Over at AltScreen, my outpouring of love and admiration for W.C. Fields continues."Speaking Fields: The Gift of Gab" is an appreciation of Fields' inimitable, bizarre vocabulary.
"Equal parts carnival barker and poet, Fields made ballyhoo sound like opera. As he grew older and his frame bulkier, his voice became increasingly lithesome, exhibiting an uncommon playfulness and range. Fields could shout at the top of his lungs, speak out of the sides of his mouth, or insult you under his breath, but he always brought a melody to his speech, such that one often thinks of Fields as much as a vocalist as a humorist."I also pay tribute to my favorite Fields movie, "The Fatal Glass of Beer."
Earlier in the week, I posted a link to this paean to Fields' two most recurring character types: "The Con-Man Philosopher and the Everyday Sucker."
My favorite is IT'S A GIFT. And I would rather be in Philadelphia.
ReplyDelete