A henpecked New Jersey grocer (W. C. Fields) makes plans to move to California to grow oranges, despite the resistance of his overbearing wife.
The film contains certain routines, having been honed, that Fields had developed 1915-1925. Fields often tried to recapture on film original sketches that had been the basis of his stage success. Thus 'The Picnic', 'A Joy Ride' and most famously, 'The Back Porch', all become segments of "It's a Gift".
Lesser known than some of Fields' later works such as "The Bank Dick", the film is perhaps the best example of the recurring theme of the Everyman battling against his domestic entrapment. Historians and critics have often cited its numerous memorable comic moments. It is one of several Paramount Pictures in which Fields contended with child actor Baby LeRoy.
While much of the film is humorous and you can really feel for Fields, the key moment of the film has to be the blind man in the store, while a second customer keeps yelling bout his kumquats. It as the only part I literally laughed out loud and more than once. I had no idea that "kumquat" was such a funny word.
The film contains certain routines, having been honed, that Fields had developed 1915-1925. Fields often tried to recapture on film original sketches that had been the basis of his stage success. Thus 'The Picnic', 'A Joy Ride' and most famously, 'The Back Porch', all become segments of "It's a Gift".
Lesser known than some of Fields' later works such as "The Bank Dick", the film is perhaps the best example of the recurring theme of the Everyman battling against his domestic entrapment. Historians and critics have often cited its numerous memorable comic moments. It is one of several Paramount Pictures in which Fields contended with child actor Baby LeRoy.
While much of the film is humorous and you can really feel for Fields, the key moment of the film has to be the blind man in the store, while a second customer keeps yelling bout his kumquats. It as the only part I literally laughed out loud and more than once. I had no idea that "kumquat" was such a funny word.