How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action

I pretty much assumed I’d never see this W.C. Fieldsrarity! But, lo and behold, it was shown as part of the Vitaphone tribute on TCM two days ago. It was written in the stars! At any rate, this film isn’t really canonical. Fields doesn’t play a character in it, merely a sort of stilted version of himself.

How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action (1933) is one of a series of instructional golf films produced by Warner Brothers and hosted by Bobby Jones. In each installment various celebrity amateurs come out with Jones to the links and he offers them some golfing pointers. In this edition, it’s Fields, Warner Oland (who seems to be wearing his Charlie Chan make-up) and an old actor from the silent days named William B. Davidson.

The short is interesting in that it is a rare chance to see the real Fields — almost. I say almost because Fields was an entertainer and could not prevent himself from performing to a certain extent. He uses the phrase “Land of Goshen” and he juggles a little. Still, his guard (and character) are down at least partway and that’s fascinating to see. Then Jones asks him to demonstrate his golf stroke, which proves to be surprisingly bad, although he may be exaggerating that aspect for the camera. Jones goes on to criticize his back swing and then drones on at excessive length about the proper way make a golf club hit a ball. All I know is, this is the stage at which I would be going out to the lobby for Milk Duds.