The Richest Girl in the World (1934)

"The Richest Girl in the World" is reclusive Miriam Hopkins (as Dorothy Hunter). She attracts men, but wonders if it is possible to find true love. After breaking off an engagement, Ms. Hopkins meets attractive Joel McCrea (Anthony "Tony" Travers) in her regular guise, pretending to be pretty secretary Fay Wray (as Sylvia). Hopkins uses Ms. Wray to switch roles, so she can play pool rather than attend business meetings. When Mr. McCrea meets Hopkins, he is quite taken, but winds up on a canoe date with Wray, instead. Hopkins and Wray's husband Reginald Denny (Phillip "Phil" Lockwood) knock their boat over. Hopkins decides to test McCrea by encouraging him to pursue "fake" heiress Wray. It sounds silly, but everyone manages to make it mildly engaging. Norman Krasna's script even received an "Oscar" nomination. Mentor Henry Stephenson (as Connors) and maid Beryl Mercer (as Marie) are also good.****** The Richest Girl in the World (9/21/34) William A. Seiter ~ Miriam Hopkins, Joel McCrea, Fay Wray, Reginald Denny

I came to this film because I'd just seen its musical remake, The French Line, a campy colour affair with Jane Russell, 'presented by' Howard Hughes. The French Line isn't unwatchable, although one may want to peep through one's fingers during the cowgirl dance number, but it is outstandingly dated in terms of male-female relations. Jane Russell's richest-girl-in-the-world is warned from the start that she will put men off with her rootin' tootin' tomboyish get-up & behaviour, but it's her money and power that will really convince them she's wearing the pants.I am mad about Joel McCrea and I like Hopkins a lot. I wanted to see what the original was like. And of course, because it's the 30s there's no such issue. Men and women can be knockabout pals, Joel McCrea is enchanted when Hopkins thrashes him at billiards, they get drunk together, fall asleep smoochily together and the happy ending is wonderfully engineered: you relax your modern PC concerns even though the penultimate scene features McCrea picking her up (protesting wildly) and (off-camera) locking her in his car. It squeaked into cinemas pre-Hays, too, so the last couple of scenes in particular are pretty racy and very funny. The two leads play beautifully together and Fay Wray is always good.

Though the Academy presented an Oscar nomination for the screenplay of this movie, the story does not make a lot of sense. In order to find a man who loves her for herself instead of her money, Dorothy Hunter (Miriam Hopkins) switches identities with her secretary. Yet when Tony Travers (Joel McCrea) persists in pursuing the "false" Dorothy Hunter (Fay Wray), the real Dorothy continues to want Tony for herself.Right up to the end, when Tony has finally popped the question to the false Dorothy, the real Dorothy continues to love him. It is only a last-minute switcheroo that causes Tony to end up married to the real Dorothy--and even then she is still disguised as the secretary! Why Tony persists in chasing after the woman whom he thinks is the richest girl in the world is a mystery. Does he really love her? No sign that he does. Does he want her just for her money? This seems to be the case, though even that is never made clear in the movie.The situation is not helped by the performance of Joel McCrea. In some films, such as Preston Sturges' "Sullivan's Travels" and "Palm Beach Story," McCrea's deadpan demeanor actually plays into the humor of the situation, particularly when he plays opposite a talented co-star and comically gifted supporting cast. But in this movie Joel McCray borders on the inert. He comes across as a mere hunk, dense and single-minded in his pursuit of the false Dorothy.

I saw this short film, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, and saw the resemblance to the richest woman in the world...Miss Hutton. Miss Hopkins was a good actress, but not very attractive. I would put her in the same category of Glen Close today. Fay Wray, her costar was far prettier.., but a featured player. The curiousity of Joel McCreas character of wheather he would pick Miss Hopkins or Miss Wray, kept me interested, until towards the end, which was unplausable. SPOILER: Now it may be that the film was badly edited at that time, but it was obvious to me, when they came to climax scene. Joel had just said good night to Fay at her room. Then they show Joel going over to Miriams room, which was just a few steps away and he knocks on her door wanting to talk to her. She responds that she was too tired and said good night. Disappointed, he walks over to the steps leading downstairs and sits there pondering, until he see's Fay's husband going directly into her room. Obviously, Joel's upset. The next morning at breakfast he blasts all of them, and punches Fay's husband on the jaw. Just then,Miriam 'confess's' to Joel, that it was her in that room where Fay was suppose to have been. Now, how can that be possible, unless the rooms are connected in such a way, that we couldn't see. That ruined it for me.