The Bank Dick

The Bank Dick is a classic American comedy film from 1940 starring W.C. Fields as Egbert Sousé, a man who unwillingly becomes a bank security guard and subsequently stumbles into becoming an unlikely hero. Also starring in the movie are Cora Witherspoon as Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch and Una Merkel as Myrtle Sousé, Egbert's wife.

The movie opens with Egbert Sousé, a down-on-his-luck and alcoholic layabout, at a pub where he is being pestered by his wife and mother-in-law to find a job. As fate would have it, he comes across a robbery at a bank, and because of his quick wit and bravery, he is mistaken for a police officer and hailed as a hero. The bank president sees this as an opportunity to boost the image of the bank and hires Egbert as a security guard.

As a security guard, Egbert almost immediately gets into trouble by allowing a thief to escape. He then foils a planned bank robbery, but not before he is knocked unconscious and left with a head injury. Egbert's injury leads to him having delusions of grandeur and being convinced that he is a detective. He is constantly interfering in the investigation of the bank's robbery, much to the chagrin of the real detectives.

Egbert also finds himself in a romantic entanglement with Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch, a wealthy widow who is quite taken with him. However, her wealth-hungry family is not so impressed and tries to intervene, leading to more hilarious mishaps for Egbert.

The Bank Dick is an excellent example of W.C. Fields' unique humor, with his trademark dry wit and mischievous antics on full display. The movie also features a great supporting cast, including Una Merkel as Egbert's loyal and long-suffering wife, Myrtle. Cora Witherspoon is a standout as Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch, the love interest who is the butt of many of Egbert's jokes.

The film also includes a number of memorable scenes and one-liners, such as when Egbert is asked what he thinks of his new job as a security guard, and he replies, "It's a great advantage, miss, having a job like this. You meet so many interesting people." And when asked what his qualifications are, he responds, "I can handle any bank in the United States. Why, I attended three of them."

The Bank Dick is a classic comedy film that has stood the test of time. It's an entertaining and hilarious look at a man who stumbles into heroism and ultimately comes out on top despite his many flaws. The movie has been a favorite of audiences for over 80 years and continues to be enjoyed by fans of classic comedy.