Movies Every Day 12: The Richest Girl in the World (1934)

"That's it, Dorothy, you're like royalty. And when somebody marries a queen, does he love her or is it just to wear a crown?"

Why I'm Watching

• I've been a Miriam Hopkins fan ever since Trouble in Paradise.
• I've known Fay Wray from King Kong since childhood, and always enjoy seeing her in different roles.
• I'm still getting to know Joel McCrea. I've seen him in Sullivan's Travels, The Palm Beach Story and Foreign Correspondent.
• Also getting to know George Meeker, who I've seen in The Roaring Twenties, Dark Hazard and Emma.
• William Seiter directed two pre-codes I enjoy: Hot Saturday and Is My Face Red?
• It's a 61 minute movie. Movies Every Day is about to crash and burn on my tight schedule.

The Gist

Dorothy Hunter is so stinkin' rich that she can't find a man who isn't only interested in her for her money. When she finds the ideal guy, she trades identities with her secretary so she can test him to see if he loves her for who she is, but her test ends up backfiring.

Things I Like

• I like when Donald kisses Dorothy and she says, "Whew! Brandy before dinner!"
• Great fashions on the ladies.
• Miriam Hopkins has an endearing way of speaking.
• Witty repartee between Dorothy and Tony.
• I like the sparkly gown as much as Dorothy does. 
• Enjoy the 30s dance music.

Things I Don't Like

• Tony should realize that 'Sylvia' would not be able to afford the many expensive gowns she wears on a secretary's salary. 
• She should have told him who she really was before he agreed to marry her.

Interesting Moments

• Dorothy has her motorboat drive close to the canoe Tony and Sylvia are in, knocking them into the water in order to break them up. Phillip has to dive in to save Sylvia from the water, but she ends up saving him.
• Dorothy fans her mouth after slamming her scotch.
• Cute scene with Dorothy and Tony taking their medicinal scotch together.
• Another cute scene when Tony lays his head in Dorothy's lap to tell her a story about Moses. 
• Tony and 'Sylvia' are getting along smoochingly well until he blows it and says 'Dorothy' wouldn't have him anyway. Way to go, schmuck!
• After Tony proposes to 'Dorothy' and walks her to her room, he later sees Phillip sneaking into her room. 
• John picks up 'Sylvia' and carries her off, after he punches Phillip for trying to get the girls to go for a buggy ride. I'm not sure I understand why, unless he's thinking that going for a buggy ride is some sort of double entendre.
• David Preston explains to Connors that the couple could only afford second class tickets to Paris, so he had to supply special linens, table services, a string orchestra and "a few other little things like that," for all 400 people in second class, thereby letting us know that Dorothy did not reveal her true identity to Tony and he's dopey enough to think that second class would have such fine arrangements.

Notable Quotes

Dorothy: I have a feeling that you came here to say that you didn't want to marry me and you lost your nerve. (Don strikes a pool ball) Nice shot.
Donald: Dorothy, may I have a drink? (pours him a drink) You're right. I'm sorry, Dorothy.

Dorothy: Oh that's alright. Better than leaving me waiting at St. Trinity. Your love letters got so endearing I became suspicious. What happened, Don?
Donald: I'm not in love with you, Dorothy.

Dorothy: Well, we weren't in love when we decided to get married. Thought we didn't believe in it.
Donald: I believe in it now.
Dorothy: Oh.

Donald: I tried to be in love with you, Dorothy.

Dorothy: Thanks. What was the matter with me?
Donald: Well...you won't laugh?

Dorothy: No!
Donald: (takes a shot) Being the richest girl in the world.

Dorothy: But you weren't marrying me for my money, Donald.
Donald: I don't know now if I was. My family's wealthy, but not that kind of money. If you were only the second richest girl, it might have been different.

Donald: That's it, Dorothy, you're like royalty. And when somebody marries a queen, does he love her or is it just to wear a crown? I don't believe a man really knows himself.

Connors: Listen to the doctor, 'Sylvia'.

Dr. Harvey: Take a small whiskey in bed tonight and bundle up.

Dorothy: Alright, I'll get drunk, just as you say.

Tony: Well, it's a fine way for you to talk about your boss.
Dorothy: Well, she isn't your boss. (leaning back) Or would you like her to be?

Tony: (sneezes)
Dorothy: That'll teach you to break dates. You've caught cold.

Tony: Don't worry, I won't kiss you.
Dorothy: (sneezes) Well, you can. I won't catch it! (both laugh) Let's have a drink...medicinally. Doctor's orders.

Phillip (to Sylvia): John's right! Of course he'll want to marry you. He'd be a fool if he didn't. I certainly do not intend to allow a strange man to paw my wife just for the sake of some harebrained experiment. And that is final!

Dorothy: What are you gonna do about 'Dorothy'?
Tony: What do you expect me to do—propose to her?

Dorothy: Well, what do you intend to do—live in sin?
Tony: Well, I've only known her two weeks.

Tony: What are you going to wear tonight?

Dorothy: What do you want me to wear?
Tony: That tight satin dress. You know—the one with the buttons up the back.
Dorothy: Can't.
Tony: Why can't you?

Dorothy: Need help.
Tony: Well, what do you think husbands are for?

Memorable Moments

Love It or Leave It

Love it for being a fun, little romp. This is just the sort of fluffy goodness I needed to counteract yesterday's doom and gloom. It does bother me that Dorothy is letting Tony marry her thinking she's Sylvia, when the whole point of her shenanigans was to bag some guy who would love her for who she really is. It's a silly, cotton candy type of movie, but the great cast makes it enjoyable, so long as I don't try to think too much about it.