Thursday Movie Picks: Rags to Riches
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6 responses to “Thursday Movie Picks: Rags to Riches”
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You’ve got classics here! I love that you snuck a rom com in. Very on brand. lol
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Of course!! I try to shove a rom com in every topic for WTS but it’s not always possible lol
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The plots of Pretty Woman and Maid in Manhattan are the most extreme of fantasies, not that that makes them any less enjoyable but you really have to suspend belief to buy into them.
They are also studies in contrasting examples of the elusiveness of onscreen chemistry. Julia Roberts and Richard Gere have such a strong connection that overrides most of the more unseemly angles of the story, and yet Laura San Giacomo steals every second she’s on screen, tough to do up against such charismatic actors. On the other hand as you mentioned Lopez and Fiennes in Maid while attractive and able performers don’t share much, if any, spark. It’s just not something that can be manufactured.
Trading Places is nearly as unbelievable but again thanks to the spirited and engaging performances of the three leads and the elfin charm of Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy as the duped brothers it goes over easily.
I thought of Trading Places right off as well but I’m pretty sure I used it before and expected it to be popular today so I moved onto some that are older but fitted the theme well but looked at it in different ways.
If I Had a Million (1932)-To keep his money from going to the pack of vultures that are his family, a steel tycoon (Richard Bennett) chooses eight random strangers from the phone directory and gives each $1 million. For some-an entertainer (W.C. Fields), a salesman (Charlie Ruggles), a prostitute (the great, unjustly forgotten Wynne Gibson), an office clerk (Charles Laughton), a retiree (May Robson)-the windfall brings joy both temporary and permanent. For others-a death row inmate (Gene Raymond) and a gangster (George Raft)-sorrow and for one-a Marine (Gary Cooper) disbelief but it changes them all. Each vignette was helmed by a different director including Ernst Lubitsch.
Brewster’s Millions (1945)-Penniless Monty Brewster (Dennis O’Keefe) fresh out of the service learns that his uncle has left him $8 million! There’s a catch, the will stipulates that Monty must spend $1 million before noon of his 30th birthday two months hence. Monty thinks it will be a snap until he finds out it must be done in complete secrecy following a set of arcane rules including remaining single, much to the chagrin of his fiancée Peggy (Helen Walker). Wackiness ensues as Monty discovers just how difficult it can be to spend a million dollars!
Caught (1949)-Poor department store model Leonora Eames (Barbara Bel Geddes-Vertigo and Miss Ellie of Dallas fame) tired of struggling to make a buck sets her sights on marrying a millionaire. When she snags multi-millionaire industrialist Smith Ohlrig (Robert Ryan) Leonora thinks she’s the luckiest girl in the world finding herself awash in every luxury imaginable. But it’s a false dream, Smith is a cold, controlling nutcase who holds her a virtual prisoner and delights in finding new ways to mentally torture her and Leonora finds herself “Caught”! Will kindly slum doctor Larry Quinada (James Mason) be able to save her in time? Atmospheric and unsettling noir.
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I agree about the chemistry angle of successful movies. Lopez and Fiennes were quite boring and while I think they’re both capable actors, there was zero spark there.
If I Had a Million sounds like a fun time! I may have to see if my local library has it. I’ve not heard of the other two!
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I have seen all 3 and enjoyed them. My favourite of the 3 is Trading Places which is funny as hell. Pretty Woman is predictable as is Maid in Manhattan but they are nice to watch. Pretty Woman is better than Maid because of the chemistry. I always wondered why Ralph Fiennes chose to do this movie.
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Trading Places was a lot of fun. I had never seen it until Christmas of… 2019, I think?? Maybe 2020. 2020 really messed up the timeline in my head lol I’m surprised Fiennes did Maid in Manhattan too, given his filmography. Maybe he wanted something mindless and fluffy for once.
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