTMAS but he shares the screen with Danny Kaye in that one, too.

Even as a singer, I tend to like him best in duets with Sinatra, Armstrong, and Rosemary Clooney. I do love his Christmas songs output, though. One of the best vocal swing albums I've ever heard is FANCY MEETING YOU HERE, arranged by Billy May, that pairs Crosby with Clooney (who was, btw, George Clooney's aunt -- I'm not kidding.) His duet with Armstrong and his All-Stars in HIGH SOCIETY is off-the-charts -- "Now You Has Jazz." Same for his duet with Sinatra in that same film, "What A Swell Party This Is." Bing could swing with the best of them, and together with his Christmas music, I like him best in that setting.
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz



Offline NoahYoung

One of my favorite scenes with The Great Man.


Yes, that's a great scene. There are many more great scenes with Fields in the picture. All I need to see is him at a bar, at a pool table, or at a card table, and I'm happy.

I hesitate to say that this in an under-rated movie; it is more a lesser-known movie in the W.C. Fields canon.
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline metaldams

I have seen MISSISSIPPI two or three times and it’s really never made much of an impression.  The point about taste in music really hits home because I think that definitely applies to me.  I’ve been listening to musical stylings of Overkill and Saxon as of late - a bit removed from Bing.  Intellectually, I can appreciate Bing as a singer and I also agree I like him in a light hearted comic setting in the Road films with Bob and Dorothy the best.

My taste in Fields really is best for me in those family comedies and the older I get, the more sense it makes they resonate with me - my life experience with family!  MISSSISSIPPI has some fun Fields routines in something that is not completely his film.

Nice review, Noah and thanks to you, Homok and Paul for keeping the fires burning around here.

With my Italian horror interest, crazy to think there’s a link here.  A much older Joan Bennett has a big role in 1977’s SUSPIRIA!
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline NoahYoung

I have seen MISSISSIPPI two or three times and it’s really never made much of an impression.
That's a lot of times to watch a film that didn't make much of an impression on you! :D

My taste in Fields really is best for me in those family comedies and the older I get, the more sense it makes they resonate with me - my life experience with family!  MISSSISSIPPI has some fun Fields routines in something that is not completely his film.

You mean films like: IT'S A GIFT, MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE, and YOU'RE TELLING ME.
I almost included the BANK DICK, but the film is really a farce around Fields scheming and lying to everyone, although he does have a family in it.

Those 3 films I mentioned were actually remakes of his silent films -- so it was obviously a subject he enjoyed poking fun at as well. I do have to admit that the only silent Fields film I've seen is POOL SHARKS, which is terrible.

His 4 Sennett talkies can be considered family comedies as well, though THE PHARMACIST is the purest in that sense, and my least favorite of the bunch.

MISSISSIPPI has some really great Fields stuff. You never get the feeling while watching the film that he is "comic relief" or a "supporting player", because in neither case was that the intention. His false braggadocio became a common attribute of Fields characters going forward, and his oft-told tale (in this film) of him "carving through a wall of human flesh" foreshadows his similar tales in THE BANK DICK and YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN. In the former, we have proof that he's lying since we saw what he was talking about, and the bank robber didn't pull a knife on him "this long."

Nice review, Noah and thanks to you, Homok and Paul for keeping the fires burning around here.
You're welcome.

With my Italian horror interest, crazy to think there’s a link here.  A much older Joan Bennett has a big role in 1977’s SUSPIRIA!

Hmmm...it seems that she gravitated to roles like that, as in DARK SHADOWS.

I did also want to point out that at least in the sound era, Fields never made a really bad film that he starred in, the possible exception being MY LITTLE CHICKADEE. Contrast that to the Marx Brothers and Laurel & Hardy, who had many clunkers and embarassments late in their careers. I chalk that up to Fields either writing the material, or embellishing the writing of others -- which he actually did in MISSISSIPPI, according to his grandson, Ronald J. Fields, in his terrific book, W. C. FIELDS: A LIFE ON FILM. (BTW, Ronald J. Fields is now a dead ringer for his grandfather!)

https://www.ronaldjfields.com/

Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline metaldams

Yes, indeed I’m referring to IT’S A GIFT (which I’ve reviewed here), MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE and YOU’RE TELLING ME.  Three total masterpieces.  I rank THE OLD FASHIONED WAY just a hair below those films but still find it very, very good.  But those four films for me are Fields at his absolute peak.  The Paramount films after, which MISSISSIPPI is a part of, feel a tad compromised - probably partially due to his health at the time.  I enjoy the Universal films slightly less than the four great Paramount films, but enjoy them I do.  TILLIE AND GUS feels like a warm up.  Before that Fields was an entertaining character actor at Paramount.  The Sennett shorts are great.  The silent features which were remade into my favorite talkies are worth seeking out.

There’s my synopsis on Fields.  Agree he never made a truly bad film, but there are tiers in my world.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline NoahYoung

Yes, indeed I’m referring to IT’S A GIFT (which I’ve reviewed here), MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE and YOU’RE TELLING ME.  Three total masterpieces.  I rank THE OLD FASHIONED WAY just a hair below those films but still find it very, very good.  But those four films for me are Fields at his absolute peak.  The Paramount films after, which MISSISSIPPI is a part of, feel a tad compromised - probably partially due to his health at the time.  I enjoy the Universal films slightly less than the four great Paramount films, but enjoy them I do.  TILLIE AND GUS feels like a warm up.  Before that Fields was an entertaining character actor at Paramount.  The Sennett shorts are great.  The silent features which were remade into my favorite talkies are worth seeking out.

There’s my synopsis on Fields.  Agree he never made a truly bad film, but there are tiers in my world.

POPPY could have been great, but it's still very good despite his ill-health which frankly I don't notice on-screen. Another period-film -- but I like him best in a contemporay setting.

I think HONEST MAN, THE BANK DICK, and NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK are masterpieces and right up there with the aforementioned Paramounts. I might actually put all 3 ahead of THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, depending upon my mood. (The DRUNKARD play-within-a-film weakens it for me, as does the "Gathering Up the Shells at the Seashore" song.)

I've never seen MRS. WIGGS OF THE CABBAGE PATCH -- a supporting character role for him -- and don't plan to anytime soon.

I haven't seen TILLIE AND GUS in ages, but it's been sitting on my hard drive for several years waiting for a viewing.

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE is a pre-code hoot, and Fields steals the picture from his co-stars. It's not a "Fields picture", but even when he is not on-screen, it's great.
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz