Film

How to Marry a Millionaire

Name: How to Marry a Millionaire
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 1953
Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable, David Wayne, Rory Calhoun

A fizzy 1953 comedy about three women hunting millionaires, filmed in early Technicolor with a cast of golden-age stars at their most charming. It's light as air but constructed with real wit, the kind of film that knows exactly what it is and executes it perfectly. For anyone who loves classic Hollywood glamour and romantic comedies that don't take themselves seriously.

TMDb rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy glossy 1950s studio comedy where the sparkle of costume, colour and quick-witted banter matters as much as the plot, and you like a romance that is playful about its own vanity.

Skip it if you want a fresh, modern take on gender or money; the jokes and attitudes are very much of their era, and the story leans on a fairly predictable romantic路线 with little surprise.

What it asks of you: Settle in for about an hour and a half of easy, chatty scenes with few heavy moments, so it rewards lazy weekend attention more than close, demanding focus.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes1953

Released the same year with Monroe in the lead, it's the spiritual twin—a celebration of feminine cunning and star power wrapped in comedy. Jane Russell and Monroe's chemistry is electric, and the musical numbers are unforgettable.

But The gender politics are strictly 1950s, and if you find that stuff grating rather than campy, this won't win you over.

The Women1939

An all-female cast in a sophisticated comedy about marriage, money, and friendship. It's sharper and more cynical than Millionaire, but shares the same DNA—women using their wits to navigate a world of competing interests and desire.

But It's in black and white and moves at a different pace; the humour is drier and the stakes feel slightly higher, which some find slow.

It Happened One Night1934

The template for romantic comedies where class and circumstance create sparks. Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable have an ease and naturalism that influenced everyone after, including the Millionaire cast.

But The pacing feels genuinely sluggish if you're used to modern films, and the central relationship dynamic is rooted firmly in 1930s attitudes.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from How to Marry a Millionaire

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Adam's Rib1949

Both are comedies about women navigating what they want versus what the world expects, but where Millionaire plays it light, this one actually believes something's at stake.

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as a married couple who become opposing lawyers. It's a comedy about power, equality, and attraction between people who genuinely respect each other. The writing is phenomenal—sharp, tender, and constantly surprising.

But It's less about spectacle and glamour than Millionaire; the appeal is almost entirely in the dialogue and the relationship, which can feel thin if you want visual pizzazz.

The Thin Man1934

William Powell and Myrna Loy demonstrate how to play a couple with genuine affection and playful chemistry. The mystery plot is a framework for watching two attractive people banter and drink martinis—the spirit of Millionaire, but with more intrigue.

But It's a murder mystery first, romantic comedy second, so if you want pure lightness, the darker elements might feel like tonal whiplash.

Roman Holiday1953

Another 1953 gem with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, equally luminous and romantic. It has the same accessibility and warmth, though it reaches for genuine emotion beneath the charm.

But It's more earnest and melancholic; if you want the pure escapism of Millionaire, this one's softer landing might feel slightly heavy.

Breakfast at Tiffany's1961

Audrey Hepburn as a woman navigating romance and money with style and self-awareness. It's a spiritual descendant of Millionaire—lighter on its feet than you'd expect, genuinely funny, and completely assured in its glamour.

But The romantic resolution might feel unearned if you're emotionally invested in the character, and some of the supporting characterization hasn't aged well.

Singin' in the Rain1952

Released just before Millionaire, it's the gold standard of Golden Age entertainment—visually sumptuous, performed with joy, built entirely on the pleasure of watching talented people do what they do best.

But It's a musical, so if you're not comfortable with people breaking into song, you're fighting the film the entire time.

The Philadelphia Story1940

Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart in a comedy about class, money, and marriage that's infinitely clever. It operates at a higher intellectual altitude than Millionaire but with equal charm and considerably more wit.

But It's smarter and more sophisticated, which means if you want pure fluff, it demands engagement you might not want to give.

Desk Set1957

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in a romantic comedy about professional women and the men who underestimate them. It's less flashy than Millionaire but carries the same affection for its characters and the same confidence in its lightness.

But The workplace dynamic feels quaintly dated, and the resolution is entirely predictable from frame one.

My Man Godfrey1936

Both are comedies about using romantic scheming to accidentally find genuine feeling, but Godfrey is wilder, darker, and more genuinely disruptive.

A screwball comedy about a wealthy woman (Carole Lombard) who hires a homeless man as a butler, and everything spirals beautifully from there. It's faster, stranger, and funnier than Millionaire, but built on the same premise of romantic chaos.

But Screwball requires a specific tolerance for controlled chaos and rapid-fire dialogue; if you want plot clarity, you'll be frustrated.