How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

By CinemaSerf

Despite the flat-as-a-pancake orchestral opening at the start, this film is really all about Lauren Bacall. She ("Schatze") lives with fellow models "Pola" (Marilyn Monroe) and "Loco" (Betty Grable) and are down to their last cent. Unless they can raise some money sharpish, they are going to be out on the street - and none of these fur wearing, champagne swilling, women are in any way equipped for that! On their terrace one afternoon, they hit on a plan. Marry a millionaire. They all know plenty of them, they are gorgeous and the men usually too stupid, or vain, to know when they are being played. How hard can it be? Well, as this light-hearted comedy unfolds, they discover that separating the wheat from the intellectual chaff isn't that simple after all. "Schatze" takes a shine to "Hanley" (William Powell) but he turns out to be a surprisingly decent cove and she must look elsewhere. Then there's "Pola" - who has the eyesight of a very old mole. She alights on "Freddie" (David Wayne) before, finally, "Loco" who really hasn't a clue what she's doing with "Eben" (Rory Calhoun) and/or "Tom" (Cameron Mitchell). Thing is, though - aside from Powell, they don't appear to have any money? How will this solve their problem? Now we know that one of these boys is actually as wealthy as Croesus, but they are oblivious and believe it or not, they might actually be starting to think about their choices based on the "l" word! Bacall is in her element here. She epitomises her elegant and smart character. Monroe does the ditzy and affectionate rather well and Grable, well she docent really feature much at all as the story develops. The first film in Cinemascope and a curiously stage-bound choice for it, but that aside it's an engaging enough rom-com that allows three women to play the game for all it's worth.