The Milky Way (1936 film)
| The Milky Way | |
|---|---|
DVD cover
|
|
| Directed by | Leo McCarey |
| Produced by | E. Lloyd Sheldon |
| Written by |
Play: Lynn Root Harry Clork Screenplay: Grover Jones Frank Butler Richard Connell |
| Starring | Harold Lloyd |
| Music by | Tom Satterfield Victor Young |
| Cinematography | Alfred Gilks |
| Edited by | LeRoy Stone |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
88 min |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,032,798.21 |
| Box office | $1,170,000 (US) |
The Milky Way is a 1936 comedy film starring Harold Lloyd. Directed by comedy veteran Leo McCarey, the film was written by Grover Jones, Frank Butler and Richard Connell based on a play of the same name by Lynn Root and Harry Clork which was presented on Broadway in 1934.
An example of the popular screwball comedy genre of the time, and critically Harold Lloyd's most successful talkie, it tells the story of a Brooklyn milkman who becomes middleweight boxing champion. The Milky Way features supporting performances by Adolphe Menjou and Verree Teasdale.
Timid milkman Burleigh Sullivan (Lloyd) works for the American company, Sunflower Dairies. Two drunk men try to chat up Mae, Burleigh's sister, and he chances by. In an ensuing brawl, Speed McFarland, the world middleweight champion, gets knocked out (but Burleigh never in fact threw a punch; he merely ducked to get out of the way of a punch which brought the champ down).
McFarland's boss, the crooked Gabby Sloan (Adolphe Menjou), decides to promote Sullivan in a series of fixed fights that will culminate in him being knocked out in a real fight with McFarland. Against all the odds, Sullivan triumphs and becomes world champion.
Cast notes:
The Milky Way had originally been optioned as a vehicle for Jack Oakie with Edward Everett Horton and Gertrude Michael in the main supporting roles, but when Oakie was replaced with Harold Lloyd, the role of the manager was to go to William Frawley, because studio executives felt that Lloyd and Horton were too similar in comic style. The part eventually went to Adolphe Menjou. Both Brian Donlevy, who played the role of "Speed McFarland" on Broadway, and boxer-turned-actor Max Baer were considered for roles in the film, but were not cast. Actress Ida Lupino was to have played "Polly Pringle", but dropped out because of illness, to be replaced by Dorothy Wilson. Helen Mack and Verree Teasdale were also replacements, the parts having originally gone to Sally Blane and Gail Patrick. Although they are not in the film, before filming began, the Dionne Quintuplets had been expected to make an appearance.
...
Wikipedia