It’s a Gift

film by McLeod [1934]

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July 21, 2026

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"It's a Gift" is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring W.C. Fields. The film follows the misadventures of Harold Bissonette (Fields), a henpecked husband and owner of a failing peanut stand, who dreams of escaping his nagging wife and mother-in-law to open a honey farm in California. His plans are constantly thwarted by a series of comical mishaps, including a run-in with a persistent insurance salesman, a bizarre encounter with a fortune teller, and the accidental acquisition of a runaway ape. The film is known for its episodic structure and showcases Fields's signature comedic style, characterized by his cantankerous persona, unique speech patterns, and physical comedy.1

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Norman Z. McLeod
Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields
McLeod rebounded with It’s a Gift (1934), which is considered one of Fields’s masterpieces. The comedian starred as a hapless grocer who decides to move his family to California, where he plans on growing oranges.
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McLeod rebounded with It’s a Gift (1934), which is considered one of Fields’s masterpieces. The comedian starred as a hapless grocer who decides to move his family to California, where he plans on growing oranges.
Read More