How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Three women set out to find eligible millionaires to marry, but find true love in the process.

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Nunnally Johnson (screenplay), Zoe Akins (plays),

Stars:

Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Betty Grable	...	Loco Dempsey
Marilyn Monroe	...	Pola Debevoise
Lauren Bacall	...	Schatze Page
David Wayne	...	Freddie Denmark
Rory Calhoun	...	Eben
Cameron Mitchell	...	Tom Brookman
Alexander D'Arcy	...	J. Stewart Merrill (as Alex D'Arcy)
Fred Clark	...	Waldo Brewster
William Powell	...	J.D. Hanley

Storyline

Three New York models, Shatze, Pola and Loco set-up in an exclusive appartment with a plan: tired of cheap men and a lack of money they intend to use all their talents to trap and marry three millionaires. The trouble is that's it's not so easy to tell the rich men from the huxters and even when they can, is the money really worth it?

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Plot Keywords:

money | love | millionaire | model | apartment | 

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Taglines:

The Most Glamorous Entertainment Of Your Lifetime in CinemaScope. You See It Without Glasses!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Latin Arabic

Release Date:

5 November 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cómo pescar a un millonario

Filming Locations:

36 Sutton Place South, Sutton Place, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Signed to Twentieth Century-Fox since October 35, 1939, Betty Grable informed the studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck during production that she would not commit to the remaining three years of her latest contract. On June 3, 1953, a studio press release announced the official split. Returning only once to Fox, Betty would star in How to Be Very, Very Popular, a vehicle in which Marilyn refused to appear and was replaced by Sheree North. Two unfulfilled proposals to have Miss Grable film again at Fox were the mother role (subsequently played by Ginger Rogers) in Teenage Rebel and then in 1964, another mom part in a project ultimately canceled named "High Heels."

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Goofs

When Schatze is walking up and down on the roof her shadow isn't matching the shadows on the buildings behind - her shadow falls the opposite way due to the lighting not matching the supposed position of the sun.

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Quotes

Loco Dempsey: I wouldn't mind marrying a Vanderbilt?
Pola Debevoise: Or Mr. Cadillac.
Schatze Page: No such person. I checked.
Loco Dempsey: Is there a Mr. Texaco?

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Connections

Referenced in All About My Mother (1999)

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Soundtracks

"How About You?"
(1941) (uncredited)
Music by Burton Lane
Background music played in the restaurant

User Reviews

Creamy

This film is about 3 girls with stupid names. Schatze (Lauren Bacall), Pola (Marilyn Monroe) and Loco (Betty Grable) rent a New York apartment with the aim of attracting millionaire husbands.

The cast is fine in this film with Bacall taking on the role of "leader" of the girls. She is the brains and has the great idea of selling the furniture in the flat to keep the cash coming in. Monroe is funny in her role as a short-sighted bimbo who keeps walking into things and she manages to carry it off in a way that's funny and not irritating. Grable is slightly brash and manages to be focused on snagging a rich guy but constantly getting disappointed. She has a funny moment where she can't recognize a Harry James tune on the radio

• Harry James was her real-life husband. Bacall has a moment like this

where she mentions that she is crazy about the guy in "The African Queen" - her real-life husband Humphrey Bogart. William Powell is good in his role as "JD Hanley" - sophisticated and world-weary and he allows us to understand that he can always survive a disappointment. I have to say that I didn't care much for Tom Brookman who plays "Cameron" and is a potential suitor for Lauren Bacall. He somehow doesn't quite fit. He seems more of a rebellious John Garfield type that just does his own thing in a not particularly very nice manner.

Unfortunately, the film wasn't as entertaining as I had expected. After a dreary start - we have to listen to an orchestra playing the whole of a repetitive tune for at least 5 minutes, we then cut to a montage of New York locations. The film doesn't actually start until after the first 10 minutes! Once it gets going, the film is watchable, Monroe providing the best moments but somewhere along the way, it loses steam. It is actually a relief to reach the end of the film. Still, it's OK entertainment with William Powell and Marilyn Monroe making things watchable. Check out the peculiar fashions of the day in the totally pointless fashion show sequence.