Kid Millions (1934)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Nunnally Johnson (screenplay)
Nunnally Johnson (story)

Release Date:

10 November 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

HE HAD PLENTY OF DOLLARS AND NO SENSE! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

A musical comedy about a Brooklyn boy (Eddie Cantor) who inherits a fortune from his archaeologist father, but has to go to Egypt to claim it.

Plot Keywords:

Egypt | Singer | Attempted Murder | Princess | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Eddie Cantor	...	Eddie Wilson Jr.
Ann Sothern	...	Joan Larrabee
Ethel Merman	...	Dot Clark
George Murphy	...	Jerry Lane
Berton Churchill	...	Col. Harrison Larrabee
Warren Hymer	...	Louie the Lug
Paul Harvey	...	Shiek Mulhulla
Jesse Block	...	Ben Ali
Eve Sully	...	Princess Fanya
Otto Hoffman	...	Khoot
Stanley Fields	...	Oscar Wilson
Edgar Kennedy	...	Herman Wilson
Jack Kennedy	...	Pop Wilson
John Kelly	...	Adolph Wilson
Doris Davenport	...	Nora ak 'Toots'

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (3-strip Technicolor) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #321)

Filming Locations:

Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Quotes:

Princess Fanya: You were wonderful. You not only saved my life but you saved my frankfurters too!

Movie Connections:

References The Count of Monte Cristo (1934)

Soundtrack:

Your Head on my Shoulder

Fun musical comedy comes halfway in Cantor's movie career

Funny man Eddie Cantor made surprisingly few films in which he had the lead (I don't count cameos and specialty numbers in all star films). He only made ten talkie features and KID MILLIONS is number five. (For the record he also appeared in two silents and two talkie shorts.)

Eddie plays a New York barge boy, who inherits an Egyptian treasure from his archaeologist father. Once in Egypt he is surrounded by a bevy of con artists both male and female, who try to get their hands on his money.

The gags and one-liners are funny as always and the eight songs are delightful. Two stand-outs are OKAY, TOOTS! and MANDY, done in Eddie's signature up tempo strut. The three-strip Technicolor finale is ravishingly beautiful -compare it to Eddie's two-strip talkie debut in WHOOPEE!

The youngest Nicholas brother is terrifically talented and with more personality than anyone else in the film. Ann Sothern makes a lovely love interest. Ethel Merman shines as both a singer and a comedienne here. Eve Sully as Princess Fanya (an Egyptian princess with a Yiddish accent) is an absolute scream and gives Eddie a run for his money as far as stealing scenes. She is a real find - I wonder why she is not better known and what became of her. Goldwyn Girl Lucille Ball is quite recognizable in the opening chorus number - she's on the right of the screen.

An absolute delight from beginning to end, it takes its place with WHOOPEE!, ROMAN SCANDALS, and ALI BABA GOES TO TOWN as one of Eddie's best. Don't miss it!