Just then, the escaped bank robber, Repulsive Brogan, returns to rob the bank a second time, and escapes with the bank's money and Og's mining company stock, taking Sousé hostage. The robber forces him to drive the getaway car, with the police, the bank director, Og, and the movie producer giving chase, during which parts of the getaway car keep falling off. Sousé once again receives the credit for catching the thief, and receives $5,000 for the capture of Brogan, $10,000 from the movie producer for his screen story as well as a contract to direct a film based on it. Now that he is rich, Sousé lives in a mansion, his family is elegant and well-spoken and treats him with respect, but he still follows Joe Guelpe on his way to open the Black Pussy Cat Café. Alternative titles for the film were "The Bank Detective" and "The Great Man". With the success of his two previous films, "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man" and "My Little Chickadee", Fields was able to get complete creative control for this project. He wrote the script under the pseudonym "Mahatma Kane Jeeves". Principal photography began in early September 1940. "The Bank Dick" received many favorable reviews. Bosley Crowther of "The New York Times" wrote that "for anyone who simply likes to laugh at the reckless inanities of an inspired buffoon, we recommend "The Bank Dick." It's great fun." The reviewer for "Variety" wrote "It's a crazy-quilt pattern aiming for laughs, and achieves the purpose adequately. Several times, Fields reaches into satirical pantomime reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin's best effort in that line during Mutual and Essanay days." "Harrison's Reports" called it "A good program comedy. W.C. Fields is at his best and for that reason the picture should go over very well with his fans." John Mosher of "The New Yorker" wrote that "there is often an incident or gesture reminiscent of the Mack Sennett comedies. At times, the movie even smacks of those old days so exactly that you almost believe it must be a revival of some classic. There's nothing antiquated about it, however, no stale, museum starchiness, and the scandalous Mr. Fields has to be forgiven his outrageous behavior, since he is so simply and honestly funny." Film critic Leslie Halliwell deemed it "Imperfect, but probably the best Fields vehicle there is", and W.C. Fields biographer Robert Lewis Taylor called it "One of the great classics of American comedy".