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7.4/10
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A hard-drinking, socially-awkward inventor wrecks his daughter's chances of marriage into a rich family and bungles his own chances of success by selling one of his more practical inventions... Read allA hard-drinking, socially-awkward inventor wrecks his daughter's chances of marriage into a rich family and bungles his own chances of success by selling one of his more practical inventions.A hard-drinking, socially-awkward inventor wrecks his daughter's chances of marriage into a rich family and bungles his own chances of success by selling one of his more practical inventions.
Buster Crabbe
- Bob Murchison
- (as Larry 'Buster' Crabbe)
Dell Henderson
- Mayor
- (as Del Henderson)
Robert McKenzie
- Charlie Bogle
- (as Robert Mc Kenzie)
William Bailey
- Tire Company Executive
- (uncredited)
Eddie Baker
- First Motorcycle Cop
- (uncredited)
Dorothy Bay
- Mrs. Kendall
- (uncredited)
Harold Berquist
- Doorman
- (uncredited)
Don Brodie
- Waiter
- (uncredited)
Elise Cavanna
- Sarah Smith - Female Gossip
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOne of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. However, because of legal complications, this particular title was not included in the original television package and was not televised until many years afterward. It was released on DVD 20 March 2007 as one of 5 titles in the W.C. Fields Comedy Collection Volume 2, and again 4 June 2013 as one of 10 titles in Universal's W.C. Fields Comedy Favorites Collection and has also enjoyed an occasional airing on cable TV on Turner Classic Movies.
- GoofsRosita is brushing Princess Lescaboura's nails and after Rosita says, "But you must.", the Princess' hands are under the table.
- Quotes
Sam Bisbee: It's a funny ol' world... Man's lucky if he gets out of it alive.
- ConnectionsReferences The Sheik (1921)
Featured review
Puncture-Proof Fields
It's not often I'll thank a TV network, but Turner Classic Movies deserves heartfelt praise for broadcasting the entire Fields canon this May & June. YOU'RE TELLING ME! has many, many hilarious setpieces and throwaway bits of business - but you'd expect that from William Claude. What might surprise you is his delicate touch when pathos and tenderness are called for. The scene on the train where a despondent Fields, playing struggling eccentric inventor Sam Bisbee, accidentally meets a travelling Princess and tries to talk her out of 'suicide' (she had no such plans...but HE did, in a moment of despair) nearly brought this cynic to tears. It's not the heavy drama of the scene that affects the viewer so much as Fields' flawless playing of it. Plot contrivance it may be, but the easy, simple grace he brings to his line readings - the small, almost imperceptible shadings of wistfulness and regret in his voice, facial expressions & body language - all give testimony to this brilliant comic actor's mastery of craft, and his ability to draw water from the well of his own loneliness. Don't misunderstand; this is a side-splitting comedy. Much of the comedy is purely visual; all of it is unforgettable. But NEVER short-count WC Fields, or confuse him with an impressionist's caricature. Where other clowns tried their damndest to make you laugh till it hurts, Fields knew his gift was to create a character forever set-upon and assaulted by a blithe, uncaring parade determined to pass him by - a man who hurt till all you can do is laugh. Well, you'll laugh all through this 65-minute model of timing and economy; but watching Fields trampled underfoot again, warily rising to his feet with no higher expectation than a brief, sweet respite before his next inevitable shellacking from the fates and furies, you might just get an idea of why they called him 'The Great Man'. Much obliged, TCM.
helpful•91
- fowler1
- May 10, 2001
- How long is You're Telling Me!?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 6 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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