I've watched many older films, of many genres, and found them wonderfully enjoyable. Everyone has their personal preferences and opinions - mine is that this particular film doesn't begin make the cut. In a runtime of 70 minutes, the plot (such as it is) waits more than twenty to start to show up. Plot or not, the length is filled with various antics to fashion the entertainment; sadly, the strength of that entertainment is flagging. We get a lot of absurdism, slapstick, physical comedy, sight gags, exaggerated characters, and a measure of cleverness in the dialogue to provide comedy, and it's a small treat to hear Gloria Jean sing, even if that singing serves no specific purpose. None of these possible hooks are any more than passingly amusing. Instances of wild cacophony in the audio is supposed to impart a chaotic ridiculousness in service to the fun, but instead these are simply grating on the ears, and a source of aggravation. The pace is lethargic, and comedic timing often feels absent. Even star W. C. Fields, legend of wit that he is, gives a performance I can only describe as soporific. Maybe that tired delivery was deliberate, but if so, it was a mistake.
It's not that there's nothing enjoyable about 'Never give a sucker an even break'; there are sparks of suitably diverting gaiety herein. It's that not one of these sparks ever grows into any but the smallest and most brief of flames. If the perfect comedy film is a swan dive, then I can only describe this as a belly flop. All the best potential in the movie - the best chances at humor, the most careful scene writing, the most brilliant production design or costume design - is as flat as a piece of paper. From start to finish the feature is unrelentingly dull, and the ticking of the digital timer reminds one of the classic adage, "a watched pot never boils." Not only can I not imagine recommending this to anyone, but I would frankly be embarrassed to sit and watch it with another person.
To read even fleetingly of the production's history, one gathers that the final product may have reflected wry commentary from Fields on the studio system that dominated Hollywood at the time. If so, that underlying intelligence is wholly subsumed within the near-absolute tedium the picture represents. Much more evident is that the story and screenplay went through a number of rejected renditions before the victor emerged - if 'Never give a sucker an even break,' as it presents, were actually the complete vision of a single writer or writing team, then it is an unquestionably sorry screenplay that should be recalled as a mark of shame. For that matter, too, very importantly - I've seen some of the other credits of director Edward F. Cline, and enjoyed them. His contribution here, arranging shots and scenes, guiding the cast, and overseeing the production, feels like a colossal gaffe.
Other viewers will watch this and find it to be a barrel of laughs. I watch it, and I feel like I'm the sucker. I strongly suggest promptly looking the other way if you come across it - but if your curiosity drives you to watch 'Never give a sucker an even break,' I urge caution and fastidiously tempered expectations.
It's not that there's nothing enjoyable about 'Never give a sucker an even break'; there are sparks of suitably diverting gaiety herein. It's that not one of these sparks ever grows into any but the smallest and most brief of flames. If the perfect comedy film is a swan dive, then I can only describe this as a belly flop. All the best potential in the movie - the best chances at humor, the most careful scene writing, the most brilliant production design or costume design - is as flat as a piece of paper. From start to finish the feature is unrelentingly dull, and the ticking of the digital timer reminds one of the classic adage, "a watched pot never boils." Not only can I not imagine recommending this to anyone, but I would frankly be embarrassed to sit and watch it with another person.
To read even fleetingly of the production's history, one gathers that the final product may have reflected wry commentary from Fields on the studio system that dominated Hollywood at the time. If so, that underlying intelligence is wholly subsumed within the near-absolute tedium the picture represents. Much more evident is that the story and screenplay went through a number of rejected renditions before the victor emerged - if 'Never give a sucker an even break,' as it presents, were actually the complete vision of a single writer or writing team, then it is an unquestionably sorry screenplay that should be recalled as a mark of shame. For that matter, too, very importantly - I've seen some of the other credits of director Edward F. Cline, and enjoyed them. His contribution here, arranging shots and scenes, guiding the cast, and overseeing the production, feels like a colossal gaffe.
Other viewers will watch this and find it to be a barrel of laughs. I watch it, and I feel like I'm the sucker. I strongly suggest promptly looking the other way if you come across it - but if your curiosity drives you to watch 'Never give a sucker an even break,' I urge caution and fastidiously tempered expectations.