I'll Give a Million

This Fox B remake of a a farce starring De Sica is nicely directed by Walter Lang with a sprawling supporting cast that the big studios' B departments could use when given the chance.

The story has millionaire Warner Baxter dive off his yacht to rescue suicidal Peter Lorre, then head off to deal with the real world instead of the parasites on board. Lorre spreads the word that a millionaire is wandering around in tramp clothes, and will give a million francs to anyone who is kind to him without any pecuniary interest. With a cast of dozens of character actors, this is an example of why I consider Fox' B movies in this period the best....and often better than most studios' As.

An amiable, workmanlike farce that's like "My Man Godfrey" without the archness, this Hollywood studio product has an unusually European flavor, perhaps due to the number of newly arrived Holocaust refugee actors in its cast. Especially worth seeing for Peter Lorre's engaging turn as a kittenish hobo.

"I'll Give a Million" is silly escapist film. It's based on a 1935 Italian film and is, inexplicably, set in France. When the film begins, Tony (Warner Baxter) is aboard his huge yacht. However, despite his wealth, he doesn't particularly love his life...and this is apparent when he jumps overboard to save a drowning hobo, Louis (Peter Lorre). The folks aboard the boat don't realize he's jumped and Tony swims ashore with his new friend. But as I said, he didn't love his life and instead of going to the nearest authorities to tell them who he is, he dons Louis' clothes and decides to be a hobo!

In the meantime, Louis comes into town in a tux and a wad of cash and is a sensation. He informs everyone it's from his millionaire benefactor and the same man had told him he was tired of phonies and would give 1,000,000 francs if someone just did something nice for him without expectation that they'd ever get paid back. After telling the press this story, it makes the newspaper and suddenly everyone in town is being super-nice to all the hobos! In the meantime, Tony has met a lovely woman, Jean (Marjorie Weaver) and she's taken him under her wing at the circus. What's next? See the film.

I sure would love to find a copy of the original Italian film because the American version is very enjoyable and I'd love to see how good the first version is. Regardless, nice acting and a cute story make this one worth your time.

In the heart of the Depression, moviegoers needed screwball comedies to cheer themselves up for a quarter. In that vein, they were heartily treated to some of the best comedy of all time from Laurel and Hardy to Frank Capra. This film is tn that tradition. Similar to Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Sullivan's Travels in the sense that a powerful person is living as a common man among the masses of the poor, the film has a certain charm that is no longer found in films after the Golden Age of Hollywood. Fortunately, we have Youtube to access some of these gems from the past. Lots of fun.

I'll Give A Million is the proposition that Warner Baxter after being disillusioned that people are only interested in him for his money gives to Peter Lorre after he jumps off his yacht to save him from drowning. While they're asleep Baxter changes clothes with Lorre and also leaves many francs in his coat pocket.

As a tramp he's befriended by Marjorie Weaver and her uncle Jean Hersholt who run a small circus.

In the meantime Lorre attired in Baxter's abandoned evening wear gives the story to the newspaper that somewhere lurking in this French Riviera town is a tramp who's really a millionaire. The forgotten men of France descend on the town like a plague of locusts hoping to be treated well if people think they are incognito millionaires.

I'm guessing Tyrone Power and Don Ameche were otherwise occupied so Warner Baxter got the lead. A bit older than the other two he does nice as the weary cynical millionaire. Lorre is a fine figure as the tramp who can't believe his good fortune which rapidly becomes a curse as the hunt for the incognito millionaire intensifies.

A good screwball comedy from 20th Century Fox in that age of the screwballs, the Thirties.