The Milky Way (1936)

Timid milkman, Burleigh Sullivan (Lloyd), somehow knocks out a boxing champ in a brawl. The fighter's manager decides to build up the milkman's reputation in a series of fixed fights and ... See full summary »

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Grover Jones (screen play), Frank Butler (screen play),

Stars:

Harold Lloyd, Adolphe Menjou, Verree Teasdale

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Harold Lloyd	...	Burleigh Sullivan
Adolphe Menjou	...	Gabby Sloan
Verree Teasdale	...	Ann Westley
Helen Mack	...	Mae Sullivan
William Gargan	...	Speed McFarland
George Barbier	...	Wilbur Austin
Dorothy Wilson	...	Polly Pringle
Lionel Stander	...	Spider Schultz
Charles Lane	...	Willard
Marjorie Gateson	...	Mrs. E. Winthrop LeMoyne

Storyline

Timid milkman, Burleigh Sullivan (Lloyd), somehow knocks out a boxing champ in a brawl. The fighter's manager decides to build up the milkman's reputation in a series of fixed fights and then have the champ beat him to regain his title.

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Plot Keywords:

milkman | boxing | fixed fight | contract | irish american | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 February 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aivotärähdys

Box Office

Budget:

$1,032,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 84 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When producer Samuel Goldwyn bought the rights to the property in the mid-1940s for his remake, The Kid from Brooklyn (with Danny Kaye in the lead role), he also bought the original negative and almost all existing prints, and destroyed them. After that time, the copyright was not renewed, and the title apparently fell into public domain, and, as a result, numerous VHS and DVD dealers, not having access to original material, included it in their inventories, offering vastly inferior copies. Harold Lloyd, however, had preserved his own original nitrate release print, which became the source for the new digital video transfer used by TCM and subsequent DVD releases.

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Goofs

As Ann Westley says, "This program is coming to you through the courtesy of Amalgamated Gas,", the word "amalgamated" does not match her lip movements and is clearly spoken by different voice. (approx. 24:55 into the film, NTSC)

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Crazy Credits

After the paramount logo is seen, a cow's head is superimposed on the logo. The cow then moos in what appears to be a parody of the MGM Lion's roar.

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius (1989)

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Soundtracks

"The Milky Way"
(1935) (uncredited)
Words by Tot Seymour
Music by Vee Lawnhurst

User Reviews

Harold Lloyd Ducks in the Ring

Mild-mannered milk truck driver Harold Lloyd (as Burleigh "Tiger" Sullivan) defends his sister against a drunken middleweight boxing champion, then is mistaken for a fighter. He can't really box, of course, but manager Adolphe Menjou (as Gabby Sloan) makes Mr. Lloyd a famous fighter by fixing fights. "The Milky Way" is neither the best nor the worst of Lloyd's talking pictures. He is given an able director, adequate vehicle, and an extended "comic" support. With his distinctive voice, Lionel Stander (as "Spider" Schultz) makes a strong impression. Some of former box office champion Lloyd's best material involved special effects, and he still looks magical performing "hat tricks" herein. Nevertheless, it's obviously not working as well as Lloyd's classic silent features.

***** The Milky Way (2/7/36) Leo McCarey ~ Harold Lloyd, Adolphe Menjou, Lionel Stander, Verree Teasdale