Daughter of Luxury (1931)
"Five and Ten" (original title)

John owns the largest chain of five and ten cent stores in the country. He moves his family to New York from Kansas City and their life, though grand, is falling apart due to his constant ... See full summary »

Writers:

Fannie Hurst (novel), A.P. Younger (adaptation),

Stars:

Marion Davies, Leslie Howard, Richard Bennett

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marion Davies	...	Jennifer Rarick
Leslie Howard	...	Berry Rhodes
Richard Bennett	...	John G. Rarick
Irene Rich	...	Jenny Rarick
Douglass Montgomery	...	Avery Rarick (as Kent Douglass)
Mary Duncan	...	Muriel Preston
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arthur Housman	...	Piggy (scenes deleted)

Storyline

John owns the largest chain of five and ten cent stores in the country. He moves his family to New York from Kansas City and their life, though grand, is falling apart due to his constant working. Wife and mother Jenny is lonely. Son Avery hates his job. Daughter Jennifer is snubbed by classmate Muriel and her friends. At a charity bazaar, Jennifer meets Berry and sparks are evident. However, he is engaged to Muriel and Muriel will make sure that she, and only she, marries Berry. After the marriage, Berry still thinks of Jennifer as Jennifer thinks of Berry. Avery laments about the state of his family since they were happy in Kansas City.

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Plot Keywords:

charity bazaar | work obsession | drunkenness | new york city | skyscraper | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1931 (USA)

Also Known As:

Daughter of Luxury

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cosmopolitan Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 89 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Arthur Housman is in studio records/casting call lists for the role of "Piggy," but he did not appear in the movie.

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Quotes

[Berry enters room]
Jennifer Rarick: Berry!
Bertram 'Berry' Rhodes: So you would hold out on me, wouldn't you?
Jennifer Rarick: Get out of here. Can't you see I'm not dressed?
Bertram 'Berry' Rhodes: That's all right. I don't mind. Not bad either, if I do say so.
Jennifer Rarick: Have you gone mad?
Bertram 'Berry' Rhodes: Something's come over me. Maybe that's it.
[Sounds of door locking]
Jennifer Rarick: Berry...
[Berry laughs]
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Trail to Mexico (Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie)"
(uncredited)
Traditional ballad
Sung a cappella by Douglass Montgomery

User Reviews

What Wealth Does

After moving to New York City from Kansas, five-and-ten cent store heiress Marion Davies (as Jennifer Rarick) enters high society in style. Attending a charity event with her $5,000 donation from daddy, Ms. Davies is smitten with attractive architect Leslie Howard (as Bertram "Berry" Rhodes). But he is engaged to Mary Duncan (as Muriel Preston). While Davies decides to pursue Mr. Howard to the alter - even if it isn't her own - the rest of her family is falling apart. Strictly business-minded father Richard Bennett (as John G. Rarick) neglects wife Irene Rich (as Jenny). She sees more of gigolo Theodore von Eltz (as Ramon). And, nobody notices brother Kent Douglass Montgomery (as Avery Rarick) may headed for an emotional break-down...

Davies produced "Five and Ten" with director Robert Z. Leonard and, given the MGM team, delivers quality product. A bigger box office star than acknowledged during the "silent" 1920s, Davies was still popular, but not enough to cover production costs. Howard had enough star-quality to carry a film on his own, even this early in his career, but he and Davies are upstaged by others in the cast. One wonders if the original Fannie Hurst story had more involving the "Rarick" family. The effects of wealth on the characters is more interesting than the "love story" between Davies and Howard. An even distribution of resources and story might have helped "Five and Ten" recover costs. Watch for Mr. Montgomery's troubled "Avery" to steal the film.

****** Five and Ten (6/13/31) Robert Z. Leonard ~ Marion Davies, Leslie Howard, Douglass Montgomery, Richard Bennett