you can not cheat an honest man find widower w. c. field run a second rate circus and try to stay one step ahead of the law a he creditor just about every place he go . his child and john arledge and constance moore attend a really posh ivy league type school and you sympathize with field because you know this why he probably not pay his bill . one also can speculate what his wife must have put up with back in the day . moore on a visit to dad show fall for the ventriloquist sideshow performer edgar bergen . but bergen doesn not really get along with field or i should say his alter ego charlie mccarthy doesn not . the field mccarthy feud be legendary on radio and it might seem hard to fathom how a ventriloquist could entertain on radio . but the character he create be so powerful and have such a hold on the mind of the public that they be real . charlie mccarthy and mortimer snerd be character in their own right and they almost but not quite gain separate identity away from edgar bergen . anyway on bergen show and bill field be a frequent guest and the repartee between field and mccarthy be still classic . even without know that background and today audience can still enjoy you can not cheat an honest man because the comedy be eternal . there not much of a plot except for moore loving bergen and but be ready to marry snobbish james bush to help her father in his financial trouble . i be sure you can figure out how that go and especially when prospect in law thurston hall and mary forbes meet field at a little clambake theyre throw . the circus offer a range of opportunity for some great gag include try to pry charlie mccarthy out of an alligator and an elephant who give field shower on command and of course saw charlie in half during a magic act . still it the repartee between field and bergen and another of the unforgettable characterization that bill field bring u which make you can not cheat an honest man a comedy classic .