How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Nunnally Johnson (screenplay)
Zoe Akins (plays) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 November 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Love | Millionaire | Money | Model | Bachelor

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Adler	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Merry Anders	...	Model (uncredited)
Jan Arvan	...	Tony (uncredited)
Charlotte Austin	...	Model (uncredited)
Benny Burt	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Harry Carter	...	Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Waiter at Wedding (uncredited)
Herbert Deans	...	Steward (uncredited)
Van Des Autels	...	Best Man (uncredited)
George Dunn	...	Mike - Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Elaine DuPont	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Eve Finnell	...	Stewardess (uncredited)
Ivis Goulding	...	Maid (uncredited)
Tom Greenway	...	Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Ruth Hall	...	Model (uncredited)
Percy Helton	...	Mr. Benton (uncredited)
Hope Landin	...	Mrs. Salem (uncredited)
Jane Liddell	...	Model (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis	...	Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Rankin Mansfield	...	Bennett (uncredited)
Maurice Marsac	...	Mr. Antoine (uncredited)
Thomas Martin	...	Pete (uncredited)
Tom Martin	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Beryl McCutcheon	...	Model (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Alfred Newman	...	Orchestra Conductor in Prologue (uncredited)
Tudor Owen	...	Mr. Otis (uncredited)
Ralph Reed	...	Jewelry Salesman (uncredited)
George Saurel	...	Emir (uncredited)
Richard Shackleton	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Hermine Sterler	...	Madame (uncredited)
James Stone	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Lida Thomas	...	Model (uncredited)
Ivan Triesault	...	Phillip - Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt	...	Arab (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Man at George Washington Bridge (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Butler (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean Negulesco

Writing credits
Nunnally Johnson		(screenplay)
Zoe Akins		(plays) and
Dale Eunson		(plays) and
Katherine Albert		(plays)

Produced by
Nunnally Johnson	....	producer

Original Music by
Cyril J. Mockridge		(as Cyril Mockridge)

Cinematography by
Joseph MacDonald		(as Joe MacDonald)

Film Editing by
Louis R. Loeffler		(as Louis Loeffler)

Casting by
Walter Whaley		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Leland Fuller
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Stuart A. Reiss		(as Stuart Reiss)
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Travilla

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Marie Brasselle	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Dick Hamilton	....	makeup assistant (uncredited)
George Lane	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Kay Reed	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Bill Riddle	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Gaston Glass	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Abe Steinberg	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
F.E. 'Johnny' Johnston	....	assistant director (as F.E. Johnston)
Paul Helmick	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Larry Haddock	....	assistant props (uncredited)
Fred R. Simpson	....	prop master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alfred Bruzlin	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Louis Angell	....	cable person (uncredited)
Del Harris	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Kenneth Honnold	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Charles Kohl	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Spurgeon Marsh	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Harry Roberts	....	boom (uncredited)
Mert Strong	....	boom (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ray Kellogg	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Cable	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Charles G. Clarke	....	location photographer (uncredited)
Frank Cory	....	key grip (uncredited)
Les Everson	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Bob Henderson	....	best boy (uncredited)
Roy Ivey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Anthony Ugrin	....	stills (uncredited)
John Van Wormer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Owen McLean	....	unit casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Josephine Brown	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ann Landers	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Norman Martien	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Margaret Warren	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
William Mace	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)
Willie Navarro	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)
Orven Schanzer	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator
Bernard Mayers	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Leonard Doss	....	technicolor color consultant
Billy Daniel	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Herschel Daugherty	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Grady Johnson	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Rose Steinberg	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1961) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• 20th Century Fox (1954) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

France:U | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #16443) | Canada:G (video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:12 | Norway:7

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Before becoming a major Hollywood success, Lauren Bacall worked as a model for several years of her teenage life while auditioning for roles on Broadway. The modeling she did is exactly like that of her character Ms. Paige, showing pieces for clients.

Goofs:

Continuity: The flowers change position in the bedroom during the wedding party.

Quotes:

[Referring to older men marrying young women]
Schatze Page: Look at Roosevelt, look at Churchill, look at old fella what's his name in The African Queen.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend (1987)

Soundtrack:

Ach, du Lieber Augustine

Caustic and sweet go hand in hand.

Loco Dempsey, Pola Debevoise and Schatze Page, each one a pretty model, their goal in life?, to marry millionaires. They set themselves up in a top apartment and set about wooing any potential suitors, trouble is is that it's hard to tell the rich from the normal, and love may just have a say after all.

Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall play our three dubiously motivated ladies, each one putting a delightful stamp on each respective character. Filmed in CinemaScope, New York {and the girls Manhattan apartment}is beautifully realised and with the restored DVDs available, the colour positively gleams on the screen. The story itself is a fun one, tho at its core it's of course greedy and selfish, but this is a romantic comedy that plays out with delightful ease, and thankfully doesn't contain pointless filler scenes to purely showcase the actresses on show.

Monroe has never looked as pretty as she does here, some of her other films are obviously more famous, but she radiates sexiness and with her character being vision impaired, she gets to show the wonderful comedic talent that she definitely had. Bacall clearly is the best actor on show, so it's no surprise that she gets the best written part, at times bitter, intelligent and determined, her Schatze Page character is the glue binding the picture {and the girls} together. Betty Grable is solid without really impacting a great deal, with the boys {notably Rory Calhoun} offering entertaining support. How To Marry A Millionaire is simply a delightful movie that never over tries your patience, it's a fun ride with a little something for everyone, and it cheerily pays you off at the end. 7/10