The Bank Dick
Seen it?1940 | 72 min | Comedy
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Raising Arizona or The Ladykillers, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 12 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1940: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Egbert Sousé becomes an unexpected hero when a bank robber falls over a bench he's occupying. Now considered brave, Egbert is given a job as a bank guard. Soon, he is approached by charlatan J. Frothingham Waterbury about buying shares in a mining company. Egbert persuades teller Og Oggilby to lend him bank money, to be returned when the scheme pays off. Unfortunately, bank inspector Snoopington then makes a surprise appearance.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 18K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Raising Arizona
Saturday SpecialAnother heist comedy, and a Saturday Special.
Small Time Crooks
Weeknight WatchAnother heist comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
The Ladykillers
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed heist comedy that fewer people know today.
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Saturday SpecialAnother heist comedy, and a Saturday Special.
Bandits Weeknight WatchAnother heist comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Edward F. Cline
- W.C. FieldsEgbert Sousé
- Cora WitherspoonAgatha Sousé
- Una MerkelMyrtle Sousé
- Evelyn Del RioElsie Mae Adele Brunch Sousé
- Jessie RalphMrs. Hermisillo Brunch
- Franklin PangbornJ. Pinkerton Snoopington
- Shemp HowardJoe Guelpe
- Dick PurcellMackley Q. Greene
- Grady SuttonOg Oggilby
- Russell HicksJ. Frothingham Waterbury