507:
and finish the picture". The film was heavily censored, with many scenes and lines of dialogue ordered to be cut or altered. It opened just one month later and became Fields' highest-grossing film for
Universal. Reportedly, West and Fields did not like each other, and would not speak to each other except during filming. Reviews were mixed, but Fields performance was praised across the board, while West's was criticized. She was so furious that she refused to work with Fields ever again or even to talk to him or about him.
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One night, Twillie again attempts to consummate his "marriage" by entering Flower Belle's room disguised as the masked bandit. He is caught, accused of being the masked bandit, and is about to be hanged. With the noose around his neck, he makes his last request to the lynching party: "I'd like to see
506:
was completed in
January 1940. West and Fields received joint screenplay credit. However, West later claimed that she wrote most of the film and that Fields only wrote some of the scenes, such as the bar scene, and some dialogue and was given joint credit as an inducement to "straighten himself up
242:
West reportedly wrote the original screenplay, with Fields contributing one extended scene set in a bar. Universal decided to give the stars equal screenplay credit, perhaps to avoid the appearance of favoritism, but the move incensed West, who declined to team with Fields afterwards. The stars
338:), and every other man in town. While keeping her troublesome "husband" out of reach and out of trouble, Flower Belle encounters the masked bandit again. At one point, she kisses Badger, and recognizes that Badger is the masked bandit, musing: "A man's kiss is like his signature."
303:), the masked bandit enters Flower Belle's second floor bedroom and they start kissing. However, his presence and departure is witnessed by Mrs. Gideon. She quickly reports what she has seen and Flower Belle is annoyed to find herself hauled up before the judge (
591:, writing that "the film is at low tide most of the time in the quality of its humor, in the broad treatment its players and directors have given it, in the caliber of the audience it seems intended to please and in the generally bad odor it exudes."
31:
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Twillie attempts to consummate his "marriage" with Flower Belle, but she escapes and leaves a goat in their bed. Twillie, unaware of the substitution, attempts to make love to the goat, and is surprised when he discovers that it is not his wife.
322:. Flower Belle has little use for Twillie until she sees a stash of money in his bag. Believing him to be rich, she then plays up to him and they get acquainted. They have an impromptu wedding, officiated over by a passenger, Amos Budge (
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307:). Offended by her indifferent manner, the judge asks angrily "Young lady, are you trying to show contempt for this court?" She answers: "No, I'm doing my best to hide it!" Flower Belle is then run out of Little Bend.
334:), who has an ulterior motive: he hopes the new sheriff, who is clearly incompetent, will be unable to interfere with Badger's crimes. Flower Belle attracts the attention of Badger, newspaper editor Wayne Carter (
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As she has only pretended to marry
Twillie for "respectability", Flower Belle gets a separate hotel room in Greasewood City. Meanwhile, Twillie is made sheriff by the saloon owner and town boss Jeff Badger
292:, the others report the robbery and kidnapping to the sheriff (William B. Davidson). Flower Belle then walks into town, unharmed, and explains, "I was in a tight spot but I managed to wiggle out of it."
524:. This was Fields' second film for Universal, and West's only film for Universal. It was also the last successful film of West's career; her three subsequent films all failed at the box office.
603:
wrote that West and Fields "play up to each other very well and make a good team. Due to their efforts the picture offers good mass entertainment, in spite of the fact that the story is thin."
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wrote that the film "has its sagging moments, and the slim basic story cannot be taken seriously at any point. But there's sufficient broad humor and elemental comedy to satisfy generally."
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318:). When hostile Indians attack, Flower Belle saunters to a window and mows them down with two pistols, while Twillie dodges flying arrows and fights off the Indians with a child's
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The masked bandit immediately takes an interest in the saucy blonde. As he makes his getaway with the gold, he takes her with him. Upon reaching the town of
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The
American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films, 1931–1940
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Stark, Samuel (April 17, 1968). "Mae West, as USC cinema prof, On ESP; 'For Every Sex
Posture'".
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called West "as fresh and ebullient as ever" after her two-year absence from the screen.
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spoofed themselves and the
Western genre, with West providing a series of her trademark
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was the third of five films starring Fields and directed by Edward F. Cline, an ex-
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wrote that it was "all lusty fun" with "some amusing gags and situations."
645:. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 1457.
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Fields had starred in a series of comedies for
Paramount in the 1930s.
314:. It makes an unscheduled stop to pick up con-man Cuthbert J. Twillie (
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was a box office success, earning $ 2 million in gross receipts.
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757:. Vol. Two. Sequim, Washington: Cochetopa Press. p. 18.
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874:. New York: Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc.: 4 February 13, 1940.
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The Genius of the System: Hollywood
Filmmaking in the Studio Era
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851:"'My Little Chickadee' with Mae West and W. C. Fields".
840:. New York: Variety, Inc. February 14, 1940. p. 18.
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Buster Keaton's Crew: The Team Behind His Silent Films
670:. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. p. 247.
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183:is a 1940 American comedy-western film starring
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894:. New York: F-R Publishing Corp. p. 78.
360:Paris before I die. Philadelphia will do!".
963:
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698:. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company.
514:was West's first screen performance since
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888:(March 23, 1940). "The Current Screen".
477:Bill Wolfe as Saloon Patron (uncredited)
326:), a gambler who looks like a minister.
633:
561:The railroad scenes were filmed on the
1559:Films with screenplays by W. C. Fields
754:Hollywood's Railroads: Sierra Railroad
689:
687:
1514:American Western (genre) comedy films
363:However, Flower Belle saves Twillie.
277:of the 1880s, Miss Flower Belle Lee (
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808:"Movie Review – My Little Chickadee"
740:. Written by Jeremy Arnold. TCM.com
641:Hanson, Patricia King, ed. (1993).
1554:Films with screenplays by Mae West
1509:1940s Western (genre) comedy films
235:(song "Willie of the Valley") and
14:
1524:Films directed by Edward F. Cline
1361:Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
585:reviewed the film negatively for
555:Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
736:Turner Classic Movies entry for
1065:Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
450:Fay Adler as Mrs. "Pygmy" Allen
1519:American black-and-white films
1305:Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
1:
1564:Films scored by Frank Skinner
1321:The Villain Still Pursued Her
543:You Can't Cheat an Honest Man
231:and the music was written by
1574:1940s English-language films
868:"Reviews of the New Films".
429:as Milton, a Native American
387:as Jeff Badger/Masked Bandit
16:1940 film by Edward F. Cline
1481:Jiggs and Maggie in Society
567:Tuolumne County, California
1600:
128:February 9, 1940
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1529:Universal Pictures films
857:: 26. February 17, 1940.
474:as Townsman (uncredited)
460:William "Billy" Benedict
834:"My Little Chickadee".
666:Schatz, Thomas (1988).
435:as Miss Foster, teacher
1549:Films set in the 1880s
1241:The Cowboy Millionaire
1145:The Widow from Chicago
1009:Little Robinson Crusoe
751:Jensen, Larry (2018).
499:
381:as Cuthbert J. Twillie
356:
310:She boards a train to
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1401:Behind the Eight Ball
1153:Hook, Line and Sinker
779:"My Little Chickadee"
517:Every Day's a Holiday
497:
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258:
227:. It was directed by
1579:1940s American films
1544:Quotations from film
1369:Private Snuffy Smith
694:Foot, Lisle (2014).
1313:My Little Chickadee
1265:Forty Naughty Girls
1185:Million Dollar Legs
931:My Little Chickadee
920:My Little Chickadee
909:My Little Chickadee
738:My Little Chickadee
623:My Little Chickadee
537:Million Dollar Legs
528:My Little Chickadee
512:My Little Chickadee
504:My Little Chickadee
439:William B. Davidson
375:as Flower Belle Lee
354:My Little Chickadee
268:My Little Chickadee
217:William B. Davidson
180:My Little Chickadee
84:Joseph A. Valentine
24:My Little Chickadee
1473:Bringing Up Father
1257:On Again-Off Again
1233:When a Man's a Man
1025:When a Man's a Man
971:Films directed by
925:TCM Movie Database
854:Harrison's Reports
813:The New York Times
806:(March 16, 1940).
600:Harrison's Reports
588:The New York Times
534:. The others were
522:Paramount Pictures
500:
498:The film's trailer
468:as Saloon Musician
357:
299:) and Uncle John (
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225:Universal Pictures
223:, and released by
114:Universal Pictures
1569:1940 comedy films
1491:
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1441:Slightly Terrific
1393:Give Out, Sisters
1289:Go Chase Yourself
1201:So This Is Africa
1161:The Naughty Flirt
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415:Willard Robertson
397:Margaret Hamilton
301:Willard Robertson
283:Margaret Hamilton
275:American Old West
209:Willard Robertson
201:Margaret Hamilton
176:
175:
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1539:1940s quotations
1465:Penthouse Rhythm
1425:Swingtime Johnny
1385:Private Buckaroo
1297:Breaking the Ice
1209:Fighting to Live
1121:In the Next Room
1113:The Forward Pass
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245:double entendres
221:Addison Richards
172:$ 2 million
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1281:Hawaii Calls
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1081:The Head Man
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886:Mosher, John
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817:. Retrieved
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788:September 2,
786:. Retrieved
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552:(1940), and
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532:Keystone Cop
527:
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502:Shooting on
501:
456:as bartender
454:Jimmy Conlin
427:George Moran
421:Fuzzy Knight
379:W. C. Fields
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316:W. C. Fields
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264:W. C. Fields
241:
191:, featuring
189:W. C. Fields
179:
178:
177:
144:Running time
121:Release date
75:W. C. Fields
65:Lester Cowan
56:W. C. Fields
18:
1417:Crazy House
1409:He's My Guy
1273:High Flyers
1193:Parole Girl
1049:Let It Rain
1041:Old Clothes
1033:The Rag Man
985:Circus Days
819:December 2,
611:John Mosher
520:(1937) for
466:Gene Austin
411:as Aunt Lou
403:Donald Meek
324:Donald Meek
290:Little Bend
233:Ben Oakland
205:Donald Meek
62:Produced by
38:Directed by
1504:1940 films
1498:Categories
1129:Sweet Mama
993:Three Ages
871:Film Daily
629:References
606:Film Daily
441:as Sheriff
433:Anne Nagel
391:Dick Foran
336:Dick Foran
213:Dick Foran
169:Box office
148:84 minutes
132:1940-02-09
48:Written by
1089:The Crash
573:Reception
472:Hank Bell
320:slingshot
164:$ 625,000
90:Edited by
936:AllMovie
558:(1941).
546:(1939),
540:(1932),
447:as Judge
373:Mae West
279:Mae West
260:Mae West
185:Mae West
100:Music by
73:Mae West
70:Starring
52:Mae West
923:at the
837:Variety
722:Variety
594:Variety
273:In the
153:Country
130: (
1484:(1947)
1476:(1946)
1468:(1945)
1460:(1945)
1452:(1945)
1444:(1944)
1436:(1944)
1428:(1943)
1420:(1943)
1412:(1943)
1404:(1942)
1396:(1942)
1388:(1942)
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1372:(1942)
1364:(1941)
1356:(1941)
1348:(1941)
1340:(1941)
1332:(1940)
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1316:(1940)
1308:(1938)
1300:(1938)
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1284:(1938)
1276:(1937)
1268:(1937)
1260:(1937)
1252:(1936)
1244:(1935)
1236:(1935)
1228:(1934)
1220:(1934)
1212:(1934)
1204:(1933)
1196:(1933)
1188:(1932)
1180:(1931)
1172:(1931)
1164:(1931)
1156:(1930)
1148:(1930)
1140:(1930)
1132:(1930)
1124:(1930)
1116:(1929)
1108:(1929)
1100:(1929)
1092:(1928)
1084:(1928)
1076:(1928)
1068:(1928)
1060:(1927)
1052:(1927)
1044:(1925)
1036:(1925)
1028:(1924)
1020:(1924)
1012:(1924)
1004:(1924)
996:(1923)
988:(1923)
761:
702:
674:
649:
219:, and
161:Budget
1249:F-Man
914:IMDb
821:2015
790:2022
759:ISBN
700:ISBN
672:ISBN
647:ISBN
367:Cast
262:and
251:Plot
187:and
934:at
912:at
613:of
577:On
565:in
266:in
1500::
810:.
781:.
686:^
569:.
247:.
239:.
215:,
211:,
207:,
203:,
199:,
195:,
964:e
957:t
950:v
823:.
792:.
767:.
708:.
680:.
655:.
330:(
134:)
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