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''Quick Millions'' is a 1931 pre-Code crime film directed by
Rowland Brown Rowland Brown (November 6, 1900 – May 6, 1963), born Chauncey Rowland Brown in Canton, Ohio, was an American screenwriter and film director, whose career as a director ended in the early 1930s after he started many more films than he finished. ...
and starring
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...
,
Marguerite Churchill Marguerite Churchill (December 26, 1910 – January 9, 2000) was an American stage and film actress whose career lasted 30 years, from 1922 to 1952. She was John Wayne's first leading lady, in ''The Big Trail'' (1930). Early years She was th ...
, Sally Eilers, and featuring
George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...
as the sidekick with a solo eccentric dance performance. It was the first of only three films directed by Rowland Brown.


Plot

Daniel "Bugs" Raymond (
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...
) is a truck driver who is tired of working for a living and not getting ahead. He realizes the trucks and their drivers are making the business owners rich and hatches a protection racket where he controls the use of the trucks and men to drive them. Along the way, he sees Dorothy Stone (
Marguerite Churchill Marguerite Churchill (December 26, 1910 – January 9, 2000) was an American stage and film actress whose career lasted 30 years, from 1922 to 1952. She was John Wayne's first leading lady, in ''The Big Trail'' (1930). Early years She was th ...
), a wealthy woman "with class," and wants her, although he has a girlfriend Daisy ( Sally Eilers). Dorothy is engaged to another. Bugs maneuvers his way into the business of Dorothy's brother (who recognizes he will lose everything without Bugs) and participates in society. Bugs and his buddies steal incriminating evidence from corrupt politicians and law enforcement in order to keep them from going after the protection racket. There are great scenes of the gang, including a dance number of Jimmy Kirk (
George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...
). Kirk is one of Raymond's lieutenants and he commits murder for hire of a journalist for one of Raymond's competitors, "Nails" ( Warner Richmond), who wants to take over the lucrative racket. Bugs then has to take care of Kirk, and society has had enough of the lawlessness and racketeering. The newsreels and politicians speak out against Bugs—making him angry. He decides to crash "in morning coats" Dorothy's society wedding with all his gang and show how he is now a part of society. He delivers his philosophy of how he is as much law-abiding as those in power. Daisy is upset, feeling some foreboding. On their way to the wedding, and during a wedding montage, Bugs is assassinated by Nails and the story comes to an end.


Cast

*
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...
as Daniel Raymond *
Marguerite Churchill Marguerite Churchill (December 26, 1910 – January 9, 2000) was an American stage and film actress whose career lasted 30 years, from 1922 to 1952. She was John Wayne's first leading lady, in ''The Big Trail'' (1930). Early years She was th ...
as Dorothy Stone * Sally Eilers as Daisy De Lisle * Bob Burns as Arkansas Smith * John Wray as Kenneth Stone * Warner Richmond as "Nails" Markey *
George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...
as Jimmy Kirk *John Swor as Contractor *
Leon Ames Leon Ames (born Harry L. Wycoff;U.S. Federal Census for 1910 for Fowler, Center Township, Benton County, State of Indiana, access via Ancestry.com January 20, 1902 – October 12, 1993) was an American film and television actor. He is best rememb ...
as Hood (as Leon Waycoff) *
Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Ber ...
(uncredited)


Production

Rowland Brown had wanted to break into Hollywood but not succeeded until he sold ''Doorway to Hell''. He then wrote ''Skyline'' and persuaded Fox to let him direct. The film was also known as ''Hoodlum''. The film gave an early role to
George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...
who had been spotted dancing by director Rowland Brown. According to the ''Los Angeles Times'' "Brown was looking for menace with sex appeal" and Raft was filming the day after Brown first saw him. (Another account says Raft was recommended to Brown by
Owney Madden Owen Vincent "Owney" Madden (December 18, 1891 – April 24, 1965) was a British-born gangster of Irish ancestry who became a leading underworld figure in New York during Prohibition. Nicknamed "The Killer", he garnered a brutal reputation within ...
.) The fact that this was Raft's first major role in a narrative feature film accounts for his low billing (seventh in the cast) despite the large size of his supporting part. Raft played an extremely similar role the following year in '' Scarface'' (1932) starring
Paul Muni Paul Muni (born Frederich Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund; September 22, 1895– August 25, 1967) was an American stage and film actor who grew up in Chicago. Muni was a five-time Academy Award nominee, with one win. He started his acting career in ...
, which catapulted his career into stardom.


Reception

The ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "unrelieved, unrelenting... gray and cold and harsh." The ''New York Times'' said it was "endowed with originality and suspense" and was "exceeding well directed and ably acted." According to ''Filmink'' magazine "Raft was chosen for his 'seductive menace' and it was a decent part – flirting with girls, bumping off fellow gangsters, being shot down by Tracy. Raft wasn't much of a technical actor – he never would be, not really – but he had swarthy good looks, moved with a dancer's grace and brought authenticity to any role that involved speakeasies, shoot outs and nightclubs."


References


External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0022290, title=Quick Millions
Quick Millions
at
TCMDB Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of At ...
1931 films 1931 crime drama films American crime drama films Films directed by Rowland Brown Films produced by William Fox American black-and-white films Fox Film films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films