The Barber Shop (1933) Comedy, Short Film

An inept barber maintains his good-humored optimism in his small town shop despite having a hen-pecking harridan for a wife and a total lack of tonsorial skill.
Director: Arthur Ripley
Writer: W.C. Fields
Stars: W.C. Fields, Elise Cavanna, Harry Watson
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[@joeyd6702]

Words can't describe the genius of this man. 😂😂😂

[@albertmiller3082]

And genius can’t describe the words of this man either. 🤭😉 Nah, William Claude was an impeccable artist of the comedic persuasion! Long live WC. May he rest in peace.

[@tommyvictorbuch6960]

The only thing you can't get in the shop, is a decent shave. There will never be another W. C. Fields. He was a genius.

[@peterbrown6224]

"It's all healed up since I was in here last" So many questions. This is art.

[@jamescarrino3696]

That last gag with Lena caught me completely off-guard in the best way possible. "Lena, how could you!?"

[@johndavis7094]

90 yes ago and just as funny! People never change! Fields was a genius!

[@Tmanaz480]

Amazing to see Fields being nice to a kid. His character usually hates them.

[@gregorywhite9095]

But he was nasty to that small dog...

[@quaxenleaf]

I recall reading that he actually disliked children, but recognized he could use them as comedic foils for his routines and movies.

[@scottbarker9058]

oh-welll!!!!!lol

[@retire14pattaya9]

I find his comedy and retorts timeless.

[@theresaholguin699]

Who could give W. C. a dislike. You must not know what true comedy is. I love W. C., a laugh a minute

[@darknessanddistance4469]

Oh, Much More, Much More

[@johngalt3969]

it could be untrue, but he distrusted the banking system so much that they are still finding his accounts across the US

[@FIREBRAND38]

@@johngalt3969 It's untrue and BTW, if someone mistrusted the banking system they wouldn't open numerous accounts in that system. In fact, the original legend goes along the lines of when he was a vaudevillian traveling around the country he wanted a bank account in every city he played so he'd always have money available. However, according to W.C.'s grandson, Ron Fields: "He loved funny names. He collected them. But he kept perfectly good records, and his bank accounts are all in his own name. He didn't hate children, either. That thing about kicking Baby Leroy was strictly an act."

[@nicholasjanke3476]

Fields got into comedy by accident. He wanted to only be a juggler but the audience always laughed so he decided to do comedy.

[@noahstanley5891]

Unfortunately, he got such a bad rap. But his shorts and movies are killers. No stupid jokes, just sidesplittng funny!!!!

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

"I like bandits, Some of my best friends are bandits, the president of the bank, comes up to our house" So many good jokes, packed in with W.C.F.

[@jimdordan1794]

What a funny man, one of a kind.

[@MrDXRamirez]

Are you hurt? No...not physically. Pure W C Field's genius.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Now you know where violins come from.

[@kingelvis5502]

His voice, the smooth drawn out ends of words...Love it! "They went up that waaaay."

[@DominicPandolfino-xu5ud]

“Whah ah deeclare m’dear, you rank of ohld gohhtt”from My Little Chickadee (?)also “mah little turtle dervv,more turtle than dervvv!”🌺🥰🤗💕😅😂🤩🤣😛🖖

[@petergraham8681]

This short film along with THE FATAL GLASS OF BEER are really classic Fields.

[@quete47]

Also The Bank Dick

[@frederickvanpelt6393]

Not a fit night out for man nor beast..

[@befdoglover1]

Fields: "Is that a mole?" "Yeah, had it all my life." *ZIP* Fields: "Won't have it anymore!" 🤣

[@tonymazz9912]

I go from watching a beautiful W.C fields movie from 1933 to a classless "Manscape" ad , that shaves your B**ls in 2020. Dear Lord help us , the world is cracking up.

[@tomcat3360]

So little makes sense anymore

[@leflopjames5628]

OK boomer

[@stovepipe9232]

@@leflopjames5628Snowflake

[@roberturibe3150]

Everything makes sense. Times change always has always will

[@mikeguerrero72]

Isn't that the truth? Advertising has gone from "YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS WITH ALSTATE" to "STICK IT IN ANY STINKY CREVICE YA GOT". I guess the times are changing.

[@dabneyoffermein595]

Elise Cavanna was a real gem of an actress. 6 feet tall and a dancer of great style. Also an artist.

[@blainenodes8182]

I fell in love w/ her seen in the dentist 🦷,1932 what a beautiful soul

[@williamcassidy3824]

​@@blainenodes8182 scene

[@johnreitz5676]

She produced some very interesting artwork. Without the exaggerated make-up she was a lovely woman.

[@leflopjames5628]

OK boomer

[@bobmalack481]

​​@@leflopjames5628 What and why the comment about 'boomers', and what is the insinuation? This is NINETEEN THIRTY THREE, not 1953 or 1963, way before our time. Robert at 68.

[@SuperIliad]

His genius never ages,

[@davidpayton8336]

"Mrs. Broadbottom" LOL :-)

[@ManifestingDaily1111]

😆

[@Jibril_EVO]

W.c fields and other shows like the honeymooners im sorry to say will be forgotten and misunderstood even if watched by the newer generations...so sad...pure classics

[@christopherangeli8847]

As a very young man I didn't quite appreciate all the snide remarks Fields came up with but maturity and age made me realize how awesome he was.

[@christopherangeli8847]

I felt the same about all the older comedies. As you grow older and have relationships the wife jokes explain themselves.

[@cet6237]

Ditto...I didn't understand much of the humor as a child. As an adult he is quite amusing!!

[@danlhendl]

Mrs Broadbottom!! 😂

[@myboyz9391]

As a little kid my father would wake us kids up at like 3am to watch W.C. Fields. Lol

[@warrendelay]

He must have been a drunk, only a drunk would wake their kid up at 3 in the morning for something like that. I know, My mother was a drunk and she did the same thing for whatever reason her drunk brain thought of.

[@Playsinvain]

Hopefully it’s a great memory for him. I’m sure missing an hour of sleep didn’t stunt kids once in awhile

[@warrendelay]

@@Playsinvain You obviously never experienced common habits of a drunken parent. I can assure you a child has no pleasant memory of being awakened at 3 am by a drunk parent.

[@myboyz9391]

@@warrendelay I think people just handle things in different ways. My father was drinking. I have nothing but pleasurable memories of that time in my life. I was 6 years old.

[@Playsinvain]

@@warrendelay I wouldn’t be do sure of that, if it was t a common thing. But, agree to your point, I imagine most experiences are pretty tough. But not all.

[@TorzJohnson]

I love when the baby just clobbers W.C.'s head.

[@paulcaron400]

Smart baby 👶 huh!

[@DominicPandolfino-xu5ud]

The funniest all encompassing thing is how he makes a disaster of just ordinary situations,and then can’t get out of them.🌺🥰😂😅🤣🤩❤️🖖

[@marciwanicki3309]

So great to see old america

[@johnbockelie3899]

Hair cuts 15 cents., shave 5 cents.

[@johnbockelie3899]

I liked the little girl in the endless party hats. It was perfect.

[@colincampbell7027]

The actress that plays the mother of the little girl with the hats played Oliver Hardy's wife in Hog Wild.

[@robertguatelli9178]

The Master. This and The Dentist are my fave shorts

[@cowboykelly6590]

😂Yes Sir ! I love when he's on the paddle boat on the Mississippi and he puts the baby in a washtub and ties it to the back of the boat and throws them overboard ! The washtub is just slapping around behind the paddle wheel ! It's just hilarious . PLUS... the baby is strange looking . W.C. Fields used that geeky baby in a few of his shows . W.c.fields is DEFINITELY IRREPLACEABLE ! 🤠🖖

[@shape-shifter6999]

A member of the bare handed wolf chokers club, classic Claude !

[@GregNumber]

Best Line: Cop: Are you hurt Mr O'Hare? O'Hare: Not physically, no.

[@dafyd242]

Elise Cavanna who plays the wife in this also played the hapless victim Miss Mason of Fields in the "Dentist"

[@paulcaron400]

She kind of Olive Oyl long tall and skinny😜

[@dabneyoffermein595]

Wait, are you talking about the burnette upstairs eating the veggie dish, or the blonde downstairs as the manicurist? Or was that the famous Dagmar Oakland?

[@dafyd242]

@@dabneyoffermein595 upstairs brunette

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

Love her long long legs in “The Dentist”.

[@johnreitz5676]

She was a talented and creative painter. With out the exaggerated make-up she was quite a lovely woman.

[@harpoon_bakery162]

he was 59 years old in this piece and he looked fit as a fiddle to be in that age range, WOW 👀

[@snackcakeman]

I’d never seen this one until today. When the baby hits him of the head is priceless. As funny as this is, I find the Mississippi Poker short even funnier. His mannerisms!

[@chicago23cub]

WC was awesome 👏🏼

[@marcusbetancourt3760]

What can I say? Only a million times more funny and entertaining than any bs that they play today. If you don't believe me just as any youngster.

[@Pro1er]

I literally started laughing as soon as I saw the thumbnail. 🤣

[@deeppurple883]

It took me ten minutes to cop what he said to the customer when he first came in. I didn't know you because your face healed up from your last visit as he butchers him again.😜 🤣🤣🤣🤣☘️

[@ianmangham4570]

"You're looking well,have you been ill" 😅

[@feraounepatrice3826]

Thanks for this little comedy

[@wilsonflood4393]

There is a portable toilet company in Scotland called WC in Fields. I would call that a WC Fields gag

[@brianlester3502]

Moments in time. Captured for the first time in humanity’s existence.

[@darrelltalbott4830]

Thanks y’all

[@mauricewascom658]

Little did he know that he was inventing WATERBOARDING ‼️😂😹

[@jamestomkin8784]

Hard to believe that this was 90 yrs. ago!

[@bobmalack481]

"I didn't try to catch him!..I like bandits!" LOL!!

[@michaelwertzy9808]

Thanks for my look-up word of the week! Tonsorial!! Ether did wonders when they snipped mine out! Please keep it up!

[@shape-shifter6999]

More WC please, love this guy

[@zaineridling]

Oh my Zeus, this was hilarious. 😂😂😂😂

[@randyb726]

The man was a cantankerous genius

[@julianhermanubis6800]

When I am my normal self, I identify with W.C. Fields. When I am having a really bad week, I identify with Edgar Kennedy. They were the two best curmudgeons in 1930s Hollywood.

[@martinleavitt6094]

👍

[@darknessanddistance4469]

And think of all of the great comedians that Edgar co-starred with, including many films with Laurel and Hardy and with the Marx Brothers in" duck-soup"

[@steveb9151]

Edgar....the master of the slow burn!

[@coloradostrong]

I got his autograph after this was filmed. I was 15 at the time, and polished the cars up for the shorts.

[@saintcruzin]

Are you really 105 years old?? Amazing

[@riverraisin1]

@@saintcruzin Maybe 30 years after it was filmed. 🤣🤣

[@coloradostrong]

@@saintcruzin This was around 1932 or 1933, hard to remember the exact year. I used to run hot rivets in buckets to the rivet drivers while they were building the Empire State building.

[@benhills1340]

​@@coloradostrongwhat was Colorado like before the mountains?

[@Red23165]

Love WC Field class of his owe

[@matthewfarmer2520]

W.C. Fields he really gets me in the Fields 😂

[@richardtharris]

WC is playing the Bass with the Col Legno battuto instruction.

[@stephenburley7517]

Simply brilliant

[@Qossuth]

"Give it me." This was a family catch phrase for a long time.

[@MaximillianHemmings]

A great comedian !

[@oNeGiAnTLiE]

13:26 " How do you do Mrs. Broadbottom?"

[@jonathanbarnes3061]

(10:44)) - Guess you could say he's been listening for free meal ever since.

[@patkramer5372]

The little girl in the barber chair, with all the hats, is NOT Jane Withers. Her name is Gloria Veralde, (b. June 26, 1926 - d. August 22, 1996). "The Barber Shop" is the only credit, movie or otherwise, IMDB shows for her.

[@PersonOfTheInternet280]

Watching this to make my way though the Criterion Collection. Only seen a few of his films before.

[@dmacmillion]

I had to look away during the shave.

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

Elise Cavanna was a beauty , with long legs at 6 feet tall. Look for her in W.C. Fields: “The Dentist”.

[@blainenodes8182]

Yes 👀 she is a dreamgirl❤️

[@johnreitz5676]

She was a talented artist. Without the exaggerated make-up she was quite lovely.

[@Kent-qo6xp]

Where all screen comedians screwup is that there should be an great laugh causing event in the first five seconds. Signed, Movie.

[@godfreecharlie]

Thank you CCC. The weather turned dark, wet, and cold overnight from a near spring like day the 3rd of Nov.You are a source of great old noir and comedy that is clearly more sophisticated so thats why its nice to put on a WC flick and let the Autoplay go. If I come across a film that used a comic book for the script and state of the art high end computer hardware running proprietary software that would blow up most PC's it has zero chance of me watching let alone renting or buying it. I'm spoiled now by CCC and the rest of the quality movie channels. Thanks for being there!

[@kentmerrill8925]

What?

[@lindabingham394]

my face healed after i was in here last time lol three stooges shave

[@roomfulofblues3173]

Mrs Broadbottom😊😂

[@briant2140]

I thought he said Rockbottom, my bad.

[@Holly1960-]

9:16 Wipes the crap on the dudes tie 😅😂😂

[@seeharvester]

"Cause cat'tle eat it." Clever.

[@dailyjohn2]

his wife in this one appears to be the contortionist in the Dentist short

[@mycostipe2581]

Yeah the one who is hanging off him while he’s pulling her tooth.

[@johnreitz5676]

Elise Cavanna.

[@phoneticau]

The ladies were so elegant

[@loonylinda]

fantastic

[@keybuckley]

Another belter!

[@princesskenyetta4745]

I'm sure watching W.C. Fields and Groucho Marx all those hours as a kid influenced me to appreciate sarcastic humor. I've found not everyone appreciates sarcastic humor, so I've learned to channel my childhood heroes sparingly. You need to give a shout to the Silent Generation. For good or bad, a century later, their work can still influence who we turn out to be.

[@CultCinemaClassics]

@princesskenyetta4745 sarcasm 👍

[@benhills1340]

​@@CultCinemaClassicsthanks king

[@bobmalack481]

'Mrs. Broadbottom'...LOL!

[@TimKillick-bo9fv]

Fantastic

[@Baltihunter]

What an ending 😂

[@barberjeff67]

As a barber, this is hilarious!

[@honordefon610]

I saw Morecombe and Wise do that cello skit Much better here Original and the best

[@Large011]

😂😂😂 This is great, tks

[@skygh]

The closed captioning is trippy

[@ZoeAlleyne]

I wish this had captions because I find it hard to hear.

[@riverraisin1]

I thought it was just me hard of hearing.

[@ownpetard8379]

Mine has CC. Was set for French, but I changed it to English via the gear.

[@HairyBowls]

Nice ending

[@ianmangham4570]

The BEST 😮😂❤

[@franklubbock8400]

90 years ago! I know some old women who are the age of the small children in this short who are still alive.

[@juans6639]

One of the Real Geniuses of comedy of the time. Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, Marx Brothers, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, etc, etc.

[@user-vh4hq2hi4q]

3 Stooges!!

[@MickeyMousePark]

fatty arbuckle

[@marioncobaretti2280]

I luv wc fields

[@danvogel9128]

Always makes me laugh. AAA+++

[@johnthrelfall5]

I like the mouse and load of hay riddle

[@larrygrant-hy8sk]

The dentist was my favorite

[@stevenbryant4718]

Calm down, no harm done to the razor. It wasn't your fault my customer.

[@kingelvis5502]

...yesss...

[@kenoking3162]

His wife in this was in Dentist film

[@greenranger8884]

His wife in this was in Dentist film

[@johnreitz5676]

She was in several of his films.

[@trace6402]

And Mrs. Broadbottom's baby was never seen again.

[@katperson7332]

Heck of a big baby! Wonder what age it really was?

[@riverraisin1]

@@katperson7332 I wondered if it may have been played by the same girl getting a hair cut??

[@katperson7332]

@@riverraisin1 I think that’s very possible! It was a deep pram so the girl’s legs could easily have been contained in the base of it.

[@01sapphireGTS]

The skit starts out with Fields using a brick to sharpen his straight razor, and it just escalates from there.

[@kevinobrien9271]

That is not a brick, it’s a sharpening stone.

[@robertguatelli9178]

Have you tried that good barber?...😆😆😆

[@gabinomunoz3982]

Classic 😂

[@kevinwaters5872]

“Not physically , no.” WC rules !

[@nycgweed]

Come on Ethel get excited 🎉

[@luckyirvin]

W.C...a naughty boy

[@NoBullsh_t]

Didn't know the Baltimore Orioles went back that far..

[@bruceanderson8720]

big fun / thanks

[@love4lust7301]

How does that guy reading the paper stand so still