Marilyn Monroe

Lauren Bacall

Betty Grable

David Wayne

Rory Calhoun

Cameron Mitchell

Alexander D'Arcy

Fred Clark

William Powell

Percy Helton

Harry James

Hope Landin

Ruth Hall

Charlotte Austin

Merry Anders

Robert Adler

Tom Greenway

Jan Arvan

John Breen

Benny Burt

Harry Carter

Jack Chefe

Oliver Cross

Herbert Deans

Van Des Autels

George Dunn

Elaine DuPont

Eve Finnell

Kenneth Gibson

James Gonzalez

Ivis Goulding

Jane Liddell

Robert Locke Lorraine

Dayton Lummis

Rankin Mansfield

Maurice Marsac

Thomas Martin

Beryl McCutcheon

Harold Miller

Alfred Newman

Barry Norton

Tudor Owen

Murray Pollack

Ralph Reed

George Saurel

Bernard Sell

Richard Shackleton

Hermine Sterler

James Stone

Larri Thomas

Lida Thomas

Ivan Triesault

Tyra Vaughn

Emmett Vogan

Eric Wilton

Jean Negulesco

Nunnally Johnson

Joseph MacDonald

Louis R. Loeffler

Billy Daniel

Bill Riddle

F.E. 'Johnny' Johnston

Del Harris

Walter Whaley

Dick Hamilton

Kay Reed

Paul Helmick

Lyman Hallowell

Marie Brasselle

Allan Snyder

Charles Kohl

Kenneth Honnold

George Lane

Walter M. Scott

Ray Kellogg

Edward B. Powell

Lyle R. Wheeler

Ben Nye

Forrest E. Johnston

Cyril J. Mockridge

Stuart A. Reiss

Charles LeMaire

Leonard Doss

Alfred Bruzlin

Leland Fuller

Roger Heman Sr.

Travilla

Zoe Akins

Katherine Albert

Dale Eunson

Comedy

Romance

How to Marry a Millionaire

20th Century Fox

United States of America

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.