THE POOR RICH is a 1934 comedy, produced by Universal, and directed by Edward Sedgwick, a man best known for his work with Buster Keaton. The movie doesn't have all that many laughs, despite the characters acting as silly as possible. It does have quite a notable cast.
Harriet (Edna May Oliver) and Albert (Edward Everett Horton) are cousins belonging to the once upper-class Spottiswood family. The duo have returned to their family's dilapidated mansion because they are both broke. Harriet comes up with a scheme to revive the family fortune--she goads Albert into marrying the daughter (Thelma Todd) of English aristocrats Lord and Lady Fetherstone (E.E. Clive and Una O'Connor). Before the Fetherstones arrive, Harriet and Albert must quickly restore the family manor. They hire a local bumpkin (Andy Devine) to be the cook, and a mysterious pretty young woman (Leila Hyams) to be the maid. Various complications ensue, with the cousins getting more than they bargained for.
THE POOR RICH feels like a Hal Roach/Columbia comedy short subject stretched out to feature length. The plot is very familiar--dopey characters trying not to make fools of themselves in front of people they are trying to impress, while failing miserably at the effort. The Three Stooges did things like this all the time, except they accomplished it in a quicker and more enjoyable manner. Edna May Oliver and Edward Everett Horton were legendary in supporting comedy roles, but as leading players having to shoulder a lot of slapstick they appear uncomfortable.
The story goes off on a wild tangent near the end when it looks as if a murder has been committed, and a loud, pushy detective shows up, played by Edward Brophy. He injects some spirit into the tale, but it's not enough to make the film a laugh-out-loud riot.
James Whale fans will find it ironic that E.E. Clive and Una O'Connor play a upper-class English couple--did Whale stop by the set during shooting to pay a visit to the duo? What is even more ironic is that a coupling involving Clive and O'Connor supposedly produced Thelma Todd as a daughter. And even more ironic--or head-scratching--is that both Leila Hyams and Thelma in this movie are attracted to Edward Everett Horton. At one point Horton (whose character prefers Leila) turns down Thelma's offer of a massage. (Really, Ed???)
Leila Hyams actually has much more to do than Thelma does (Hot Toddie doesn't show up until past the halfway point). Hyams does show off some comic chops here, but one gets the feeling that Hyams should have played the aristocratic daughter and Thelma should have been the hired maid....or at least she should have been given more attention.
Ward Bond and Walter Brennan also have very small roles in THE POOR RICH. Unfortunately the cast is the main reason to watch this film. If it had been edited down to a short subject it would have been much funnier.
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