Director: CURTIS BERNHARDT. Screenplay: Casey Robinson, Richard Macaulay, Jerry Wald. Story: Leonard Spigelgass. Photography: Charles Rosher. Film editor: Rudi Fehr. Art director: Robert Haas. Make-up: Perc Westmore. Costumes designed by Orry-Kelly. Dialogue director: Hugh Cummings. Music composed by Frederick Hollander. Music director: Leo F. Forbstein. Songs: "I Found a Million Dollar Baby" (chorus) by Harry Warren (music), Mort Dixon and Billy Rose (lyrics); "Who Is In Your Dreams Tonight?" (Wynn) by Frederick Hollander. Assistant director: Chuck Hansen. Sound recording: Charles Lang. RCA Sound System. Associate producer: David Lewis. Executive producer: Hal B. Wallis.
Copyright 31 May 1941 by Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Strand: 6 June 1941. U.S. release: 31 May 1941. Australian release: 7 August 1941. 9,073 feet. 100 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Poor (but beautiful) salesgirl suddenly inherits one million dollars.
COMMENT: Here we have a program picture. A saleable cast and a good bit of money thrown around on sets and extras, but it doesn't quite come off. Audiences would be disappointed if the movie turned up as a main attraction, so it needs to be coupled with a stronger movie. That way, audiences can come late for "Million Dollar Baby" and not feel chagrined that they've carelessly missed out on ten or forty minutes of superlative entertainment.
Nevertheless, Million Dollar Baby has many things going for it, especially the lovely Priscilla Lane who makes an entrancing and charming heroine. In fact, I can't imagine anyone else that I'd rather see so expensively gowned. Admittedly, even in her earlier scenes, Miss Lane looks absolutely radiant, thanks to first-class make-up and lighting.
May Robson also has a role that she can do justice to, but Ronald Regan is nowhere near as indulgently treated by the script. He does his best with the unrewarding part, but is easily outshone by the personably suave Jeffrey Lynn.
A solid support cast includes Helen Westley as a selfishly irascible landlady, Walter Catlett as a harassed floorwalker, James Burke as a store detective (I love the way he vibrates his hat), and his look-alike character actor Edward Gargan (pronounced, "Garry- gen, to rhyme with "pen"), delightfully insolent here as a smart-Alec customs official.
Bernhardt's direction is inclined to be slow and heavy-handed, but other production credits, including Rosher's glossy cinematography, are top-drawer. The musical program's high-light turns out to be a tuneful song by svelte Nan Wynn. Mr. Reagan himself claims responsibility for his deliberately mediocre piano- playing.
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