"Has Anybody Seen My Gal" is one of the first movies in which Rock Hudson had a substantial role after 16 films since 1948. Here, he plays Dan Stebbins, a soda jerk in the corner drugstore owned by Charles Blaisdell (Larry Gates). Dan and the boss's daughter, Millicent (Piper Laurie) are keen on each other. Charles approves, but wife Harriet (Lynn Bari) lusts for wealth. She constantly complains about being poor and not being able to buy all the things she wanted. That's why she wants Millie to marry Carl Pennock (Skip Homeier). He's the gadabout son of the wealthy Pennock's - Lester (Paul McVey) and Clarissa (Gloria Holden).
But, wait, this is not the main theme or plot of the film; nor does it include the number one leading actor. That honor goes to Charles Coburn who hatches the plot early on. Coburn is a New York mega-millionaire, Samuel Fulton, who never married and has no relatives. He decides to leave his fortune to the heirs of the woman he loved as a young man. But, she spurned him and became Millicent Blaisdell instead. So, Fulton went on to be a success and amassed a fortune. Now he wants to see if money would spoil her descendants. So, he goes incognito as John Smith and weasels his way into the Blaisdell home as a border.
Ostensibly to pay for his lodging, Smith takes a job at the drugstore where Dan teaches him the fine art of soda-jerking. He then arranges to have an anonymous cashier's check in the amount of $100,000 sent to the Blaisdells. Harriet immediately goes on a wild spending spree. They move into a mansion, buy new furniture and clothes, and join the high society of Terrytown. Charles invests some of the money in the stock market. And the rumors around town of their wealth and worth exaggerate and continue to grow.
The humor ramps up when Smith goes to the rescue of Millie and her brother, Howard. She goes with Carl to a speak-easy that the police raid, and Howard gets roped into a hefty poker debt. Smith's rescues land him in jail instead, and he goes before Judge Wilkins (Paul Harvey). The judge later recognizes him at a party Harriet is throwing for the wealthy folk to announce Millie's engagement to Carl. But, when Charles asks to borrow $25,000 from Pennock to cover his stock market losses, the snobs depart the Blaisdell party. Fortunately, the old Blaisdell house is still on the market so they move back home. Charles buys his business back from the lousy businessman he had sold it to. And, Smith convinces Dan to give up his plan to go to the big city to seek success, and instead go back to Millie.
There's plenty of good humor in this film. And, some lessons learned by most -- that money can't buy happiness. But, as Smith leaves town after saying he had to move on, one wonders how he decided - of if he had, to leave all his wealth to the Blaisdell's - or someone else.
There's one glaring weakness in this film - in the character of Harriet Blaisdell. She is so very cynical about their lack of wealth and being "poor" in her eyes, while the family appears to have a comfortable, but not lavish, living. Everyone is well-clothed and fed, and they have a roof over their heads and a comfortable home to live in. Even the build-up for the film gives the impression that the Blaisdell's are poor, when they are really like most of middle America, or even a bit better off. Indeed, was there ever a time when a pharmacist, especially one who also owned his own drugstore, was considered poor? In smaller towns, the local druggist is often among the upper crust, along with the banker, doctor and lawyer.
Anyway, when Harriet's dreams of wealth and stature come tumbling down, she quickly acquiesces to their change of fortune with a happy and cheerful demeanor. There's no more cynicism or feeling sorry for their poor lot. Without any circumspection or moral surveying of their plot in the film, her abrupt change and acceptance is hardly believable. The true Harriet should be lamenting their decline and misfortune. A little reworking of the screenplay for this character would make her a little more believable - and tolerable.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Samuel Fulton/John Smith, "The more I see of that Pennock boy, the less I like him. Sometimes I think his head must be made of cork. It's always at the end of a bottle."
John Smith, to Howard Blaisdell, "Well, I know something about cards. You see, when I was young, I spent a lot of time up in the Yukon. They play a lotta cards up there. They play cards every night and the nights are six months long. So, I became quite an expert. I played cards one night for three months straight."
Charles Blaisdell, "Just exactly what are your intentions toward my daughter?" John Smith, "Honorable, Mr. Blaisdell - strictly honorable." Harriet Blaisdell, "You mean you wanna marry her?" Smith, "Nothing would delight me more." Charles, "But, but you're over 60. Millicent's not even 20. You're three times as old as she is." Smith, "That's true. But then, when I'm 80, she'll be 40. I'll be only twice as old then. Who knows, if I live long enough, she may even catch up with me."
Charles Blaisdell, "This is preposterous." John Smith, "Is it preposterous that one should love your daughter?" Carl Pennock, "You, you're after her money, aren't you?" Smith, "Aren't you, Mr. Pennock? You didn't encourage your son until the Blaisdell's had money." Charles, "Oh, but do you think for one moment we'd tolerate having you for a son-in-law?"
But, wait, this is not the main theme or plot of the film; nor does it include the number one leading actor. That honor goes to Charles Coburn who hatches the plot early on. Coburn is a New York mega-millionaire, Samuel Fulton, who never married and has no relatives. He decides to leave his fortune to the heirs of the woman he loved as a young man. But, she spurned him and became Millicent Blaisdell instead. So, Fulton went on to be a success and amassed a fortune. Now he wants to see if money would spoil her descendants. So, he goes incognito as John Smith and weasels his way into the Blaisdell home as a border.
Ostensibly to pay for his lodging, Smith takes a job at the drugstore where Dan teaches him the fine art of soda-jerking. He then arranges to have an anonymous cashier's check in the amount of $100,000 sent to the Blaisdells. Harriet immediately goes on a wild spending spree. They move into a mansion, buy new furniture and clothes, and join the high society of Terrytown. Charles invests some of the money in the stock market. And the rumors around town of their wealth and worth exaggerate and continue to grow.
The humor ramps up when Smith goes to the rescue of Millie and her brother, Howard. She goes with Carl to a speak-easy that the police raid, and Howard gets roped into a hefty poker debt. Smith's rescues land him in jail instead, and he goes before Judge Wilkins (Paul Harvey). The judge later recognizes him at a party Harriet is throwing for the wealthy folk to announce Millie's engagement to Carl. But, when Charles asks to borrow $25,000 from Pennock to cover his stock market losses, the snobs depart the Blaisdell party. Fortunately, the old Blaisdell house is still on the market so they move back home. Charles buys his business back from the lousy businessman he had sold it to. And, Smith convinces Dan to give up his plan to go to the big city to seek success, and instead go back to Millie.
There's plenty of good humor in this film. And, some lessons learned by most -- that money can't buy happiness. But, as Smith leaves town after saying he had to move on, one wonders how he decided - of if he had, to leave all his wealth to the Blaisdell's - or someone else.
There's one glaring weakness in this film - in the character of Harriet Blaisdell. She is so very cynical about their lack of wealth and being "poor" in her eyes, while the family appears to have a comfortable, but not lavish, living. Everyone is well-clothed and fed, and they have a roof over their heads and a comfortable home to live in. Even the build-up for the film gives the impression that the Blaisdell's are poor, when they are really like most of middle America, or even a bit better off. Indeed, was there ever a time when a pharmacist, especially one who also owned his own drugstore, was considered poor? In smaller towns, the local druggist is often among the upper crust, along with the banker, doctor and lawyer.
Anyway, when Harriet's dreams of wealth and stature come tumbling down, she quickly acquiesces to their change of fortune with a happy and cheerful demeanor. There's no more cynicism or feeling sorry for their poor lot. Without any circumspection or moral surveying of their plot in the film, her abrupt change and acceptance is hardly believable. The true Harriet should be lamenting their decline and misfortune. A little reworking of the screenplay for this character would make her a little more believable - and tolerable.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Samuel Fulton/John Smith, "The more I see of that Pennock boy, the less I like him. Sometimes I think his head must be made of cork. It's always at the end of a bottle."
John Smith, to Howard Blaisdell, "Well, I know something about cards. You see, when I was young, I spent a lot of time up in the Yukon. They play a lotta cards up there. They play cards every night and the nights are six months long. So, I became quite an expert. I played cards one night for three months straight."
Charles Blaisdell, "Just exactly what are your intentions toward my daughter?" John Smith, "Honorable, Mr. Blaisdell - strictly honorable." Harriet Blaisdell, "You mean you wanna marry her?" Smith, "Nothing would delight me more." Charles, "But, but you're over 60. Millicent's not even 20. You're three times as old as she is." Smith, "That's true. But then, when I'm 80, she'll be 40. I'll be only twice as old then. Who knows, if I live long enough, she may even catch up with me."
Charles Blaisdell, "This is preposterous." John Smith, "Is it preposterous that one should love your daughter?" Carl Pennock, "You, you're after her money, aren't you?" Smith, "Aren't you, Mr. Pennock? You didn't encourage your son until the Blaisdell's had money." Charles, "Oh, but do you think for one moment we'd tolerate having you for a son-in-law?"