Million Dollar Baby

The best thing about this film is its cast of likable characters. Especially noteworthy is May Robson's performance as Cornelia Wheelwright, the strong-willed millionaire who sets out to right an inherited wrong. She is the perfect mix of gruffness and warmth. Jeffrey Lynn, who plays attorney James Armory, is the biggest surprise for me; I don't remember seeing him before, but he shines as one of the men who fall for the main character.

Priscilla Lane is the titular blonde, Pamela McAllister. Ms. Lane turns in a typical, wonderful performance. Her high energy and ready smile light up the screen.

I think the producers were aiming for a screwball comedy, but the script does not rise to that level. The relationship between Jessica and Peter (Ronald Reagan), the struggling pianist, is problematic. His constant negativity and sarcasm undercut any romantic tension.

Jessica has big decisions to make, and you might be guessing until the end which way she will go. Personally, I found her final choices somewhat disappointing. But this is an entertaining film that guarantees smiles, if not belly laughs.

This isn't a great movie, though Priscilla Lane is (as usual) better than her material.

But, that said, I was struck with the vocal precision of Nan Wynn in "Who Is in Your Dreams Tonight". Her control was exquisite.

It is amazing to me how very, very good even minor singers were in the 1940's. No, she is not a truly great singer, and I am not a huge fan of 1940's singing. Many later singers and many of her contemporaries were more compelling with weaker vocal skills. (I lean toward Peggy Lee, Chris Connor and Susannah McCorkle on the jazz side.)

But, damn! Who among popular singers exhibits this level of technical skills today. It's a bit like the absence of workmanship in modern manufactured goods.

May Robson excelled in parts of eccentric characters. We saw this in "Lady for A Day," which earned her a best actress nomination and years later was the Glenn Ford-Bette Davis vehicle of "Pocketful of Miracles."

In this 1941 wonderful film, Miss Robson plays a very wealthy dowager who learns that her father swindled a man causing the latter to commit suicide. To be repentant, Robson leaves Europe to come to N.Y. and give the granddaughter, a wonderful Priscilla Lane, $1,000,000.

Lane is living in a small housing tenement with an assortment of characters. Her boyfriend, a pianist, lives there. Ronald Reagan is just great here in a comical turn as well as being moody and philosophical about life. This is his second best performance to "King's Row."

This Cinderella-like tale conveys the idea that money can't bring happiness. Jeffrey Lynn is in fine form as Miss White's attorney who gives Lane the money and falls for her romantically.

A wonderful film with the venerable May Robson stealing the show.

I really wanted to love "Million Dollar Baby". After all, I liked the stars and the film INITIALLY kept my interest. However, as the film progressed I found myself becoming more and more restless and bored...and I couldn't wait until it ended.

Cornelia Wheelwright (May Robson) is a rich old lady. However, when she learns that her father was in fact a crook who cheated his old business partner long ago, she's determined to drop everything and return to America to make things right. The problem is that the only surviving member of the wronged man's family is Pamela (Priscilla Lane)...and eventually you realize that Pamela is an idiot. Why? Well, after she is given a million dollars, instead of doing anything intelligent with it, she reveals her stupidity again and again. First, she doesn't realize that she must pay taxes on it...and argues with the tax man about this! Second, her boyfriend (Ronald Reagan) is a sexist idiot who suddenly hates Pamela now that she's got money. Huh?? And, by the end of the film she comes to the realization that it's best to give away her fortune in order to please her boyfriend's fragile ego! Huh?!

Part of the problem is that times have changed and this plot doesn't work at all today. But a bigger problem is that the film goes on too long and has many scenes that simply don't work. Dull...and not among the best from Warner!

Priscilla Lane and May Robson dominate proceedings in this agreeable comedy that borrows themes from the worlds of Frank Capra, Cinderella and Pygmalion, among others.

Jeffrey Lynn is quite appealing as Robson's lawyer, a handsome young fellow assigned to deliver a one million dollar check to department store salesgirl Lane. (It's "conscience money" – Robson has discovered her family fortune is based on a decades-ago swindle that ruined Lane's grandfather.) Naturally Lynn finds himself falling for the very charming Lane, who despite her newly acquired wealth remains stuck on…

Ronald Reagan, a piano player and would-be serious composer whose sour disposition may indicate a stubborn independent streak in the great American tradition—or, may mean he's just kind of a jerk. In any case, Reagan is less than thrilled when suddenly-rich girlfriend Lane urges him to quit his job to write music while she supports him.

Robson plays her trademarked feisty old lady and she is a pleasure to watch, as always. Lynn is fine although the character he plays is unfortunately a bit bland. Reagan has a somewhat challenging role—a potentially fine songwriter who scoffs at popular music and would rather starve than sell out, he doesn't quite succeed in making us see whatever it is that Lane apparently can't resist.

Priscilla Lane herself is certainly the best thing about the picture: She's a Cinderella who sticks to her values and her man regardless of sudden riches and despite Robson's well-intentioned attempts to make her a "lady." Madcap, affectionate, completely charming—when Lane is on the screen (and that's almost every scene), it's really fun to watch.

If the plot doesn't quite work, it is nevertheless a very nice try. The picture does deserve credit for good intentions—and is especially worth watching for any fan of Priscilla Lane.