Je veux un millionnaire

It all begins in a lawyer's office in San Francisco, where Eleanor Parker is assigned to fly out to tell Fred MacMurray that he has inherited two million dollars. Secretary Una Merkel suggests to her that she throw herself at MacMurray, which she says is ridiculous. But on seeing him, she has a few moments of weakness. This upsets MacMurray's plans to marry Kay Buckley.

Director George Marshall fills the movie with lots of classic comedy set pieces and locations. He makes his leads fairly disagreeable, and it seems that elements from Bringing Up Baby have been incorporated. Although Miss Parker's performance in a comedy is not particularly funny, the cast includes Richard Carlson, Chris-Pin Martin, Brooks Benedict, Lane Chandler, and enough other old-time comic actors who can take their small bits and brighten the rather old-fashioned movie.

Richard Carlson has been one of my favorites since my childhood, but I don't recall ever seeing him so loose, so allowed to shine and sparkle as he does in "A Millionaire for Christy."

Fred MacMurray and Eleanor Parker are terrific as a somewhat pompous radio performer and a somewhat dizzy attorney's assistant who is sent to tell the former he has inherited money.

Her friend and office mate, and romance encourager, is played, wonderfully (of course), by Una Merkel, who by herself makes a movie more than watchable.

As silly as the story's premise might seem, when one watches this movie, one realizes it's plausible enough. More important, there are lots of likable or at least watchable people to overcome any script flaws.

It's light entertainment, well directed, filled with good actors, including Lane Chandler, uncredited and with only one line (but he has a good and recognizable voice), but above all, it gives Richard Carlson a chance to break loose and show the world what a talent he was.

On her way to work, San Francisco secretary Eleanor Parker (as Christabel "Christy" Sloane) attracts stares and whistles from everyone, due to her blonde beauty. She is sent to tell Los Angeles radio talk show host Fred MacMurray (as Peter Ulysses Lockwood) he has inherited two million dollars. Financially strapped, Ms. Parker's decides to follow advice from co-worker Una Merkel (as Patsy Clifford) and get MacMurray's marriage proposal before revealing his wealth...

Unfortunately, Parker arrives as MacMurray is about to marry another woman. Fortunately, his psychiatrist pal Richard Carlson (as Roland Cook) wants to stop the wedding and marry heiress Kay Buckley (as June Chandler) himself. This is a partially successful attempt to put Parker in a 1930s style comedy. Producer husband Bert Friedlob includes a fine team, especially MacMurray and photographer Harry Stradling. Alas, Parker and the co-stars' scripted love never seems believable.

***** A Millionaire for Christy (9/2/51) George Marshall ~ Eleanor Parker, Fred MacMurray, Richard Carlson, Kay Buckley

The movie tries hard to bring back the madcap comedy of the 1930's. But that may be one reason it doesn't fully succeed—it tries too hard, coming across at times as more frantic than zany. That's not to say the comedy doesn't have its moments. The first twenty minutes amount to a promising set-up as drab single-girl Christy (Parker) crashes celebrity Peter's (MacMurray) wedding party to deliver an inheritance, but is mistaken instead for an old flame. As a publicist might say— hi-jinks ensue. The only question is how long it will take for Christy to win Peter's affection. In the meantime, she's got to act loopy to stay out of trouble.

For a heavy dramatic actress, e.g. Caged (1950), Parker adapts well to the Katherine Hepburn role, while the underrated MacMurray does some expert mugging. However, some of the scenes go on long after we've gotten the point, especially the kissy-face, which is surprising given that old comedy pro George Marshall is directing. I suspect the level of embraces, plus a lot of surprising innuendo, are attempts to combat the growing inroads of TV on audiences of the day. Be that as it may, it's a lively if less than sparkling 90-minutes of Hollywood make-believe.

There does not seem to be much logic in A Millionaire for Christy. The main problem one has with Eleanor Parker's character Christobel is that only ten minutes into the film, she is already feigning all sorts of maladies to attract Fred MacMurray's character. Funny? Perhaps. Does it make sense? Not really.

If there had been better character development, maybe with a montage, where we had seen Eleanor Parker's character go through a series of disastrous dates-- then, we just might be able to buy into some of her predicament. But as it is, she gets to California and looks up MacMurray and then throws herself at him like a lunatic would.

The second half of the film is almost like a different movie. The setting has changed (from Los Angeles to La Jolla). It leaves the viewer feeling that A Millionaire for Christy is an uneven film that had a lot of potential.