Mississippi: W.C. Fields stealing every single scene

Is it worth a watch?

If you like old-school musical comedies or have a soft spot for the specific, grumpy charm of W.C. Fields, then yeah, give this a spin. If you are looking for a tight, logical plot or a serious historical drama, you are going to be bored out of your mind. It is a movie that lives and dies by its bits, and honestly, that is fine by me.

Bing Crosby is doing his usual thing. He’s smooth, he sings well, and he plays the principled Quaker who just won’t pick up a gun. It’s a bit of a dry performance, but it provides the perfect straight man for the chaos that follows. The whole 'singing killer' gimmick is a pretty solid setup for a comedy, even if the movie doesn't always know where to take it.

Then there is W.C. Fields. He wanders through the movie like he is in his own private world. Every time he is on screen, the energy shifts completely. There’s a scene where he is just talking about his past, and you can tell he is mostly just improvising his way through the room. It’s not necessarily 'good' acting in the traditional sense, but it is mesmerizing.

The pacing is a total mess. You get a musical number, then a bit of banter, then a scene that feels like it was filmed on a completely different day. It doesn't really build to anything huge. It just kind of exists, floating down the river.

The movie gets noticeably better once it stops trying to be a romantic drama and just lets Fields be the ridiculous person he is.

I found myself zoning out during the love story parts. The chemistry feels a bit forced, like they were checking off boxes in a script manual. But then a dog would run across the deck or Fields would trip over something, and I was back in it. It’s that kind of experience.

It reminded me a bit of the aimless, strange energy you find in Beginner's Luck, where the plot is mostly just an excuse for the performers to hang out. You aren't watching for the stakes. You are watching to see if the next joke lands.

• The riverboat set looks like it’s made of cardboard and hope.
• Crosby’s hat choices are distractingly consistent.
• The Cabin Kids show up for a number that feels like it belongs in a different dimension.
• Fields holding a drink is the most honest acting in the whole picture.

Don't look for a deep message here. It is just a bunch of people on a boat, singing songs, and trying not to get shot. It’s imperfect, a little dusty, and honestly kind of a fun way to kill an afternoon. Sometimes that is exactly what you need.