User reviews

I love this movie, it's a special favorite of mine, and the memory of my first viewing of it thirty-some years ago is so pleasant that it's hard for me to be objective about its merits. That said, after seeing it again recently I'm more convinced than ever that If I Had a Million is one of the most underrated films of the '30s. As far as I'm concerned this is a movie that has it all: comedy, pathos, irony, melodrama, a hint of sex, several car crashes, and a cast boasting some of the greatest character actors of all time. Maybe it isn't perfect, maybe the tone is erratic and a couple of segments are a bit weak, but taken as a whole it's as entertaining as any film of its era.

The story concerns millionaire industrialist John Glidden, who is ill and believed to be dying. Sick he may be, but Glidden is nevertheless energized by the contempt he feels for the greedy relatives who have gathered to await his death -- and to collect whatever monies they might inherit, of course. Glidden is so infuriated by this hypocrisy that his anger gives him a new lease on life, and it inspires an idea that fills him with glee: he decides to leave his fortune to total strangers, one million dollars at a time. At first the plan is driven by spite, but as it unfolds Glidden becomes increasingly interested in the people who receive his bequest, in how they react to their unexpected luck and what impact the money has on their lives.

Made in 1932 in the depths of the Great Depression, If I had a Million surely must have represented a mouth-watering wish-fulfillment fantasy at the time of its release, when even a hundred dollars would have amounted to an amazing windfall for many viewers. The cast of familiar faces in cameo roles was a strong selling point in the wake of Grand Hotel and other star-studded extravaganzas, and naturally it's fun to see Gary Cooper, W.C. Fields, Charles Laughton, etc., among the players, but watching the film again today I am especially struck by the performance of Richard Bennett as millionaire John Glidden. Bennett (father of Joan and Constance) was a veteran stage actor who recognized this role for the plum assignment it was, and threw himself into it with gusto. His exuberant performance really drives the opening scenes and gives the story the strong presence needed to link the segments in a satisfying way. Bennett, wild-eyed and giddy, kicks off the show with all stops out, and this not only grabs our attention immediately but also serves to sharpen the contrast with the more subdued Glidden who returns at intervals throughout.

Reviewers commenting on this film tend to single out the comedy segments featuring Laughton, Fields, and Charles Ruggles, and they're all terrific -- although Laughton's scene is best recalled for its extreme brevity and resounding punchline -- but some of the dramatic vignettes of If I had a Million are equally notable. Wynne Gibson is poignant as the waterfront prostitute who can't believe Glidden is on the level, while George Raft, never the most nuanced of actors, is surprisingly effective as the small-time crook who comes to realize that his ostensible good fortune is not a blessing but a curse. The maudlin Death Row sequence featuring Gene Raymond has never been anyone's favorite, but at least it's brief. Two older actresses, Alison Skipworth and May Robson, each make a strong impression in separate segments. Skipworth is a joy as an aging vaudevillian settling into retirement, and she more than holds her own alongside W.C. Fields in the crowd-pleasing "road hog" sequence. Robson is gallant and deeply sympathetic in the final vignette, set in a home for old ladies, where she serves as a fierce advocate for the women against the home's repressive, tyrannical director. This last sequence is the longest in the film and teeters on the brink of sentimentality, but ultimately leaves us with the most satisfying denouement of them all.

As I noted up top my first viewing of this movie was a very pleasant one. In the summer of 1970 I rented a 16mm print of If I had a Million to show at a party, and it scored a big hit. The kids loved the car crashes, Charlie Ruggles' plate-smashing spree, and Laughton's Bronx cheer, while the grown-ups appreciated the clothing, slang, automobiles and general trappings of the early '30s, a period they remembered first-hand. In later years I found that broadcasts of the film on TV usually lacked the sequences featuring Wynne Gibson and Gene Raymond, and still later I found that the movie itself had become scarce, rarely shown anywhere and never officially offered in a home-viewable format. This limbo is apparently due to legal issues involving copyrights, but I do hope the matter will be resolved eventually. If I had a Million is a delightful film that richly deserves rediscovery by a new generation!

What a terrific 1932 film! Paramount's expensive depression comedy drama is one of the very best films made in the '30s and both a poignant and hilarious look at life in 1932 America. If you saw 42ND STREET and American MADNESS and perhaps THE KID FROM SPAIN all made the same year, you would have possibly the definitive early 30s films that allow as full a view of emotions and community as could be found. The cast is astonishing.. all the Paramount A- level stars, 8 of the best directors and 8 truly inspired vignettes present a balanced view of ordinary people 'winning a million dollars'... and their next move. My personal favorite was the prostitute who just wanted a good night's sleep, unmolested, and in a clean bed. The production values are huge, massive sets and elaborate scenes, especially the short one with Charles Laughton... the attention to detail and the fully realized settings are indicative of a very expensive film. All 8 scenes are terrific, not a slouch among them, and the final sequence in the old ladies home is particularly touching. George Raft's con man sequence and Gene Raymond's electric chair scenes are real eyeopeners given the irony involved. IF I HAD A MILLION is a film to find and celebrate. How amazing to have seen this in a 3000 seat cinema in 1932! imagine the cheering from the audience in the comedy scenes! What a crowd pleaser. In Australia this film ran prime time Saturday night 8.30pm on Nationwide free to air TV, such is its treasured reputation. It scored a ratings hit. True! check The TV guides here for ABC2 Saturday night Nov 1st 2009 if you do not believe me.

Thank heavens for fans of W.C. Fields, because it is they who have kept this diamond in the public forum after all these years. The film certainly does not belong to Fields, as his Road Hog routine is just one of eight stories of varying lengths. But fortunately, his fans discovered this film so the rest of us can truly enjoy everything else it has to offer, as well. A collection of writers presented eight stories of people who get an unexpected windfall from a steel tycoon. Some are funny, some are touching, some are brilliant in their brevity, some just make you think. Just desserts is the main theme. The Eddie Jackson (George Raft) segment is twistedly ironic enough to be a "Twilight Zone" episode. And EVERYBODY wants to be Phineas Lambert (Charles Laughton). Great writing, great cast - a good time.

This is the ultimate episodic film, full of Paramount's biggest stars at the time including Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, Charlie Ruggles and George Raft. Each star is featured in short one or two reelers based on the theme-What would happen if a tycoon gave a million dollars to a random person in the phone book? The results are funny, poignant, sad, and all are interesting. The comic segments include a memorable one (very short and to the point) by Laughton, and one by W.C. Fields which helped to resurrect his movie career.

The shame of it is that Universal Pictures Video has this movie and thousands others of Fields and other comedies and features locked in a vault and never released for video. One wonders why they are keeping secret all of these films that they could be making money on as a retail item. It is interesting to note that W.C. Fields basically began his premium sound career with his short bit from this film, and ended it in 1942 in another episodic film (recently restored to include him), "Tales of Manhattan" by Fox Video. At least Fox knows the value of bringing an old chestnut like that one to the market. If we are lucky, maybe someone at Universal will wise up and release "If I Had A Million", too.

Boy was this movie refreshing. It was such a breath of fresh air to see a pre-code movie with a rich guy in it and it wasn't about a bunch of stuffy aristocrats. I had seen so many stuffy movies I was beginning to tire of the whole pre-code era.

"If I Had a Million" was about a self-made man named John Glidden (Richard Bennett) who was nearing the end of his life. He had a mansion full of family and lawyers like sharks circling a wounded animal. Glidden didn't want to leave his businesses or his fortune to anyone he knew. As he put it, none of them were capable of running a peanut stand.

So, instead of leaving his money to family in his will he began giving it to strangers. He used an eye dropper and a phone book. He flipped pages and dropped a droplet of water, whatever name the water dropped on he'd give a million dollars to that individual. The various people came in all different flavors. My favorite was the first person, Henry Peabody (Charles Ruggles), who worked in a china shop. He did what many of us working stiffs would love to do.

There was also Emily La Rue (Alison Skipworth), Steve Gallagher (Gary Cooper), Phineas Lambert (Charles Laughton), Eddie Jackson (George Raft), and a couple of others. Each was different and each did different things with the million dollar check, and each was very entertaining in their own way.

Free on Internet Archive.

Do you want to watch a heart warming film?? Then this one is for you!

What would you do if suddenly you found you were given one million dollars out of the blue?? How would it change your life? How would it affect you? What are the first things you would do?

The film shows what happens to the recipients in eight different unrelated scenarios. The only thing the vignettes have in common is the check for $1,000,000.00. The stars that are featured in each are perfect and charming. Some of the stories are very short. Each story was written and directed by different directors and writers making each story unique.

A man who works in a "China Shop" barely making a living is played by Charles Ruggles.

A prostitute down on her luck named "Violet" is played by Wynne Gibson.

A forger who is about to be caught in "The Forger" is played by George Raft.

"Road Hogs" has a playful old couple having some fun with cars and traffic starring Alison Skipworth and W. C. Fields. They are a delight to watch!!

Gene Raymond stars as a man about to be executed in "Death Cell".

"The Clerk" has an overworked and underappreciated office worker getting his day played by Charles Laughton.

Gary Cooper is the lead in "The Three Marines" who keep getting into trouble and thrown in the brig.

My favorite, and the last scenario, is "Grandma" played by the great May Robson. She will bring a tear to your eye as a neglected old woman forced to live in a nursing home with nothing to do but await death. Very well done and very touching.

So if those stories and those stars and that premise are not enough to entice you to see this unusual Classy Classics, then I don't know what will!! See it and thank me later!

Try again: interrupted. Certainly this film lacks continuity apart from the thin thread of the million. However, the Laughton and Fields scenes are class; and with the Ruggles sequence they reflect frustrations that many of us feel. The Cooper and Raft scenes are too cliched to be compelling, but are well performed. The contrast of the Frances Dee and May Robson sections is notable, though both are probably over-sentimentalized. It is difficult to imagine that any film lover would not find anything in this film to make the time for viewing a waste. I personally come back to it regularly, and would wish for a commercial video to replace the off-TV copy I have.