Le Million (1931)

100% of critics liked it
(7 reviews)
77% of users liked it
(1,937 ratings)

René Lefèvre and Annabella are sheer delights, as is everything else in Le Million, René Clair's bright and winning early sound comedy. Clair has his actors sing their dialogue in a blithe and breezy way and utilizes a succession of surrealistic and Dadaesque touches to chronicle this lighthearted… More René Lefèvre and Annabella are sheer delights, as is everything else in Le Million, René Clair's bright and winning early sound comedy. Clair has his actors sing their dialogue in a blithe and breezy way and utilizes a succession of surrealistic and Dadaesque touches to chronicle this lighthearted extended chase, concerning an artist racing through the streets of Paris (an amazing studio set constructed by Lazare Meerson) in order to retrieve a winning lottery ticket left in the pocket of a discarded jacket. Many of Clair's comic embellishments (like the dubbed-in sound effects of a football game over a portion of the chase) have been used endlessly in comedies ever since, but in Clair's hands, the old jokes still look fresh and magical. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: René Clair
Written By: René Clair, Georges Berr
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: May 21, 1931 Limited
On DVD: May 16, 2000
Studio: American Tobis Company

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A brilliant lighthearted musical comedy that is one of the early films to be shot in sound. It's directed with panache by René Clair.
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com
An invitation to see the world through the same rose colored tints that Clair does.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stella D

groundbreaking and absolutely charming screwball musical comedy. loved it
Eric B

A wonderfully funny, charming, imaginative film. Ahead of its time -- even released four years before "A Night at the Opera." Hmm. Loved the goofy use of songs -- back then, cinema hadn't lost its innocence yet. Also loved the irregular angles of the apartment… More
A wonderfully funny, charming, imaginative film. Ahead of its time -- even released four years before "A Night at the Opera." Hmm. Loved the goofy use of songs -- back then, cinema hadn't lost its innocence yet. Also loved the irregular angles of the apartment building, and the bit where the soundtrack of an onscreen group scuffle is thrown out and replaced with the ambient roar of a football game.
cody f

A nice looking and fun little French comedy from 1931. What is cool about this film was that Rene Clair worked around the limits that early sound forced upon films of the late 20's and early 30's. The recorded sound is limited. He uses alot of pre-recorded music and off… More
A nice looking and fun little French comedy from 1931. What is cool about this film was that Rene Clair worked around the limits that early sound forced upon films of the late 20's and early 30's. The recorded sound is limited. He uses alot of pre-recorded music and off screen sfx and voice overs.The story is about a artist and his friends looking for a lost lottery ticket through the streets of Paris. It's a fun story,but it's not as much fun as the American screwball comedies that would arrive in the coming years. It's amazing that more films didn't follow Clair's inventiveness on working around the limits that sound provided.
MJS M

A French farce about two men in a race to recover a lost winning lottery ticket worth a million Francs. The film had a lot of influence on the screwball comedies that would emerge later in the decade. In an of itself this lighthearted film is enjoyable, but not trancendingly fun. I… More
A French farce about two men in a race to recover a lost winning lottery ticket worth a million Francs. The film had a lot of influence on the screwball comedies that would emerge later in the decade. In an of itself this lighthearted film is enjoyable, but not trancendingly fun. I could have done without the musical numbers, but overall it?s worth a watch and I was never bored.