Million Dollar Legs (1932)

God Almighty did I laugh at it after I bought it through Amazon!

Fields drunk and trying to seduce a sea lion while his wife is asleep next to him is priceless. When she wakes up and sternly asks "Bill. Are you eating sardines in bed again," I thought I'd bust a gasket.

Mae West appears briefly in drag as as the "bearded prospector." (Her name is listed as her prestage Rosa Luxenbourg in the credits.) Though scarcely on the screen for three minutes, she dominates with close ups of her cutting eyes and her answer to the cop who tries to arrest her for loitering.

"I don't loiter, but I could with the right guy," she coos.

"Say, where'd you come from?"

"Up in them hills, them big pink ones over there."

"Why'd you come here."

"I ran out of cucumbers, my good man....and I'll delete the good if you give me a chance."

The cop is played by soon to be vice president John Nance Garner.

And the cannon firing, sheep slaughter, the prediction of global warming and goat romp will all live in my weathered old head.

From 8 to 80 will adore this.


Fields at his comedic-genius best.   May 18, 1999
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Fields plays leader of tiny, ficticious country Klopstokia, a bizarre land of goats and nuts, who has his heart set on entering the Olympics. A brilliant, inventive classic with a wonderful comic cast; thoroughly inspired direction. Fields truly shows his mastery for timing and characterization in this zany masterpiece of a gem. Timeless, and somewhat, unforgettable. Jack Oakie is hilarious and charming as usual.


Woof Bloogle Jik, Moo Jik Bloogle Woof   September 11, 2005
Dawoud Kringle (New York City)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Ah yes, the Old Klopstokian Song of Love!

Million Dollar Legs begins by placing Fields on the throne of an improbable country where goats and nuts reign supreme, the economy is in shambles, political hierarchy is determined by physical strength, and all the women are named Angela. From there, it weird. But the whole movie is ankle deep and head first in good clean fun, political intrigue, slapstick comedy, love, sexual innuendo, and athletic improbabilities.

"Oh father, they won't hurt him will they?"
"Only for about two hours. Then they'll shoot him"

This movie is a masterpiece of comedy!! When will it be available on DVD?


The best in the Screwballs class!   January 21, 1999
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is one of the wackiest comedies ever made. A non-stop, star-studded orgy of inspired lunacy that was the hallmark of the greatest comedies of the 1930's/early 40's (and a thoroughly extinct species in the 1990's). Every Hollywood funny man and funny woman of the day seems to have wormed their way into this one. An absolute gem. Total, cathartic laugh therapy.