Thanks a Million (1935)

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Crooner Dick Powell goes down every man Will Rogers territory in this musical political satire where singer Powell becomes the scapegoat for the axing of blow hard judge Raymond Ealburn in a bid for governor. It all happened because traveling entertainers get stranded in a small town, and desperate for a job, agent Fred Allen takes the opportunity of boosting Walburn's campaign. It turns out that the supposedly sober judge is secretly a lush, and the money men take the opportunity to get a viable candidate after hearing Powell reading Walburn's speech as only he could. Life is just a bowl of politicians", Patsy Kelly cracks, a statement that holds 80 years later in the mist laughable presidential election in history. With Powell "trumping" Walburn, this is political satire at its most ironic. Traveling along with Powell, Allen and Kelly are the Yacht Club Boys (singing songs spoofing then timely issues sort of as the Smothers Brothers of their time) and pretty Ann Dvorak as Powell's girlfriend. Margaret Irving adds a few ironic laughs ad an aging married socialite who attempts to seduce to the obviously much younger Powell with very funny results. Paul Whiteman and his orchestra also pop in for a memorable specialty. As timely today, this uses state politics to parody what goes on in that wacky world we are rolling our eyes at each day with each morning headline. Movies utilized the funniest character actors who could scream pompous and idiotic with just a smirk, and while some real life politicians certainly are a walking visual aides for a stuffed shirt, some are dangerous while relatively few truly mean well. As the world faced the rise of fascism at this time, views of people in public office tended to become more real, as evidenced by Frank Capra's use of character actor Edward Arnold who showed that Hitler like ambition could hit America if we weren't careful. Still, these more innocent days, with the United States under a very popular president who fixed the issues of the previous administration, the movies enjoyed more light hearted looks at the plight of America as it recovered and headed towards hopefully "Happy Days". This has some truly great moments, especially Powell's crooning, Allen and Kelly's hysterically funny bickering and the still potent musical commentary of the Yacht Club Boys. Powell comes off as a younger, more glamorous version of the easy going characters that Will Rogers had played up until his recent death, making me wonder if this was written with him in mind. Powell makes good, though, on loan to Fox studios from Warners, and meets the challenge head on. The conclusion is a view into the future if what Capra would do with "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "Meet John Doe".

What a novel idea, have a talented group of entertainers be the opening number in political campaign rallies for a candidate to office. Which is what Ned Lyman discovers, as he and his troupe appear in a small auditorium where a political speech is to be given later on at the same theater by the candidate for governor of the state, Judge Culliman. Mixing theater people with politicians will appeal to voters, or so Ned thinks. The Judge in his run for governor of the state hasn't elicited much sympathy. Add to that a drinking problem and Ned sees a great opportunity. Ned Lyman is a resourceful man that sees an angle in which keep the company he has assembled together and precede the aspiring candidate's spiel to the crowd. Since Judge Culliman can't get it together, Ned appeals to his star crooner, Eric Land, to read the speech to the audience. The singer becomes a hit and what's more, the political machinery behind the campaign see in him a person that can be manipulated. Are they in for a surprise! "Thanks a Million" is a delightful comedy with music directed by Roy Del Ruth. Dick Powell, who appears as Eric Land at the height of his singing career is the best thing in the movie. Equally effective is Mel Allen, the radio personality in a rare screen appearances. Ann Dvorak is seen as Eric's love interest, and Patsy Kelly is a singer with the company and Ned's girl.The film is entertaining as well as has an important message as the end when Eric Land unmask all the people that thought they could use him for their own personal gain.

Dick Powell sings "Thanks a Million" in this 1935 film also starring Fred Allen, Ann Dvorak, Patsy Kelly and Paul Whiteman and his band. A group of stranded entertainers find work performing during political rallies. When the candidate shows up drunk, Powell pinch-hits for him, and the party machine decides to make him their candidate for governor.This ridiculous premise gets wonderful, satiric treatment from director Roy del Ruth, and the songs are wonderful. Powell sings what became a hit for him, "Thanks a Million," as well as "Sittin' on a Hilltop" and "A Pocket Full of Sunshine." Ann Dvorak and Patsy Kelly dance and sing to "Sugar Plum." They're all absolutely delightful. Powell's acting is charismatic, his voice charming, and who would have ever guessed that under all that juvenile sweetness there was a tough actor and an excellent producer waiting to emerge.The film pokes great fun at local government, and Fred Allen and Patsy Kelly keep the jokes going. A look back and more innocent times at a film that hopefully lifted some people out of doldrums when they saw it.

After becoming Warner Brothers big musical star in the Thirties, Darryl Zanuck who had formerly been chief of production at Warner Brothers before going to 20th Century, got Jack Warner to loan him Dick Powell for two films. The second was On the Avenue which may have been his best film in the decade and this one, Thanks a Million which is almost as good. Powell desperately wanted to broaden his range, but the only thing Jack Warner gave him that could be classified as broadening was A Midsummer Night's Dream and that was a bit too broad. While both Thanks a Million and On the Avenue were not heavy drama, the writing was considerably above what Powell was given at Warner Brothers.I happened to have some old vinyl albums which contained Dick Powell's recordings of the songs he sang from this film even though I had never seen it until recently. I liked the score that Arthur Johnston and Gus Kahn wrote, very much and it was what prompted me to get a bootleg tape of Thanks a Million. I'm glad I did.It's one of the best political satires, I've ever seen done. Powell is a singer with a troupe traveling by bus to New York when it inevitably breaks down. To sing for their supper they join forces with political candidate Raymond Walburn to provide entertainment at his rallies. Soon they take over and one night when Walburn gets to drunk to go on, Powell gives a synopsis of his speech. Then political bosses Alan Dinehart and Paul Harvey get the bright idea to substitute Powell as their puppet candidate.Elect a singing governor, nonsense you say. I would hasten to remind you that in that same era, Jimmie Davis was elected governor of Louisiana, Wilbert Lee O'Daniel was elected governor of Texas, and Glen H. Taylor became Senator from Idaho on the strength of their radio entertainment. Not as far fetched as you think. And very shortly Powell's home studio would be signing a mid-west sports announcer to an acting contract who would one day be president of the United States.Powell gets able support from Ann Dvorak and Patsy Kelly as a singing sister duo, concert violinist David Rubinoff, radio's Fred Allen in the kind of role William Demarest later did for Preston Sturges. But acting honors go to Raymond Walburn. Walburn had playing these bloviating jovial type politicians down to a science, but he was never better than in this film as the tipsy fatuous judge the political bosses nominate as a puppet. He steals every scene he's in and the film should be preserved for him alone as well as one of Dick Powell's best musicals.The songs Powell sings in this film Thanks a Million, I'm Sitting High On a Hilltop, and I've Got a Pocketful of Sunshine are very good. The last two were the philosophical type numbers that normally one would associate with Bing Crosby. In fact next year Arthur Johnston the composer part of the team would be writing for Crosby, they'd be doing Pennies from Heaven over at Columbia.You made a million dreams come true and so I'm saying thanks a million to you, Dick Powell.