How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Action, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, Rory Calhoun, William Powell
Resourceful Schatze Page (Lauren Bacall), spunky Loco Dempsey (Betty Grable), and ditsy Pola Debevoise (Marilyn Monroe) rent a luxurious Sutton Place penthouse from Freddie Denmark (David Wayne), who is avoiding the IRS by living in Europe. The women plan to use it to attract and marry millionaires. When money is tight, Schatze pawns some of Freddie's furniture, without his knowledge of course; as winter approaches, the furnishings gradually vanish.One day, Loco carries in some groceries, assisted by Tom Brookman (Cameron Mitchell). Tom is very interested in Schatze, but she knows from prior marital experience what he is - a "gas pump jockey" - and tries repeatedly to brush him off, without success. Turns out Brookman is the rich owner of the Brookman Building in Manhattan.Schatze says that she was married once and got nothing in the divorce. She says that the man gave her a false name and was already married. Schatze says that she learned about using her brain to pick the right husband. Schatze has a strict rule that any gentleman callers need to be wearing a necktie (making nothing less than 6 figures a year), whereas Loco is a bit easier going and can attract men by using her quarter (the 25-cent coin). Schatze has her sights on bigger game: the charming, classy widower J.D. Hanley (William Powell) whose worth is irreproachably large. It was Loco who met JD in the mink department at Bergdorf's and brings him home. Schatze is immediately interested. JD is from Dallas, Texas and is a cattle rancher. He is a member of the Oil Institute and invites the girls to a party which would have all oilmen and bankers. All the while Schatze is stalking the older J.D. (JD's wife is dead and has a daughter), Tom keeps after her. He hires the modeling agency that Schatze works for and asks them specifically for Schatze to model some clothes for his aunt. After every one of their dates, she tells him she never wants to see him again. She refuses to marry a poor man again.Meanwhile, Loco becomes acquainted with a grumpy businessman Waldo Brewster (Fred Clark). Waldo is married, but she agrees to go with him to his "lodge" in Maine, mistakenly thinking that she is being invited to a party where she is going to meet a bunch of Elks Club members. When she learns the truth that Waldo only wanted to have sex with her, she wants nothing to do with his plans. Unfortunately, she comes down with the measles and has to stay in the lodge until cured. Waldo refuses to call a doctor as Waldo is well known in the area and he wants to avoid a scandal. She is nursed back to health with the help of a strapping young man named Eben (Rory Calhoun), who she thinks owns most of the surrounding land. She has no trouble transferring her affections to the handsome outdoors-man and they become engaged. When she finds out that he's just a forest ranger, guarding against fires on "his" land, she is very disappointed, but she loves him and is willing to overlook his financial shortcomings.Meanwhile Freddie returns to his apartment and sees that all the furniture has been sold and Schatze is on a date with JD. JD tells Schatze that he is too old to be dating a 20-year-old. Freddie hides from them and manages to exit the apartment unseen. The third member of the group, Pola, is extremely nearsighted, but hates to wear her glasses where any man might see her. As she puts it, "Men aren't attentive to girls who wear glasses." She falls for a phony Arab oil tycoon, not knowing he's really a crooked speculator. Luckily, when she takes a plane to meet him in Atlantic City, she misreads an airport sign and ends up on the wrong plane. She sits next to a man, also wearing glasses, who thinks she's "quite a strudel" and encourages her to put hers on. It turns out that he is the mysterious Freddie Denmark; he is on his way to Kansas City to find the crooked accountant who got him into trouble with the IRS. He doesn't have much luck when he tracks the man down (he gets beaten up) but has much more success with Pola.Loco, and Pola are reunited with Schatze just before her wedding. She finally managed to overcome J.D.'s qualms about their age difference. Tom shows up and is recognized by the groom. It turns out that Tom is by far the richer of the two men. J.D. has an inkling how things are going to turn out, so he is not too surprised when Schatze finds herself unable to go through with the wedding because she doesn't love him. J.D. leaves graciously and Schatze, against her better judgment, ends up marrying Tom.Afterwards, the three happy couples end up at a greasy spoon diner. Schatze jokingly asks Eben and Freddie about their financial prospects, which are slim. When she finally gets around to Tom, he casually admits a net worth of around $200 million, which no one takes seriously. He then calls for the check, pulls out an enormous wad of money, and pays with a $1,000 bill, telling the chef to keep the change. The three astonished women faint, and the men drink a toast to their unconscious wives.
  • 1953-11-04 Released:
  • N/A DVD Release:
  • N/A Box office:
  • N/A Writer:
  • Jean Negulesco Director:
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