How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Nunnally Johnson (screenplay)
Zoe Akins (plays) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 November 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The Most Glamorous Entertainment Of Your Lifetime in CinemaScope. You See It Without Glasses!

Plot:

Three women set out to find eligible millionaires to marry, but find true love in the process.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Millionaire | Money | Model | Bachelor

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Betty Grable	...	Loco Dempsey
Marilyn Monroe	...	Pola Debevoise
Lauren Bacall	...	Schatze Page
David Wayne	...	Freddie Denmark
Rory Calhoun	...	Eben
Cameron Mitchell	...	Tom Brookman
Alexander D'Arcy	...	J. Stewart Merrill (as Alex D'Arcy)
Fred Clark	...	Waldo Brewster
William Powell	...	J.D. Hanley
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Adler	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Merry Anders	...	Model (uncredited)
Jan Arvan	...	Tony (uncredited)
Charlotte Austin	...	Model (uncredited)
Benny Burt	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Harry Carter	...	Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Waiter at Wedding (uncredited)
Herbert Deans	...	Steward (uncredited)
Van Des Autels	...	Best Man (uncredited)
George Dunn	...	Mike - Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Elaine DuPont	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Eve Finnell	...	Stewardess (uncredited)
Ivis Goulding	...	Maid (uncredited)
Tom Greenway	...	Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Ruth Hall	...	Model (uncredited)
Percy Helton	...	Mr. Benton (uncredited)
Hope Landin	...	Mrs. Salem (uncredited)
Jane Liddell	...	Model (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis	...	Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Rankin Mansfield	...	Bennett (uncredited)
Maurice Marsac	...	Mr. Antoine (uncredited)
Thomas Martin	...	Pete (uncredited)
Tom Martin	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Beryl McCutcheon	...	Model (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Alfred Newman	...	Orchestra Conductor in Prologue (uncredited)
Tudor Owen	...	Mr. Otis (uncredited)
Ralph Reed	...	Jewelry Salesman (uncredited)
George Saurel	...	Emir (uncredited)
Richard Shackleton	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Hermine Sterler	...	Madame (uncredited)
James Stone	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Lida Thomas	...	Model (uncredited)
Ivan Triesault	...	Phillip - Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt	...	Arab (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Man at George Washington Bridge (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Butler (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean Negulesco

Writing credits
Nunnally Johnson		(screenplay)
Zoe Akins		(plays) and
Dale Eunson		(plays) and
Katherine Albert		(plays)

Produced by
Nunnally Johnson	....	producer

Original Music by
Cyril J. Mockridge		(as Cyril Mockridge)

Cinematography by
Joseph MacDonald		(as Joe MacDonald)

Film Editing by
Louis R. Loeffler		(as Louis Loeffler)

Casting by
Walter Whaley		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Leland Fuller
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Stuart A. Reiss		(as Stuart Reiss)
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Travilla

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Marie Brasselle	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Dick Hamilton	....	makeup assistant (uncredited)
George Lane	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Kay Reed	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Bill Riddle	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Gaston Glass	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Abe Steinberg	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
F.E. 'Johnny' Johnston	....	assistant director (as F.E. Johnston)
Paul Helmick	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Larry Haddock	....	assistant props (uncredited)
Fred R. Simpson	....	prop master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alfred Bruzlin	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Louis Angell	....	cable person (uncredited)
Del Harris	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Kenneth Honnold	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Charles Kohl	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Spurgeon Marsh	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Harry Roberts	....	boom (uncredited)
Mert Strong	....	boom (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ray Kellogg	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Cable	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Charles G. Clarke	....	location photographer (uncredited)
Frank Cory	....	key grip (uncredited)
Les Everson	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Bob Henderson	....	best boy (uncredited)
Roy Ivey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Anthony Ugrin	....	stills (uncredited)
John Van Wormer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Owen McLean	....	unit casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Josephine Brown	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ann Landers	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Norman Martien	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Margaret Warren	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
William Mace	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)
Willie Navarro	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)
Orven Schanzer	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator
Bernard Mayers	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Leonard Doss	....	technicolor color consultant
Billy Daniel	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Herschel Daugherty	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Grady Johnson	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Rose Steinberg	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1961) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• 20th Century Fox (1954) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

France:U | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #16443) | Canada:G (video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:12 | Norway:7

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Writer and humorist Dorothy Parker's famous quip that "men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses" was purposely bobbled by screenwriter (and producer) Nunnally Johnson for Marilyn Monroe's character Pola to assert to David Wayne (as Freddie) that "you know, men are seldom attentive to girls who wear glasses."

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final scene, the beer mugs fill themselves.

Quotes:

Schatze Page: We'd better put a check on that one. Nobody's mother lives in Atlantic City on Saturday.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "What's My Line?: (1953-11-08)" (1953)

Soundtrack:

I Know Why (and So Do You)

Entertaining

I enjoyed this cute story of gold-diggers on the prowl. I agree with those who said that musical prologue was way too long -- it was eight minutes before the opening credits came on! This seemed the perfect setting for Marilyn Monroe to sing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend," but that gem was in another of her films. I don't agree with those who said Betty Grable was too old for her part. She merely *looked* old. I tried to figure out why. She was only 35 years old. She was still slim (possibly even slimmer than Lauren Bacall, who'd recently had her second child) and her face looked relatively youthful. So why did she look 45? I concluded it was the hair. That poodle cut was unflattering and added years. I also enjoyed Grable's coy reference to real-life husband Harry James and Bacall's to Bogart. All in all, a charming movie and a fun way to spend an hour and a half.