Twenty Million Sweethearts Explained

Twenty Million Sweethearts
Director:	Ray Enright
Starring:	Pat O'Brien Dick Powell Ginger Rogers
Music:	Harry Warren
Cinematography:	Sidney Hickox
Editing:	Clarence Kolster
Distributor:	First National Warner Bros.
Runtime:	89 minutes
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Budget:	$202,000^[1]
Gross:	$1,213,000

Twenty Million Sweethearts is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Ray Enright and starring Pat O'Brien, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, and the Mills Brothers. The film was remade in 1949 as My Dream Is Yours.

Plot

Agent Russell Edward "Rush" Blake (Pat O'Brien) is able to promote the singing tenor waiter Buddy Clayton (Dick Powell) as a major radio star, while Buddy's wife Peggy Cornell (Ginger Rogers) loses out. In the end, Peggy does not lose Buddy to his "twenty million sweethearts" – his female fans.

Cast

• Pat O'Brien as Russell Edward "Rush" Blake
• Dick Powell as Buddy Clayton
• Ginger Rogers as Peggy Cornell
• Ted Fio Rito as himself
• Allen Jenkins as Uncle Pete
• Grant Mitchell as Chester A. Sharpe
• Joseph Cawthorn as Mr. Herbert "Herbie" Brokman
• Joan Wheeler as Marge, the Receptionist
• Henry O'Neill as Lemuel Tappan
• Johnny Arthur as Norma Hanson's Secretary
• The Mills Brothers as themselves
• The Radio Rogues as themselves
• George Chandler as Johnny Klinger, radio columnist (uncredited)

Music

The film features the well-known song "I'll String Along with You" by Harry Warren and Al Dubin.

Reception

The film was considered a box-office disappointment for Warner Bros.^[2] According to studio records, it earned $821,000 domestically and $392,000 overseas.^[1]

Notes and References

1. Glancy . H. Mark . Warner Bros Film Grosses, 1921–51: The William Schaefer Ledger . Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television . 1995 . 15 . 15 . 10.1080/01439689508604551.
2. News: Churchill . Douglas W. . Taking A Look at the Record . November 25, 1934 . The New York Times . . subscription.