Main Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Fernando Lamas, William Powell, Gig Young, James Whitmore
Release Year: 1953
Country: US
Run Time: 69 minutes
Plot
A good man tries to warn his daughter away from a bad man who has stolen her heart in this melodrama. Steve Latimer (William Powell) is a successful defense attorney who has gone out of his way to give his daughter Jean (Elizabeth Taylor) every advantage in life. However, Steve's generosity and open minded attitude begin to backfire on him when Jean decides to throw off her boyfriend, the solid and sensible Vance Court (Gig Young), in favor of Victor Ramondi (Fernando Lamas), a handsome but dangerous man with criminal connections whom Steve is representing. Steve tries to warn Jean away from Victor, but she remains undeterred, and accepts his proposal of marriage, even as the authorities tighten their grip on Victor and his crime syndicate. The Girl Who Had Everything was a remake of the 1931 Norma Shearer vehicle A Free Soul. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
The Girl Who Had Everything isn't exactly a "nothing" film -- but it's a pretty big disappointment given the talent of the cast involved. The prime culprit here is Art Cohn, whose tired, cliché-ridden script is a chore to sit through. Cohn seems to have attacked the project as if all that was needed for a screenplay was a plot, failing to provide anything in the way of originality, wit, imagination or character development. Still, screenplays of comparable quality have provided the basis for better movies, thanks to the sterling efforts of their directors. Unfortunately, Girl's Richard Thorpe fails to rise to anywhere near the occasion, providing direction that is the very definition of routine. The cast tries hard, and they do manage to give the film its few high points. Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous, set off to good advantage by Helen Rose's fashions. Fernando Lamas is equally easy on the eyes, and the two do have a chemistry, making the poolside scene especially hot. But they cannot overcome the limitations of the material, something that only William Powell is able to do -- and even he does so only occasionally. Andre Previn's score is lush but overwhelming and intrusive and the film has that dependable '50s MGM look going for it, but overall, Girl is a letdown. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Robert Burton - John Ashmond; William Walker - Julian; Harry Bartell - Joe; Roy Butler - Trainer; Douglas Carter - Bellboy; Jonathan Cott; Frank Dae - Old Man Kinkaid; Cameron A. Grant; Paul Harvey - Sen. Drummond; Earl Hodgins - Spotter; Bobby Johnson - Attendant; Dean Miller - Radio Announcer; Pat O'Malley - Senate Board Member; Emory Parnell - Auctioneer; Elmer Peterson - Himself; Dan Riss - Counsel; Perry Sheehan; George Sherwood; Dee Turnell; Philip Van Zandt - Colleague; Anthony Warde; James H. Horne; John Maxwell; George Brand; Stuart Wilson - Newspaper Man; Jack Sterling - Cab Driver; John R. McKee - Male Secretary
Credit
Randall Duell - Art Director, Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, Helen Rose - Costume Designer, Sid Sidman - First Assistant Director, Richard Thorpe - Director, Ben Lewis - Editor, Andre Previn - Composer (Music Score), William J. Tuttle - Makeup, Paul Vogel - Cinematographer, Armand Deutsch - Producer, Jack D. Moore - Set Designer, Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer, Art Cohn - Screenwriter, Adela Rogers St. John - Book Author
The Girl Who Had Everything is a 1953 film directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Armande Deutsch for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film features William Powell in his last MGM feature and one of his last film roles before retirement.[1] The screenplay was written by Art Cohn, based upon a play by Willard Mack, which in turn was based on the novel A Free Soul by Adela Rogers St. Johns. The play and novel were also inspiration for an earlier film adaptation called A Free Soul.[2]
Steve Latimer (William Powell) is a successful defense attorney who has tried to give his daughter Jean (Elizabeth Taylor) everything he can in life. She decides to leave her boyfriend, the amiable Vance Court (Gig Young), for Victor Ramondi (Fernando Lamas), a rakish and dangerous man with underworld connections whom Steve is representing. Steve tries to warn Jean away from Victor, but she accepts his proposal of marriage.
Rough Ridin' (with John P. McCarthy) •Rarin' to Go •Battling Buddy •Fast and Fearless •Hard Hittin' Hamilton •Rip Roarin' Roberts •Bringin' Home the Bacon •Thundering Romance •Gold and Grit •Full Speed •Fast Fightin' •On the Go •Double Action Daniels •Quicker 'n Lightnin' •Tearin' Loose •The Desert Demon •Saddle Cyclone •Galloping On •A Streak of Luck •The Last Card •The Roaring Rider •Trumpin' Trouble •The Fighting Cheat •Coming an' Going •The Twin Triggers •Deuce High •Easy Going •Rawhide •Speedy Spurs •Double Daring •The Dangerous Dub •Twisted Triggers •The Bonanza Buckaroo •College Days •Josselyn's Wife •The Bandit Buster •The First Night •The Cyclone Cowboy •Between Dangers •The Galloping Gobs •Tearin' Into Trouble •The Ridin' Rowdy •The Meddlin' Stranger •Pals in Peril •Skedaddle Gold •White Pebbles •The Interferin' Gent •The Soda Water Cowboy •Ride 'em High •The Obligin' Buckaroo •Roarin' Broncs •The Desert of the Lost •The Ballyhoo Buster •Desperate Courage •The Cowboy Cavalier •The Valley of Hunted Men •Saddle Mates •Flyin' Buckaroo •The Bachelor Girl •Border Romance
1930s
The Dude Wrangler •Wings of Adventures •The Thoroughbred •Under Montana Skies •The Utah Kid •The Lawless Woman •The Sky Spider •The Lady from Nowhere •Wild Horse •Grief Street •Neck and Neck •Forgotten Women •The Devil Plays •Cross Examination •Murder at Dawn •Probation •Escapade •The Midnight Lady •Forbidden Company •Beauty Parlor •Thrill of Youth •The King Murder •Slightly Married •Women Won't Tell •Secrets of Wu Sin •Forgotten •Love Is Dangerous •I Have Lived •Strange People •Notorious But Nice •A Man of Sentiment •Murder on the Campus •Rainbow Over Broadway •The Quitter •Stolen Sweets •City Park •Green Eyes •Cheating Cheaters •Secret of the Chateau •Strange Wives •Last of the Pagans •The Voice of Bugle Ann •Tarzan Escapes •Dangerous Number •Night Must Fall •Double Wedding •Man-Proof •Love Is a Headache •The First Hundred Years •The Toy Wife •The Crowd Roars •Three Loves Has Nancy •The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn •Tarzan Finds a Son!
