My Little Chickadee

1940 "It's the lafftime of a lifetime ! . . as "Wild Bill" Fields tries to tame the West!"
6.8| 1h23m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 09 February 1940 Released
Producted By: Universal Pictures
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Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

While on her way by stagecoach to visit relatives out west, Flower Belle Lee is held up by a masked bandit who also takes the coach's shipment of gold. When he abducts Flower Belle and they arrive in town, Flower Belle is suspected of being in collusion with the bandit.

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NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!
Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation
Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
Winifred The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.
weezeralfalfa Joseph Calleia , as Jeff Badger, is the Greasewood saloon owner and town boss. He's also the masked bandit: a dead ringer for Zorro, complete with black cape, but with his mask covering his entire face instead of only the top portion. He's infamous for holding up the stage and looting the strong box. and for abducting and romancing a conspicuous new resident: Flower Bell(Mae West). It's assumed that Mae should be able to identify the bandit, but she can't. She's put on trial as a detriment to the morals of the community, and asked to leave. She boards the train for the next town: Greasewood. Along the way, a portly man, reclining on a travois, stops the train to board. He soon strikes up a conversation with Mae , who notices he has a wad of greenbacks in his traveling bag(She later discovers they're all fake),thus becomes interested in him. Soon, they are talking marriage, and a man who claims to be a minister is found among the passengers.(Actually, he's a professional gambler). Soon, a band of Indians attack. The few men aboard are worthless at shooting them. However, after being narrowly missed with a few arrows, Mae scrounges a couple of six shooters and shoots nearly every Indian off his horse. Since the new sheriff-to-be of Greasewood was killed by the Indians, Jeff suggests that Fields become the new sheriff. Nobody else wants the job, since the mean lifespan of the last 5 sheriffs was one month after taking office. Besides, Fields claims he shot all those Indians, so he must be a good shot.The masked bandit romances Mae out under the moon, then rides away. Fields, frustrated in being put off by Mae, dresses up like the masked bandit and climbs up the outside of the hotel to her room. He kisses Mae, but she knows something is wrong, and discovers his fakery. But, some town people see him descend from her window, thus assume he must be the bandit. They want to string him up soon, without a trial. Dick Foran, as the newspaper editor and town bastion of law enforcement and decency, tries to stop the vigilantes, but to no avail. Just then, Mae, who just broke out of jail and borrowed 2 six shooters, shoots the hanging rope in two, and tells the people he's not the real bandit. Says she still doesn't know the identity of the real bandit, but has a strong suspicion. She admits her "marriage" to Fields is a sham. This news further stimulates Jeff and Foran to seek a marriage with Mae. Seemingly, Mae has a choice between good(Foran) and evil(Jeff). although the masked bandit threw a bag containing his recent loot into a crowd before galloping away. Mae says she might never decide between the two.Here are some quotes: Man: "Is this a game of chance?" Fields: "Not the way I play it."Mae: "Arithmetic: I was pretty good with figures myself."Jeff: "I wonder what kind of woman you are?" Mae: "Sorry, I can't give out samples".Fields to Indian: "The bottle is mightier than the quiver."Mae: "I avoid temptations, since I can't resist them."Judge" "Young lady, are you trying to show contempt for this court?" Mae: "No, I'm trying my best to hide it."Mae is her usual self, mostly smirks, sashays and rolling her eyes upward, although she often looks unusually bored. She only has one forgettable song. Dick Foran mostly played singing cowboys, sort of a B version of Gene Autry...Other supporting actors that deserve mention: Margaret Hamilton, fresh from her two roles in "The Wizard of Oz", plays the town busybody. Donald Meek plays the gambler pretending to be a minister. Fuzzy Knight tries to inject a little humor here and there, but wasn't given much to work with. Yes, the film could have been much funnier. Also, some scenes go nowhere, appearing to be fillers.
tavm This is the only film comedy legends W.C. Fields and Mae West made together. They're both larger-than-life characters who usually dominate their movies by themselves with only occasional help from talented supporting players to guide them through their classic shtick. They only share few scenes together but there's some gold in those few scenes though it's even better when they do separate and interact with the usual character types both have been known to associate with. One player here who does well with both is Margaret Hamilton, fresh from her Wicked Witch of the West role in The Wizard of Oz, who scowls her best scowl and acts suitably flustered whenever she encounters these two either together or separately. In summary, My Little Chickadee is worthy of these two legendary comedians despite some unevenness on the part of the screenplay they both wrote.
zardoz-13 Mae West and W.C. Fields are legendary icons of comedy. Unfortunately, when they teamed up to star in director Edward F. Cline's western comedy "My Little Chickadee" that seemed to cancel each other out. Presumably, each performer penned their own lines and scenes, because this black & white oater qualifies as lackluster by anybody's standards. Indeed, each plays their usual roles with West as a seductress and Fields as a con artist, but they end up doing nothing memorable in a thin plot that seems to end too soon and without any resolution. Point in fact is that the notorious Masked Rider is never brought to justice. Typically, the Hollywood Production Code dictated that all wrongdoers be punished but the bandit never receives his comeuppance. Meanwhile, West and Fields are constantly trying to take advantage of each other. She marries him to get his loot, but he has nothing but counterfeit dollars. Former Warner Brothers singing cowboy star Dick Foran plays a newspaper publisher, but he is wasted in this nothing role. Joseph Calleia plays a greedy saloon keeper and town boss who kills without a qualm. Nothing adds up here but it is amusing just to see West and Fields together for the only movie in which they appeared in.Flower Belle Lee (Mae West of "Klondike Annie") is riding in a stagecoach bound for Little Bend to visit her Aunt Lou (Ruth Donnelly of "Petticoat Politics") and Uncle John (Willard Robertson of "Kentucky") when a Masked Rider holds up the coach. He blasts away with his six-gun at a strong box filled with gold pouches and orders our heroine to hand over the bags. Instead of settling for the gold alone, the Masked Rider abducts Flower Belle. No sooner has the outlaw taken Flower Belle hostage than he releases her later and she gets to come home. Everybody welcomes her with open arms, until a snooty busybody woman, Mrs Gideon (Margaret Hamilton of "The Wizard of Oz"), spots the Masked Rider one night embracing Flower Belle in her upstairs room. Gideon clamors to high heaven about this union, and Flower Belle is brought to trail where the authorities, principally a judge (Addison Richards of "Flying Tigers"), decide to banish her from Little Bend. The judge refuses to let Flower Belle to return until she becomes married and respectable. Mrs. Gideon accompanies Flower Belle to Greasewood City so she can contact the Women's Vigilante Committee about Flower Belle's activities.During the train ride to Greasewood City, the engineer has to halt the train when an Indian on horseback with a man on a travois stops on the tracks. This individual is a con artist, Cuthbert J. Twillie (W.C. Fields of "The Bank Dick"), and he needs a ride so he climbs aboard. Along the way, a band of savage Indians attack the train. Cuthbert cowers in fear, while Flower Belle not only slings lead at the redskins but also proves that she is an accurate shot with a revolver. She knocks at least a half-dozen of Indians off their ponies. Later, she spots Cuthbert's open valise bulging with wads of money and arranges for a swindler, Amos Budge (Donald Meek of "Captain Blood") to marry her. Of course, since Budge isn't an actual minister, the wedding is a sham. When they arrive in Greasewood City, Flower Belle attracts the amorous attention of local saloon owner and town boss Jeff Badger (Joseph Calleia of "Gilda")and he is prepared to kill Cuthbert. Flower Belle convinces him to do otherwise and Badger appoints Cuthbert as town marshal. Later, Flower Belle learns from crusading newspaper editor Wayne Carter (Dick Foran of "The Petrified Forest") that town marshals come and go like the breeze.Meantime. the Masked Rider resumes his affair with Flower Belle. Surprisingly, Flower Belle has never seen this outlaw without his mask. Cuthbert decides to impersonate the Masked Rider to get Flower Belle to kiss him and the ruse initially works until she catches a whiff of his breath. Naturally, Mrs. Gideon spots this liaison and howls again to high heaven. Everybody comes scrambling out into the night and they capture Cuthbert and decide to stretch his neck with a noose. At this point, Flower Belle discovers the Masked Rider's identity and convinces him to ride into town and thwart the lynching. When the Masked Rider appears, he slings a set of saddle bags with loot in them. Cuthbert is turned loose and the town has enough money to build a proper school house. Cuthbert heads off for greener pastures while Flower Belle leaves Jeff and Wayne to compete for her affections. Ho-hum! Sure, Mae West utters her suggestive lines and W.C. Fields indulges in his pompous dialogue. They will make your smile a lot, but you rarely feel like laughing out loud at their tame antics. The scene where Fields climbs into bed with a goat is amusing. Nevertheless, at 83 minutes, "My Little Chickadee" is thoroughly trite and only worth a gander if you are either a West or Fields compleatist.
Petri Pelkonen It's the American Old West of the 1880's.Miss Flower Belle Lee is an attractive and seductive singer from Chicago.She's on her way to visit relatives out west.On the stagecoach there are also three men and the gossip of the town, Mrs. Gideon.Then a masked bandit holds up the stage for its shipment of gold.He rides off with the gold- and the saucy blonde.Later she arrives in Little Bend, unharmed.The masked bandit comes to see her again, and there's some kissing involved.Mrs. Gideon witnesses his presence and departure.This gives enough reason to get her out of the town.She gets on the train and heads for Greasewood City.On the train she meets a con man called Cuthbert J. Twillie who travels with his Indian companion.She decides to marry her for "respectability.And it helps to see the big amount of money in his bag, which later turns out to be fake.And also the marriage turns out to be fake, since the minister is actually a gambler.On the train they get in the middle of an Indian attack.She keeps her cool and shoots them Indians.He doesn't show any fear either- he shoots them Indians with a child's slingshot.In the town Flower Belle and Twillie have very little to do with each other, but she has much more to do with other men.And with the masked bandit.My Little Chickadee (1940) is directed by Edward F. Cline.It was the most successful film of that year after Gone With the Wind, despite the mediocre reviews it got from the critics.I enjoyed watching the film, just like the audience of that era.W.C. Fields and Mae West make a great couple.Fields mastered at his boozing comedian act.And he had the right nose for it.West was the silent sex symbol who mastered at the talkies, too.Those two were responsible also for the screenplay.Joseph Calleia plays Jeff Badger, who turns out to be the masked bandit.The newspaper editor Wayne Carter is played by Dick Foran.Ruth Donnelly plays Aunt Lou.Margaret Hamilton gives the portrayal of Mrs. Gideon.Donald Meek plays the minister/gambler Amos Budge.Fuzzy Knight is Cousin Zeb.George Moran is Milton, Twillie's Indian confederate.Jackie Searl is Schoolboy.This is a terrific western comedy.It's a lot of fun when Fields and West first meet in the train, and he starts immediately wooing her.And when Fields takes a bath in her room, and she goes out to meet the masked bandit.When he comes out of the bath he finds a goat on her bed.And it's enjoyable to watch Fields work as a bartender and West as a schoolteacher.They sure knew how to make people laugh in the old times.