Purely Joyful Movie!

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Blowing off the boss who has taken advantage of your services; Vowing revenge on the pigs on the road who cut you off rudely; Getting even for years of protecting an inventory and making it a smashing experience; Baking your pies the way you want and making the patronizing social service people do the rocking; Getting rest in a bed without the presence of a business transaction. That's just some of the goings on in this outstanding multi-story masterpiece, both comic and dramatic, often tragic, sometimes ironic, and in a few cases, quite poignant. It surrounds the estate of steel tycoon Richard Bennett, tired of the family hangers on, the yes men, the red tape and the coddling of well meaning but annoying servants. Seemingly on the verge of death, he pops out of that state and announces without apology that he's going to leave his entire fortune to a bunch of strangers, unaware that they are about to have their lives changed entirely.Some of the segments are better than others, but a few are now regarded as classic. Recipients W.C. Fields and Alison Skipworth decide to get revenge on the road hogs and buy an army of cars to do to them what they've been doing to others. Tired clerk Charles Laughton takes the longest walk to give to his boss what many of us would like to do, although he does it more politely. Nagged Charlie Ruggles is tired of his wife Mary Boland's incessant nagging and takes his revenge out in a glass shop. "Lady of the evening" Wynne Gibson simply does what many of us would like to do when the world closes in on us, and she does it in style. Then there's the final story of the neglected May Robson, an old dear longing for family visits and the chance to make her famous pies again. The well meaning retirement home staff just wants her to relax, and when she gets her bequest, she gets the best revenge of all.Prepare to laugh at times and look on in shock at others, because in this depression era "fantasy", not all dreams come true, and one comes at quite the wrong time. A few triumph, one gets a well deserved rest, and as for Bennett, he finds that a rich man's doctor doesn't always have all the answers. This obviously lead Robson to be cast as Apple Annie in Capra's "Lady For a Night", making her one of the few mature woman movie stars who could handle leading roles in addition to regular supporting roles. Once you see this movie, I guarantee you will never forget it.

Copyright 18 November 1932 by Paramount Publix Corp. New York opening at the Rivoli: 2 December 1932. U.K. release: 10 June 1933. 83 minutes.COMMENT: On the whole, the film suffers from the lack of background music, though very occasionally "natural" music does provide a welcome break from the oppressive soundtrack silence. One thing that's not silent, however, are the actors; and, unfortunately, our players here do tend to be over-heavily theatrical — with a few notable exceptions, including Wynne Gibson, Charles Laughton, Joyce Compton and, to a lesser extent, George Raft. Frances Dee has a tiny part, as has Berton Churchill in "The Condemned Man" sequence in which James Cruze (definitely NOT Bruce Humberstone who denies he directed this sequence) makes effective use of Negro singing for background music. Production values are excellent. After a slow start — the Prologue seems to take forever to get to the point which we already know (thanks to all the film's publicity) — we move (in the current television print) to "The China Shop" episode, which is very enjoyable; then on to "The Streetwalker" which, with its wonderful evocation of mood and atmosphere, is one of the film's three high-points. "The Forger" is also an enjoyable episode, as is "The Auto" (though slightly below the usually brilliantly comic standard of W.C. Fields). "The Condemned Man" is a so-so entry. Gene Raymond is miscast, the dialogue is repetitious and we can spot the conclusion right from the start. Fortunately, it's short. With "The Clerk", we have another high-point, thanks both to Lubitsch's masterfully inventive (all the sweeping tracking shots through myriad corridors and up the stairs) yet thoroughly detailed (Laughton making last-minute adjustments to his dress, before the deferential knock on the door of Brown's office) direction and the comic genius of Charles Laughton. "The Three Marines", alas, is the film's really big disappointment. It runs far too long, and neither players nor director are able to do a great deal with a one-line joke that basically misfires. "The Old Ladies' Home" provides a final high point, before a somewhat anticlimactic Epilogue. Another of the film's delights should be mentioned, and that of course is the splendid gallery of support cameos, a list that includes Jack Pennick as the ungainly sailor who even the prostitute rejects in "The Streetwalker", Willard Robertson as a doctor in the Prologue, Samuel S. Hinds as a relative in closing, Tom Kennedy as Tough Joe in "The Three Marines", Fred Kelsey as a prison warder, and Robert Homans as an identification policeman in "The Forger".All told, this is grand entertainment. P.S. A big star in 1932 and 1933, Wynne Gibson overshadows everyone else on Paramount's re-issue posters – even though her name is hilariously misspelled as Wynne Bigson!

"If I Had a Million" is an unusual film. The plot is presented as eight totally unrelated short stories. They are connected by the narrow thread of another story – the overriding one for the film. A multi-millionaire who is dying wants to give away his fortune to perfect strangers. As John Glidden (played by Richard Bennett) says, "I just want somebody to have something worthwhile out of what I spent my life to accumulate." He doesn't want his fortune to go to his lecherous relatives. And, of the thousands of people he employs, he says he can't think of one "that's fit to leave in charge of a peanut stand."His attorneys say that his relatives would surely break his will if he left everything to strangers, which he said he would like to do. So, his solution is to live long enough to give his fortune away himself. He begins by picking eight names at random from the telephone book, for people to whom he will personally visit to give them certified checks for $1 million. This plot may have been an inspiration for the later TV series, "The Millionaire," that ran on CBS from 1955 to 1960. The eight short stories within vary from comedy, to drama, to crime, to pathos, and to redemption. Some have lessons, while others are just sporting fun. The film has a number of name actors of the day – the top names each starring in one of the short stories. A couple of serious stories have clear themes that crime doesn't pay. Those, with George Raft and Gene Raymond, seem a little melodramatic. Most of the rest are slices of life, with some nice humor in several of them. In one, Wynne Gibson plays a hooker, Violet Smith, whose good fortune is her ticket out of the slums. A nice symbolic scene has her renting the most expensive room in a classy hotel and then going to bed by herself to enjoy a night's sleep in luxury. Charles Ruggles as Henry Peabody, and Charles Laughton as Phineas Lambert, have comedic scenes in which they can escape from the doldrums. Gary Cooper is Steve Gallagher, who, with two fellow Marines (Jack Oakie and Roscoe Karns) can't seem to stay out of the guardhouse. Because of their cut-up nature and goofing off together, Steve doesn't believe Glidden when he gives him a check for $1 million. So, he signs it away to Zeb, the hamburger stand owner for $10 to take waitress Marie (Joyce Compton) to the carnival. The boys begin to wonder later when out of their jail window they see Zeb and Marie all dolled up with a chauffeur-driven car and going out with the sergeant. The two best short stories within the film also are the longest. Allison Skipworth plays Emily La Rue and W.C. Fields plays Rollo La Rue. They own Emily's Tea Shop. The former vaudeville performers have a happy life, except that their new car was just totaled in a road accident. When Emily gets her check, she and Rollo set out to conquer the road hogs. This ranks among the funniest series of road accidents on film. Some of the collisions were quite hard, and there must have been stunt replacements for the two stars in those crashes. The last short story ties back into the overall story, as John Glidden seems to be in good health and is off to party with Mrs. Mary Walker (May Robson). This is a social commentary on the fate of widows who were left to be alone and lonely in a rest home for older women. The management is cold and strict on the women. But, when Mary gets her windfall, she buys the place and changes "Idyllwood: a rest place for elderly women." It's now "Idyllwood Club – for members only." And the former cantankerous manager, Mrs. Garvey (played by Blanche Friderici), is now assigned the duty of sitting in a rocking chair and rocking all day for her pay, while the ladies enjoy a new life under Mrs. Walker's kind sponsorship. They turn the place into a home, bakery, card lounge and great place for fellowship and fun. The film is fun and funny in places, somber and reflective in others. As a very early film since the advent of sound pictures, this RKO production suffers yet from some of the poorer production qualities. The movie credits listed seven directors and eight writers. The film had a banner list of big names of its day, and a whopping cast of more than 80 characters, most of whom had lines of dialog.

simple story. a lot of characters. a piece of paper as axis of fundamental change in life of few people. and old flavor of classic film. it is part of a large chain of movies. nothing is new at first sigh. but the art to give force to each small story is its great virtue. that is all. nothing complicated but expression of perfect precision.few well-know actors and slices of existences and admirable science of detail. memorable scenes - the cars scenes remains extraordinary-, wise picture of society and the cinnamon of emotions.a film about crisis period in a delicate manner. and, sure, about people. and one of experiments who remains, for many, important dream.