atlasmb Three beautiful women (Bacall, Grable, and Monroe) set up shop in a city apartment with intentions of marrying rich men. But love gets in the way.The comedic chops of the three actresses are really suited to the roles they play. And vibrant Technicolor makes this film even more visually appealing.The ever-enjoyable William Powell plays one well-to-do suitor with his usual panache, and becomes one of the highlights of the film. His part feels as though it were written for him.This light-hearted comedy about gold diggers could have had a cynical tone, but--thanks to its clever script--has a sweetness to it that is refreshing and uplifting.

SimonJack The usually smart, clever and calm Lauren Bacall plays quite a different character in "How to Marry a Millionaire." She is very tongue-in-cheek funny as the know-it-all gold digger. But she has it all wrong. And that's one of the very funny undertones of the plot for this comedy romance. Bacall is Schatze Page, one of a threesome of females who are on the prowl in New York to snag wealthy husbands. That may seem a strange theme to modern day audiences, but it was something of a reality of American culture in the mid-20th century. Probably few women actually made such pursuits, but it was something that the culture talked about back then. I remember hearing women joke about moving to New York to find a rich husband. So, that made for a funny and entertaining movie. Bacall didn't have top billing for this film, either. That went to Marilyn Monroe, followed by Betty Grable. Monroe plays Pola Debevoise and Grable plays Loco Dempsey. One may see the humor in those names, as well. Both of them play ditzy blonds, but Grable out-ditzies Monroe. Her character is by far the funniest. One expected Monroe to play such roles – it was her film persona and, somewhat, her real life persona. But, for Grable, this was an excellent portrayal. Of course, there are men in the story and the lives of these women. All of the cast perform well. William Powell has a nice supporting role that is very unusual. His is the only one that isn't comedy. But the part fits beautifully in the plot, and I can think of no one better to have the role of J.D. Hanley. Powell was 61 years old when this film came out. He made only one more film, "Mr. Roberts" in 1955, before retiring. Powell is one of the classy great performers who never won an Oscar, although he was nominated three times. And, unlike many stars, he retired while his star still shown bright for quality films. He lived another 29 years until age 91 in 1984. The humorous situations in this film are punctuated with occasional witty lines. Some catch one by surprise and lead to bursts of laughter. Here's my favorite. Loco and Pola have been gone for days and Schatze is worried about being stuck with the monthly rent for their expensive Fifth Avenue flat. She is lamenting her problem with Tom Brookman, played by Cameron Mitchell. Tom says, "Haven't they even written to you?" Schatze replies, "How can they? They're illiterate."

ericbryce2 Imagine a furnished penthouse apartment with terraces on Sutton place for $1000.00 a month. You couldn't rent a closet in New York for that these days. This movie is one of my favorites. It's full of memorable lines which my wife and I use all the time. The cast is first rate. None better than Lauren Bacall when she was at her most beautiful. Also Monroe and Grable also in the prime of their careers. Monroe perhaps more than Grable but she holds her own. Fred Clark, Rory Calhoun, and William Powell round out this stellar cast. Showcasing N.Y.C. when it was considered the coolest place on Earth makes the location one of the stars of the film.

blitzebill Well what do you say about an obvious vehicle to showcase a select group of stars who are stuck with one of Nunnally Johnson's worst scripts? You talk about the cinematography, that's what! I'll let others discuss the storyline and failings of this celluloid crapper.Joe MacDonald's camera-work is glorious, and could be in fact the best part of the film.The shots of New York City are especially memorable.But other settings in the film are equally as good.This is a great example of the relatively new process (at that time) of Cinemascope.It is worth putting the mute on and just watching the scenery (besides Marilyn, Betty and Lauren) go by.