Rich Man, Poor Girl (1938)

Just perfect...

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Ruth Hussey works for Robert Young and is preparing to go on vacation, so she instructs Virginia Grey what to do and how and when to do it in her absence. But then Bob enters the office and we see that Bob and Ruth are more than boss and secretary. Long story short, she doesn't go on her vacation after all, when Bob on the spot proposes to her. But, after missing her train, instead of jumping in with both feet, her pride gets in the way and she tells him they need to wait, because essentially they come from different backgrounds. So he decides, in order to understand her point of view, he must live with her family for a spell. Enter Ruth's zany family, especially Lew Ayres, who plays a cousin and who is constantly spouting off about "the great working class." Picture this. A rich man needs his appendix out. No problem. He can pay it. A poor man needs his appendix out. No problem. He's poor and not expected to pay. But the working class, woe is him. He's always behind the eight ball with bills and an operation he's expected to pay and go in debt because of it. This film is never dull and is very stimulating with constant bickering between him and sister Lana Turner, who dreams of a plush life, with nice things and keeps calling their place "a dump." Lana makes the most of her supporting role and gives a great performance, especially in her big crying scene. It could be said that she stands out as the highlight of the film, aside from Lew's tirades. (Lana had already been in the Andy Hardy series at this point and would make two more pictures with costar Lew Ayres. Lana's stardom was definitely on the ascendant. And, by the way, this is the first time she and costar Virginia Grey would be in the same picture together. Ms. Grey would be Lana's most frequent costar in her career.) Guy Kibbee is the father, who works in a hardware school and the mother loves the sea, as her ancestors were whalers. From stimulating conversation about "the great working class" and health reform (ideas still relevant today) and the chaotic life it appears the Thayers live, this short film delivers a punch and will leave you pleasantly fulfilled. "Rich Man, Poor Girl" is a stepping stone in the career of Lana Turner that has gotten lost in the shuffle, but its ideas are timeless and its characters are too vivid to forget.

There are two things interesting about this film. First off, a particularly strong cast for a B picture. The second thing that is interesting about this film is that it is a switch on an engagement of a rich man and a poor girl -- it's the poor folk who are the snobs here (well, not all of them, but that's really the point of the film).Robert Young was excellent here, and it reminds me that I often wondered why he wasn't more successful in films (of course, that lack of success led to one of the most successful careers in television, so who's complaining?). Here he plays the rich man who wants to marry the somewhat poor girl...his secretary.Ruth Hussey is the female lead -- the secretary. She's also excellent here.And then you have the supporting roles. Lana Turner in a very different role for her, and she's so young here it's almost difficult to recognize her. When she was older, I liked Lana Turner very much, but I was not particularly impressed here with her one especially big scene' it just seemed forced.Guy Kibbee (always a welcome face in film) plays the father here, and it works just right.Lew Ayres plays the ne'er do well brother who is always losing a job and who really dislikes the rich. He comes across as a whiner. His role is sometimes a bit like oin "Holiday", but in "Holiday" it worked...here it doesn't.Sarah Padden is wonderful as the very common-sense mother.The film would be much better if they chopped the first 5 or so minutes off. It starts off terribly and irrelevantly. It gets much better as Young is introduced to the family (except for the reaction of Lew Ayres) and goes to live with them in their middle class apartment for a few days. It all seems rather lighthearted, but the mood changes drastically toward the end of the film...and then...Definitely a B film, but an interesting one...just ignore the opening scenes.

Ruth Hussy is the secretary to her rich boss (Robert Young). Suddenly, out of the blue, they realize how much they love each other and plan to marry. But first, he needs to meet her family. During this kooky meeting, it becomes obvious to Ruth that her working-class background is so completely unlike Young's upper-crust world that they should slow down--and wait to marry. So, to help things along, Young decides to 'slum it'--to hang with her family and get to know them better. However, some of her family are pretty annoying and what will happen when Young tries to help out and improve their lives? Oddly, his kind gestures aren't always appreciated.This is a pretty enjoyable comedy with some fun performances. However enjoyable though, it is a bit uneven and is not a great comedy--just a nice one that fans of old films will likely like. When you watch, get a load of Lana Turner before her big Hollywood makeover. She sure looked very, very different--and a lot more natural.

During the 1930s' and the Great Depression Hollywood seemed to need too exclaim some sort of social conscience. Many of these films were meant to show that the 'Rich' could fall in love with the poor and they were not much different then the rest of us. Particularly if the 'Poor Girl', was attractive, well dressed and spoken and her 'seams' were always straight.RUTH HUSSEY filled the 'Poor Girl' role in 'Rich Man, Poor Girl' (1938). ROBERT YOUNG, the boss and 'Rich Man' who falls in love, wants to marry her and bring her up to his speed. Which by the way IS her speed. The conflict, is that the POOR GIRLs' family is a bunch of boobs, save for the Mother who had married beneath her for love. The worst of the lot is a Cousin played by LEW AYRES. He feels the need to dispense 'lunatic left' philosophy whenever the opportunity presents itself in the guise of representing the great (and unspoken) middle class. Not holding onto a job during the Great Depression is supposed to be one of his endearing traits. Did not play well then and does not in the early 21st Century.While HUSSEY and YOUNGs' character are sympathetic and the Mother SARAH PADDEN rings true the rest are just stereotypes. A young LANA TURNER of course is always worth looking at, but LEW AYRES character is not. He had been placed in this type of role before, if not him, HENRY FONDA or JAMES STEWART. They infest themselves with a-lot of Politically Correct social conscience (nonsense), but NO real solutions for any problems. Fortunetly common sense and true love win out in the end and everybody lives 'happyly ever after'. Wish all problems of the World could be solved as easily as in this movie.