Three Million Dollars

Told that daughter Pauline Bush will inherit three million dollars if she shows up with a marriage license, George Periolat is upset she insists on someone who loves her. He orders his cow hands to kidnap all the handsome men in the county. When they turn up with J. Warren Kerrigan and hogtie him next to Pauline...

This is a primitive and rowdy western comedy, typical of the era. What is interesting is the way that director Allan Dwan brings out his actors' pleasure in the silly little affair. It was one of his numerous strengths as a director in his half-century behind the megaphone; it was a talent more common to the stage, or perhaps more apparent there.

Anyone who goes to Harpodeon.com to look at this film will also find Dwan's other strengths on view in rawer form than they would be revealed later on. Even though my pleasure in this work is peculiarly academic -- I am more interested in finding hints of what Dwan will become rather than the movie at hand -- fans of early movies of Mr. Dwan should find it a pleasant fifteen minutes.