THE RICHEST GIRL IN THE WORLD

US, 1934, 76 minutes, Black and white.
Miriam Hopkins, Joel Mc Rea, Fay Wray, Henry Stephenson, Reginald Denny.
Directed by William A. Seiter.

The Richest Girl in the World is a brief comedy from the early 1930s, winning an Oscar nomination for screenplay for Norman Krasna. The basic plot is allegedly based on millionaire heiress, Barbara Hutton, later to marry Cary Grant.

Miriam Hopkins obviously enjoys herself as Dorothy Hunter, the richest girl, who lives a secluded life, has a stand in for meetings and particular functions, Sylvia, played by Fay Wray, the year after King Kong. While she says she does not know anything about love, she encounters a young man, Joel Mc Rea, at a party, and pretends to be Sylvia. While he is interested in marrying the heiress, although he says he doesn’t know anything about love either, he becomes good friend to the real Dorothy despite her pretence.

A lot of the film involves testing the young man, so that he will choose the real Dorothy for herself and not just on the rebound. There are quite a number of deceptions, especially from Henry Stephenson who is the manager of Dorothy’s life and Reginald Denny as Sylvia’s husband.

The film has a lot on what used to be called sparkling dialogue. Unfortunately, the final revelation reconciliation comes in a few split-seconds before the end.

1. A romantic comedy of the 1930s? Mistaken identities?

2. Based on the character of heiress, Barbara Hutton?

3. Production values, the ship, New York settings? A comedy of interiors? Musical score?

4. The focus on Dorothy Hunter, ship phone calls, journalists, her reputation, never being seen? The company board, the meeting, managing her estate? The visit, her manner, signing the documents? The irony that it was Sylvia present?

5. The background story, her parents, the Titanic, deaths, John Connors looking after her, protecting? Recluse, not seeking the limelight? The possibility of a marriage? The fiance, romantic scenes with him, her intuition that he did not want to marry?

6. Party, seeing Tony, playing billiards, competitive, winning, pretending to be Sylvia? The attraction to him, talking?

7. The issue of Dorothy, Tony and his background, comments about marrying someone wealthy, talking about love? The drinking? The canoe ride, Dorothy ordering the capsize of the canoe, wet clothes, the drink?

8. John and his investigation of Tony’s background, Yale, brokerage, personality?

9. Dorothy, the attraction, saying she was unromantic, not knowing love, his saying the same thing?

10. The couple together, enjoying each other’s company, good friends? The possibility of his marrying Dorothy – and his company with Sylvia, the proposal, Dorothy and upset?

11. The visit to the country, Tony alone, Dorothy’s arrival, the meal together? The contrivance of John and the others? The arrival, the meals, discussions, the room, Philip’s visit to his wife, Philip jovial, Tony upset, punching Philip?

12. Declarations about love and friendship, marriage?

13. The quick transition to Tony finding out the truth – and happy ending?