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Cast
W.C. Fields
as Larson E. Whipsnade
Edgar Bergen
as The Great Edgar / Charlie McCarthy / Mortimer Snerd
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
as Cheerful
Constance Moore
as Victoria Whipsnade
John Arledge
as Phineas Whipsnade
James Bush
as Roger Bel-Goodie
Thurston Hall
as Mr. Archibald Bel-Goodie
Mary Forbes
as Mrs. Bel-Goodie
Edward Brophy
as Corbett
Arthur Hohl
as Burr
Movie Info & Details
Release Year1939
Runtime1h 16m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresComedy
Votes21
DirectorEdward F. Cline, George Marshall
WritersGeorge Marion Jr., Richard Mack, Everett Freeman
TypeFeature Film
Rating7.0 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsYou Can't Cheat an Honest Man
About You Can't Cheat an Honest Man
Fields plays "Larsen E. Whipsnade", the owner of a shady carnival that is constantly on the run from the law. Whipsnade is struggling to keep a step ahead of foreclosure, and clearly not paying his performers, including Bergen and McCarthy, who try to coax money out of him, or in McCarthy's case, steal some outright.
Directed by Edward F. Cline, George Marshall, You Can't Cheat an Honest Man leans on a strong ensemble — W.C. Fields, Edgar Bergen, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1939.
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