''Let's Make a Million'' is a 1936 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Ray McCarey Raymond Benedict McCarey (September 6, 1904 – December 1, 1948) was an American film director, brother of director Leo McCarey. Biography McCarey began working at Hal Roach Studios, where he did work on short films with Our Gang and Laure ...

and written by Manuel Seff and Robert Yost. The film stars

Charlotte Wynters Charlotte Wynters (December 4, 1899 – January 7, 1991) was an American stage and film actress. Biography A native of Wheeling, West Virginia, Wynters appeared as a leading lady in a number of B pictures during the 1930s. During the 1922–2 ...

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton, Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor and comedian. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born March 18 ...

Porter Hall Clifford Porter Hall (September 19, 1888 – October 6, 1953) was an American character actor known for appearing in a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s. Hall typically played villains or comedic incompetent characters. Early years Hall wa ...

, J. M. Kerrigan,

Margaret Seddon Margaret Seddon (November 18, 1872 – April 17, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. Biography She appeared in more than 100 films between 1915 and 1951. Her most memorable role was perhaps as one of The Pixilated Sisters, a come ...

and

Margaret McWade Margaret McWade (born Margaret May Fish; September 3, 1871 – April 1, 1956) was an American stage and film actress. She began her career in vaudeville in the early 1890s. Her most memorable role was as one of the Pixilated Sisters, a comedic ...

. The film was released on December 13, 1936, by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

Plot

When Congress votes to pay $2 billion in bonus bonds to World War I veterans, gullible Oklahoma machine supply company owner Harrison Gentry receives $1,100. His greedy aunts want to use the money for a memorial to their father, while his fiancee Caroline wants it as a stake so they can marry. Instead, Gentry goes to Kansas City and is duped into investing it in a phony oil company that promises to drill on a promising parcel in Harrison's hometown. Many townspeople join him in investing, only to go broke when the company gives up on a sham well and dissolves. Harrison is ostracized by his neighbors. He leads an American Legion post to strong-arm the remainder of the money back from the swindlers, and uses it to drill a real well that strikes a gusher.

Cast

as Harrison Gentry *

as Caroline *

as Spencer * J. M. Kerrigan as Sam Smith *

as Aunt Martha *

as Aunt Lucy *

Purnell Pratt Purnell Pratt (October 20, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1914 and 1941. He was born in Bethel, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California. Pratt spent more than a year in Fra ...

as Gilbert *

Irving Bacon Irving Ernest Bacon (September 6, 1893 – February 5, 1965) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 500 films. Early years Bacon was the son of entertainers Millar West Bacon (who was a teenager) and Myrtle Vane. He was born ...

as Jerry *Ivan Miller as Peter Winton

References

External links

* 1936 films Paramount Pictures films American comedy films 1936 comedy films Films directed by Ray McCarey American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub