Million Dollar Legs (1932)

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(80 ratings)

"Klopstokia: A Far-Away Country. Chief Exports: Goats and Nuts. Chief Imports: Goats and Nuts. Chief Inhabitants: Goats and Nuts." This introductory title ushers in Million Dollar Legs, one of the zaniest comedies ever to emerge from a major studio. W.C. Fields stars as the president of Klopstokia,… More "Klopstokia: A Far-Away Country. Chief Exports: Goats and Nuts. Chief Imports: Goats and Nuts. Chief Inhabitants: Goats and Nuts." This introductory title ushers in Million Dollar Legs, one of the zaniest comedies ever to emerge from a major studio. W.C. Fields stars as the president of Klopstokia, who will hold on to his office so long as he can best the secretary of the treasury (Hugh Herbert) in their daily arm-wrestling contests. Like most of the Depression-era world, Klopstokia is broke, forcing the government to take drastic measures to raise money. Fortunately, everyone in the country is a super-athlete, inspiring visiting Fuller Brush salesman Migg Tweeney (Jack Oakie) to come up with a brilliant idea: Klopstokia will enter the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. Alas, the subversive cabinet members, hoping to overthrow the president, plot to undermine the Klopstokian athletic team with the aid of sexy seductress Mata Machree (Lyda Roberti), "the woman no man can resist." Words can hardly describe the nonstop parade of gags and verbal insanity in Million Dollar Legs: Ben Turpin, playing a cloaked-and-caped spy, pops in and out with neither rhyme nor reason; the conspirators' outdoor hideout is incongruously equipped with hydraulic lifts and elevators; Mata Machree's butler informs the villains that "Madame can only be resisted from 2 to 4,"; and, when asked why all the Klopstokian men are named George and the women named Angela, the president's daughter (Susan Fleming, later the wife of Harpo Marx), replies "Why not?" then launches into the national anthem -- a double-talk version of "One Hour With You." Among the writers were Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Henry Myers, who were also responsible for the wacky Wheeler andWoolsey political satire Diplomaniacs. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 4 min.
Directed By: Edward F. Cline
Written By: Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Henry Myers
Genres: Sports & Fitness, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 8, 1932 Wide
On DVD: Oct 13, 1998
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
One very off-the-wall movie that never for a moment bothers to make a great deal of sense.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's loaded with sight gags, slapstick and physical humor.

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Cast

            Jack Oakie as Migg Tweeny American brush salesman

            W.C. Fields as President of Klopstokia

            Andy Clyde as Major-Domo

            Lyda Roberti as Mata Machree

            Susan Fleming as Angela

            Ben Turpin as Mysterious Man

            Hugh Herbert as Secretary of the Treasury

            George Barbier as Mr. Baldwin

            Dickie Moore as Willie Angela's brother

            Ernie S. Adams as Contestant

            Sam Adams as Secretary of State

            Irving Bacon as Secretary of the Navy

            Hobart Bosworth as Olympics Official Starter

            Al Bridge
            
            Herman Brix
            
            Tyler Brooke as Olympics Announcer

            Chick Collins as Jumper

            Charles "Heinie" Conklin as Spy in Cape

            Edgar Dearing as Train Official

            Vernon Dent as Secretary of Agriculture

            Bobby Dunn
            
            Eddie Dunn as Coachman

            Billy Engle as Klopstokian Athlete

            Herbert Evans as Butler

            Billy Gilbert as Secretary of the Interior

            Teddy Hart as Secretary of War

            Lew Kelly as Conductor

            Hank Mann as Custom's Inspector

            Sid Saylor as Starter at the Games

            Ben Taggart as Ship's Captain

            Don Wilson as Stationmaster

            John Sinclair as Secretary of Labor

            Eddie Baker
            
            Charlie Hall
            
See full cast

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