If I Had a Million (1932)

75% of users liked it
(42 ratings)

Based on a story by Robert Andrews, If I Had a Million is a multipart comedy-drama employing Paramount's top directorial and acting talents. Refusing to leave his fortune to his grasping relatives, dying millionaire Richard Bennett selects several people at random from the phone book and bestows… More Based on a story by Robert Andrews, If I Had a Million is a multipart comedy-drama employing Paramount's top directorial and acting talents. Refusing to leave his fortune to his grasping relatives, dying millionaire Richard Bennett selects several people at random from the phone book and bestows upon each of them a check for one million dollars. The first recipient is henpecked husband Charlie Ruggles, who cheerily enters his former place of employment, a china shop, and smashes every bit of crockery in the place. Prostitute Wynne Gibson uses her money to escape from her sordid lifestyle and finally sleep in a bed all by herself. Forger George Raft finds that he can't convince anyone that his check is genuine, and ends up handing the check to a flophouse manager--who promptly burns it. Husband and wife W.C. Fields and Alison Skipworth, dismayed that their new car has been destroyed by a "road hog," utilize part of their million dollars to purchase a fleet of cars and then smash up every road hog in sight! Convicted murderer Gene Raymond hopes that his million will help finance a new trial, but the execution is carried out on schedule. Newly rich clerk Charles Laughton calmly makes his way through a series of offices, reaches his boss' desk, and delivers a loud Bronx cheer. Gary Cooper, Roscoe Karns and Jack Oakie play three brawling marines who think the check's a joke and sign it over to an illiterate lunch-counter owner. The last million-dollar recipient is May Robson, an elderly woman confined to a dismal nursing home. She spends her money to turn the home into a joyful resort for old people, forcing the formerly repressive nursing-home staffers to earn their paychecks by sitting all day in rocking chairs. The millionaire who started the plot rolling is given a new lease on life by May Robson's example, and he recovers from his "fatal" illness. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: James Cruze, H. Bruce Humberstone
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1932 Wide

Critic Reviews

Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
With eight directors and 17 credited writers, the results aren't exactly uniform, but they work more often than not.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Como a maioria das antologias, o filme é irregular, merecendo destaque as histórias protagonizadas por Fields, Raft e Robson.

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Cast

            Gary Cooper as Steven Gallagher

            Charles Laughton as The Clerk

            W.C. Fields as Rollo La Rue

            Charlie Ruggles as Henry Peabody

            George Raft as Eddie Jackson

            Jack Oakie as Mulligan

            Frances Dee as Mary Wallace

            Alison Skipworth as Emily (Katerina) La Rue

            Mary Boland as Mrs. Peabody

            Roscoe Karns as O'Brien

            May Robson as Mrs. Mary Walker

            Gene Raymond as John Wallace

            Lucien Littlefield as Zeb

            Richard Bennett as John Glidden

            Hooper Atchley as Hotel Desk Clerk

            Irving Bacon as Chinaware Salesman

            Reginald Barlow as Glidden Employee

            Harry C. Bradley as Bank Guard

            James P. Burtis as Jailer

            James Bush as Teller

            Berton Churchill as Warden

            Wallis Clark as Mr. Monroe

            Joyce Compton as Marie

            Cecil Cunningham as Agnes

            Lester Dorr as Pedestrian

            Bess Flowers as Customer

            Blanche Frederici as Head Nurse at Old Ladies' Home

            Wynne Gibson as Violet Smith

            Frank S. Hagney as Mike Carnival Tough

            Samuel S. Hinds as Attorney

            Robert E. Homans as Detective

            Lew Kelly as Prison Attendant

            Fred Kelsey as Doctor

            Lydia Knott as Idylwood Resident

            Margaret Mann as Idylwood Resident

            Charles McMurphy as Mike Bank Guard

            Grant Mitchell as Prison Priest

            William V. Mong as Harry the Fence

            Clarence Muse as Prisoner

            Gail Patrick as Secretary

            Walter Percival as Carnival Attendant

            Russell Powell as Bartender

            Tom Ricketts as Elderly Man

            Willard Robertson as Doctor

            Dewey Robinson as Cook at Old Ladies' Home

            John St. Polis
            
            Fred Santley
            
            Sid Saylor as Driver

            Rolfe Sedan as Salesman

            Margaret Seddon as Mrs. Small

            Edwin Stanley as Mr. Galloway

            Larry Steers
            
            Kent Taylor as Bank Clerk

            Ernest Truex as Mr. Brown

            Morgan Wallace as Mike a Mobster

            Fred Holmes as Store Clerk

            Marc Lawrence I as Hoodlum

            Jack Pennick as Sailor

            Herbert Moulton as Glidden Employee

            Eddie Baker as Desk Clerk

            Robert Burns as Marine Sergeant

            Emma Tansey as Idylwood Resident

            Tom Kennedy as Officer
See full cast

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