“Go away! I can’t talk to an idiot!”

Synopsis:
When a nebbish (Eddie Cantor) discovers he’s heir to a fortune, he quickly becomes prey to a con-woman (Ethel Merman) and her partner (Warren Hymer); meanwhile, when traveling to Egypt to collect his inheritance, the daughter (Eve Sully) of an Egyptian sheik (Paul Harvey) becomes smitten with Cantor and attempts to snag him as her husband.
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Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
- Ann Sothern Films
- Comedy
- Con-Artists
- Eddie Cantor Films
- Egypt and Egyptology
- Inheritance
- Musicals
- Roy Del Ruth Films
Review:
Roy Del Ruth directed this inconsequential Eddie Cantor musical-comedy, based on a fantastical “kitchen sink” storyline that’s essentially a series of excuses for comedic banter and absurd situations to emerge. Naturally, musical sequences are scattered throughout (the best starring the Nicholas Brothers), and there’s also a gratuitous romantic subplot between George Murphy and Ann Sothern (whose characters have little to do with the rest of the story, as far as I can tell). The film’s primary selling point is its truly surreal Technicolor finale (see still below), which — like everything else about the film — feels randomly tacked onto the storyline.
Note: Peary lists all but one of Cantor’s six Samuel Goldwyn titles in his GFTFF; now that I’ve finished watching the five titles he recommends, I’ve decided that two — Whoopee (1930) and Roman Scandals (1934) — are “must-see”, while the rest are strictly for fans.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
- A fun dance sequence by the Nicholas Brothers

- The fantastical Technicolor ice cream factory finale

Must See?
No; this one is only must-see for Cantor fans.
Links:
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One thought on “Kid Millions (1934)”
First viewing. Skip it.
Largely dated in its comic style (and unfunny in a cringe-worthy way), this flick is almost painful to get through.
On the minimal plus side: Merman’s opening number (‘An Earful Of Music and an Armful of You’) is a good showcase spot for the singer, and Eve Sully (in her only feature film appearance) contributes some (very) welcome energy in her delivery.
I don’t think there’s a single ‘joke’ in this thing that works.