Highly Overrated But Still Good

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

I guess "Rich Man, Poor Girl" is supposed to be akin to "You Can't Take it With You" in that the Thayers are kind of whacko.This is a pleasant film about a wealthy man, Bill Harrison (Robert Young), who falls in love with his secretary, Joan Thayer (Ruth Hussey). She is a member of the Great Working Class.When she brings him home to meet the family, Joan realizes how far apart they are in terms of class and upbringing. She thinks they should wait to marry. To move the date sooner, Harrison moves in with the family. But when he tries to help them, his generosity isn't always well received.Lana Turner plays Helen, Joan's sister. Here she's probably 17 or 18 and adorable. Helen is thrilled that there's going to be a rich man in the family and can't wait. Her cousin Henry (Lew Ayres) is constantly giving bombastic lectures about the curse of "the great working class" and boy, does he sound timely. His speeches could be written today. For instance, he complains that a poor man can walk into a hospital and be treated, a wealthy man can afford to be treated, but what about the middle class? He has to pay and it could easily wipe him out.This is certainly a lively film, with Turner a standout. It's light but fun.

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.

Even though it's lighthearted, this film does touch on several issues that were important at the time: joblessness, income inequity, old age. It's only about six inches deep, but most movies at the time were only about an inch deep.And Ruth Hussey holds her own against Lana Turner (who does a creditable acting job, by the way).The only downside [** spoiler alert **]......is...... the ending. In the space of three or four minutes, most of the characters surrendered their principles, on which the entire movie is based. Very disappointing, as if the author/playwright/screenwriter ran out of time and wrapped things up quickly and sloppily.But overall, a mostly enjoyable film, with a glance at social problems.

Maltins book indicates that this is an imitation of"You Cant Take It With You".Given that i was never keen on that film my worst fears were realised.This is a bit of a mess as it lurches uncomfortably from comedy to drama and back again.The highlight of this film is a dark haired Lana Turner giving some indication of the star she would become within the next couple of years.Given that she does not have the poise of a star yet makes her performance that much more appealing.When she is on the screen lights up,when she is not the film becomes tiresome particularly the wild overacting of Lew Ayres who was rather more suited to the sobre role of Dr Kildare that he was about to take on.As for the leads well the less said the better.