Make a Million (1935) Online

A pronounced political posture, including a quasi-Marxist theory relating to redistribution of wealth, is woven into this lightweight Depression era comedy. Director Lewis Collins utilizes an interesting cast to bring forward the rather silly script's comedic elements and to make ideological indoctrination a suborning factor, at most. After a university instructor of economics, Professor Smith, played by Charles Starrett, of subsequent "B" Western fame, is placed on a leave of absence without pay due to his radical classroom theorizing, he decides to participate in the capitalist system by becoming a millionaire through an advanced mode of panhandling. His method is to conduct an advertising campaign from which the public is requested to give him, generally by mail, one dollar apiece. The money which he will receive will be in turn given to large manufacturers who will then reward each contributor with an item retailing at three or more dollars, with the businessmen utilizing these funds to return their firms to profitability. Principally as a result of negative newspaper reporting about him, Smith benefits from a sympathetic reaction from the masses, and a great number of dollar bills begin flowing in. Inevitably, the quixotic hero becomes too attractive a target for the evil establishment to let pass, and attempts are made to legally seize his new found wealth. Smith's primary enemy, as always during the Depression, is a lurking banker, whose daughter Irene (Pauline Brooks), while a member of the professor's class, had complained of his visionary concepts, resulting in his being sacked. Brooks performs very well in her role, wherein she quite naturally falls in love with Smith and decides to commit with him in his crusade against his perceived enemies: position and power. Crucial to Smith's success is his panhandling pal Pete (James Burke) who tries to teach the professor the finer points of cadging, and who recruits for him a melange of disreputable derelicts as "board members" of Smith's imaginary World Improvement League. The subsequent proceedings are not entirely predictable, and the work, although a souffle, is well-photographed by Milton Krasner, competently directed, and clearly of historic interest.

"Make a Million" is an odd little curio from the Depression era. It begins with an annoying professor railing about 'distribution problems' in the economy and suggesting a 90% tax on inheritance. When a rich lady balks at what he says, he basically tells her she's an idiot and fails her in the class. However, her father is an important guy and the school is out for the professor's head. Frankly, both the professor and board of directors are idiots, as neither seem very open to any divergent thought. The professor is told to use his crazy ideas to earn a million dollars--then the school will reinstate him (?????). This plot, so far, made almost no sense at all--nor did the romance that inexplicably develops.

Soon the professor meets a professional beggar and decides that he can make a million by begging. However, instead of begging one person at a time, he suggests running an ad asking the masses for a dollar from each. Soon, a reporter gets the story and publicizes it--and dollars start pouring in to the professor and his 'World Improvement League'. But, the powers of the status quo are worried about this notion--it strikes them as radicalism and they'll stop at nothing to stop him.

This film about socialism versus strict capitalism COULD have been interesting--especially since rich folks were very worried about communism and talk about redistribution of the wealth that were spurred on by widespread unemployment. Sadly, the film WASN'T interesting and the characters all seemed phony. A dumb script and a film that acts like it's being profound about the common man when it really isn't--as I found the movie to be annoying and very, very, very contrived. Don't believe the print from Alpha Video--they call it a screwball comedy. Doesn't a screwball comedy need to be funny?!