Rich Man, Poor Girl (1938)

Rich Man, Poor Girl Poster

A millionaire courts a working-class woman.

Overview
"Rich Man, Poor Girl" is a 1938 comedy-drama directed by Reinhold Schunzel and featuring Robert Young, Ruth Hussey, and Lew Ayres. The film is east-meets-west in class and culture as it tells of a rich business person from the East who falls for a lady from his staff member's simple Midwest family. The movie checks out themes of class disparity, love, household, and the disparity between wealth and happiness.

Plot
The movie's central character, Bill Harrison (Robert Young), is a rich service executive who chooses to venture from the convenience of his generous Eastern mansion to the Midwest, to comprehend the inner workings of his business better. He finds himself in the midst of the Thayer household, whose member Joan (Lana Turner) is the office sweetheart of his faithful employee, Henry (Lew Ayres). Joan is a dissatisfied girl who imagines getting away the constraints of her lower-middle-class presence.

Romance and Conflict
Bill, smitten by Joan's energy and spirit, is drawn to her and the warm family life he has actually never experienced. Regardless of his wealth, he is envious of the Thayer's close-knit clan and their ability to discover happiness in easy things, showing a clear divide in between his materialistic existence and their genuine happiness. His growing affection for Joan develops a ripple of dispute as he tries to keep his identity concealed, upsetting Henry.

Class Disparity
"Rich Man, Poor Girl" utilizes humor and remarkable sequences to check out class variation. Characters are frequently at chances due to their socio-economic differences, making complex relationships; particularly the love triangle between Bill, Henry, and Joan. Bill tries to fit into the Thayer household, frequently with hilarious results due to his absence of familiarity with their basic lifestyle.

Resolution
The film's willpower features Bill exposing his true identity to the Thayer household. His confession threatens his relations with Joan, but eventually deepens it as they comprehend the value they discover in each other transcends their class divide. Costs renounces his wealth-driven life, realizing the empoverished Thayer family are richer in lots of non-material ways.

Conclusion
"Rich Man, Poor Girl" is a clever remark on the American class system, interwoven in a humorous and poignant story. The film remarkably keeps the audience engaged by contrasting the conservative, middle-class Thayer family's realism and the wealthy, removed way of life of Bill Harrison. By the film's conclusion, the audience sees the improvement of Bill from an out-of-touch wealthy man to one who values love and joy over monetary wealth, sending out a strong message about the real worths in life.

Top Cast

  • Robert Young (small)
    Robert Young
    Bill Harrison
  • Lew Ayres (small)
    Lew Ayres
    Henry Thayer
  • Ruth Hussey (small)
    Ruth Hussey
    Joan Thayer
  • Lana Turner (small)
    Lana Turner
    Helen
  • Rita Johnson (small)
    Rita Johnson
    Sally Harrison
  • Don Castle (small)
    Don Castle
    Frank
  • Guy Kibbee (small)
    Guy Kibbee
    Pa
  • Sarah Padden (small)
    Sarah Padden
    Ma
  • Gordon Jones (small)
    Gordon Jones
    Tom Grogan
  • Virginia Grey (small)
    Virginia Grey
    Selma Willis
  • Marie Blake (small)
    Marie Blake
    Mrs. Gussler