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native : he would put on an old bearskin he had at home and do the wrestling himself. Fields agreed, with a snarl. A few minutes after they had begun to wrestle, the trainer, working methodically, eager to make up for the bear's poor showing, applied a flying mare to his opponent and brought him crashing to the pavement. Fields arose weakly; he seemed to be trying to say something. La Cava bent an ear to his lips and listened intently.
The director straightened up in a second, his face animated. "Mr. Fields says to take the bearskin home and bring back the bear," he told the trainer. The bear was returned to the set, and the scene was shot as originally planned.
La Cava studied Fields for years and has interesting theories about him. He believes, as do several others, that Fields' personal and professional later life was dedicated to repaying society for the hurts of his childhood. "Nearly everything Bill tried to get into his movies was something that lashed out at the world," he says. "The peculiar thing is that although he thought he was being pretty mean there wasn't any real sting in it. It was only funny. Bill never really wanted to hurt anybody. He just felt an obligation."
Years after their Long Island phase, when both Fields and La Cava were living in big houses in Hollywood, La Cava would drive Fields into a frenzy by analyzing his gifts. "You're not a natural comedian, Bill," he'd say. "You're a counter puncher. You're the greatest straight man that ever lived. It's a mistake for you ever to do the leading. When you start to bawl out and ham around and trip over things, you're pushing. I hate to see it, Bill."
"What do you know about comedy, you dago bastard?" Fields would growl, and go out on the lawn and sulk.
La Cava once told Fields, "Bill, I'm making a picture down at Paramount that I want you to study. It's a comedy, and we're using some new techniques."
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