A Garota dos Milhões

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.

For years I have wanted to found a city just to be able to name one of the nicest streets "Priscilla Lane." Of course, I'd want two more to name Rosemary and Lola, too.

But Priscilla is the star of "Million Dollar Baby," giving one of her most sparkling performances. She is so lovable, so adorable that even if she had ever given a bad performance, this role would wipe it out.

Ronald Reagan also gives one of his best performances, with him as a pianist/composer hitting just -- pardon the pun -- the right note. It's worth saying twice: He gives one of his best performances.

Jeffrey Lynn is also great. He was a good-looking guy and extremely likable in this role.

May Robson probably couldn't give a bad performance, and she certainly didn't in "Million Dollar Baby."

Very interesting is John Qualen, in a sympathetic role and not speaking with a Scandinavian accent.

There are some wonderful lines in this intelligent script, even if some of us watching are puzzled by some of the characters' attitude toward money, and toward getting wads of it.

Oh, look for the handsome Charles Drake in an uncredited role.

He was just one of a large and excellent cast, far too many of whom didn't get credit, including the great Herb Vigran (whom I had met when he was in a play with Richard Thomas, and than whom he was a better actor), and he was on screen so briefly I didn't even see him, but he's listed here at IMDb.

One other standout among the un-credited is Irving Bacon as the repulsive federal PIG (Person In Government). Though the scene was no doubt intended as comedy, today's headlines make it too true to be funny.

Seriously, this is a very good movie. I'll watch it again.

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.

Whilst May Robson is on the screen this film is entertaining.As soon as she disappears the film goes down the drain.Priscilla Lane seems to think that the quicker you deliver lines the funnier they will be.Reagans character is so poorly written that you don't know if he is meant to be funny or serious.This must be the umpteenth film of this era where a popular musician had written a symphony.Lynn is plain anonymous.In my view there is only one reason why a film like this seems to have permanently disappeared from sight.The reason is that it simply is not funny or entertaining any more.So don't bother to waste your time watching this film.Watching paint dry is much more interesting!

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.