Poppy (1936) is basically just W.C. Fields being a weirdo for 70 minutes

Is it worth the watch?

If you have a soft spot for W.C. Fields and his mumbling, you should definitely watch this today. It’s a perfect Sunday afternoon movie where you don't have to think too hard.

People who like fast plots or modern pacing will probably hate it. It moves like a tired dog on a hot day.

I watched this last night and I’m still thinking about that opening scene. Fields is just standing there, trying to sell his 'snake oil' to a crowd that clearly shouldn't believe him.

He has this way of talking where he never quite finishes a sentence properly. It feels real, like he’s making it up as he goes to avoid getting arrested.

The movie is based on a stage play he did years before. You can tell because a lot of the scenes feel like they happen on a small wooden stage even when they are outside.

There is this moment where he is trying to juggle and talk at the same time. He was actually a pro juggler in real life, and you can see he still has the hands for it.

The plot is about his daughter, Poppy, played by Rochelle Hudson. She’s fine, I guess, but she feels like she’s in a completely different movie.

She’s doing a serious romance thing with a local boy. Meanwhile, her dad is in the background trying to cheat a sheriff out of his watch.

I found myself checking my phone during the romance parts. They are so slow and the dialogue is pretty mushy.

But when Fields comes back on screen, everything picks up. He has this weird relationship with a small boy in the movie that made me laugh out loud twice.

Specific bits I liked

• The way he handles a deck of cards is actually kind of scary.
• That ridiculous top hat he wears that seems to have a life of its own.
• The scene where he tries to act like a high-society gentleman but keeps slipping back into carny slang.

There is a bit where he talks about his 'ancestors' that goes on for a minute too long. I think the editor just gave up and let him keep talking.

It reminds me a little bit of the vibe in The Good Companions, but much more cynical. Fields doesn't really want to help anyone but himself and his kid.

The movie doesn't really have a big 'cinematic' feel to it. It’s mostly just people standing in rooms or in front of very obvious painted backgrounds.

If you want something with more musical energy from that era, maybe try Close Harmony instead. But if you want a guy who looks like he smells like old cigars, stick with this one.

I noticed a mistake in one scene where a background actor is just staring directly at the camera. He looks like he’s waiting for someone to tell him where to walk. 🤣

It’s those little things that make these old movies feel human. They weren't trying to be perfect; they were just trying to get the film in the can.

The ending is a bit too happy for my taste. It feels like the writers realized they needed a 'good' ending and just threw one together in five minutes.

I would have preferred if he just hopped on a train and disappeared. That would have fit his character better, I think.

Anyway, it's a solid Fields performance. Not his absolute best work, but way better than the generic stuff coming out at the time like Back Page.

Go watch it if you want to see a master of grifting look incredibly stressed out by a small-town sheriff. It's funny in a quiet, grumpy way.

One more thing—the way he says the word 'poppy' is strangely sweet. For a guy who plays a jerk, you can really tell he likes the actress playing his daughter.

It’s a nice touch in a movie that is mostly about lying to people. Maybe there's a heart under that dusty coat after all.