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5.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. She Wanted a Millionaire remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're looking for a lighthearted romp from the 1930s, keep walking. She Wanted a Millionaire is one of those movies that starts with a girl wanting the finer things and ends with her realizing that rich men are usually just bored monsters in tuxedos.
It’s worth a watch if you’re into the darker, grittier side of pre-Code Hollywood. If you need a hero to root for or a happy ending that feels earned, you’re going to hate this. It’s mean-spirited in that specific way only early talkies knew how to be.
Joan Bennett is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. She plays Jane with this wide-eyed ambition that slowly curdles into pure, unadulterated terror once she gets to that French chateau. Honestly, the way she holds her breath in the dinner scenes is enough to make you feel claustrophobic. She’s trapped, and the camera doesn't let you forget it.
Then there’s Spencer Tracy. He’s the newspaperman, the guy who sees the truth while everyone else is blinded by the shine of gold coins. He’s fine, but he feels like he’s in a different movie. Like he wandered off the set of The Crimson Skull or something equally punchy and forgot to change his coat.
The pacing is a bit weird. The first act moves like a sprinter, and then everything just slows down to a crawl once they hit France. There’s a stretch where people just stand around in rooms with high ceilings and look ominous. It’s almost funny how much they want you to know the millionaire is a bad guy. He’s essentially a cartoon villain with a bank account.
Odd things I noticed:
It reminds me a bit of The Woman of Lies in how it treats its lead characters like pawns on a chessboard. Everyone is just waiting for someone else to make a move. It’s not subtle. It’s not trying to be. It just wants to tell you that money doesn't buy happiness, though it clearly buys some very expensive curtains to hide your misery behind. 🏚️
The whole thing is thin. It’s not going to change your life. But for an hour or so? You could do worse than watching Bennett try to survive a marriage that’s basically a cage with better plumbing.
IMDb —
1930
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