Don’t judge a film by its title… Million Dollar Legs (1939)

Betty Grable, just like other sex symbols such as Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield, is nowadays more often remembered for her physical appeal than her acting and the films in which she starred. We particularly remember her for that utterly iconic pin-up photo showcasing her famous legs (insured for a million dollars). Every GI owned that image during the Second World War. She was the bombshell by excellence. And there goes the sad reality of Hollywood and the overall entertainment business: betting on look before talent, which, for some actresses, could have disastrous consequences (think Monroe).

However, we can remember Betty Grable for the right reasons, such as her impact on American culture and the spark she brought to films. And it’s with that idea in mind that Rebecca from Taking Up Room has decided to host a blogathon dedicated to her. The event coincides with the 50th anniversary of her passing, which happened on July 2, 1973. She, sadly, was only 56, the victim of lung cancer.

Participating in this blogathon allowed me to revisit Million Dollar Legs, a 1939 film directed by Nick Grinde and an uncredited Edward Dmytryk (who would have thought?!). Other than Grable, the cast is composed of John Hartley, Buster Crabbe (credited as Larry Crabbe), Donald O’Connor, Jackie Coogan ( who was then married to Grable), Peter Lind Hayes, Dorothea Kent, Richard Denning, Thurston Hall and Billy Gilbert.

The story occurs at Middleton College, controlled by the wealthy Gregory Melton Sr. (Thurston Hall). His son, Greg (John Hartley), has just received an honour for his basketball playing but knows it is just because he is the son of Melton Sr. He doesn’t feel like he’s appreciated at his true value. On his side, student body president Freddie ‘Ten-Percent’ Fry (Peter Lind Hayes) has to get a letter of recognition in some sport to win back the heart of his girlfriend, Susie (Dorothea Kent). Full of ambition, he decides to revive crew boat racing, which was back then a tradition at Middleton. However, he’ll need some financial support for better equipment as he and coach Jordan (Buster Crabbe) realize the old, dusty crew equipment is in pretty poor shape. In the hope that he could reach Melton Sr. through his son, he plots to meet his girlfriend, Carol (Betty Grable). He does act on how sad he is that crew reviving might not be possible and that “if only he could have a good athlete like Greg joining the team. How wonderful it could be”. Feeling bad for Fry (although she doesn’t know it’s all an act), Carol manages to convince Greg to join the team. The latter sees an opportunity to finally be recognized for his natural talent, not for his father’s money. He joins the team, very well aware that his father would never approve of boat racing, not being a paying sport. That is an act of rebellion for him. However, he eventually discovers Fry used him, and between that and a catastrophic boat race, things really don’t go as planned.

Million Dollar Legs is mainly forgotten nowadays. If some people remember it, it’s mostly because of Betty Grable’s presence. On my side, the main reason I had seen this film before is that this was the first film in which William Holden “appeared”. And as I once challenged myself to see all his films, even the ones where he has minor uncredited roles, this had to be on my list. I put appearance between quotation marks because we don’t see him; we only hear him. He’s one of the college students who receive a basketball medal and says, “Thank you”. I’m not going to lie; although we don’t see him, if you’re familiar enough with that actor, it’s easy to recognize his distinctive voice. It’s truly unmistakable. 

That led me to see a film that, although forgotten, remains pretty amusing. It’s easygoing and doesn’t pretend to be a masterpiece, either. Being an hour long only, it’s fast-paced and doesn’t unnecessarily drag. The actors each bring their dose of flavour to the story, particularly Peter Lind Hayes (the film’s comic relief) and a young Donald O’Connor, who seems to be the voice of reason. Betty Grable is a lot of fun and the cool blond you’d like to befriend. Moreover, the film contains many fun scenes which, like the crew team, boost your energy while watching it. Yes, unless you’re completely dead inside, you mentally cheer for Middleton as they are racing, even though their boat is sinking (I had sooooo much hope for them). I like how they give up only at the last minute (while poor Fry, who doesn’t know how to swim, desperately tries to remove the water from the boat). However, my favourite scenery was seeing Carol and Susie embarkation with the commentator, cheering for their men racing. We feel there’s a certain complicity between the three of them, and that they take all the benefits of being in such advantageous seats. Later on, that same boat with the commentator will take a lot of importance in the story.

Another relevant element is that Arthur P. Schmidt edited it. The name might not ring a bell, but the guy worked on five films with the legendary Billy Wilder as an editor, more precisely on Sunset Boulevard, Ace in the Hole, Sabrina, The Spirit of St. Louis, and Some Like It Hot. Looking at the latter, which required an editor who could give dynamic editing and a rhythm with few poses, it seems appropriate that a film like Million Dollar Legs propelled him to excel in such a style. Interestingly, his son Arthur Schmidt also worked as an editor and has to his credits some classics like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump and the Back to the Future trilogy. Talent ran in the family, and it’s fascinating that a little film like Million Dollar Legs was once on its roadmap. 

But that’s the thing with Million Dollar Legs. Although it’s not regarded as a classic like other Grable films such as The Dolly Sisters or How to Marry a Millionaire, what makes it a relevant object of study is everything that surrounds it, all the little anecdotes, the significance it had in Betty Grable’s life, more precisely how it contributed to building her image.

It’s evident that the title, Million Dollar Legs, was a publicity stunt to attract viewers (especially men). I said it before, Hollywood liked to create success with appearances. Add to that the poster, displaying a smiling Betty Grable wearing a bathing suit which visually contributed to the marketing promotion of the film. But the thing is, Grable plays a secondary character (the leading actor would be Peter Lind Hayes), and we don’t see her legs that often. She’s wearing short shorts or a bathing suit at some point, but most of the time, she’s wearing a skirt that goes to her knees. Not going to lie; we actually see the male athletes’ legs much more than Grable’s! I hope the audience wasn’t too disappointed… These infos might seem insignificant, but they are worthy of mention to understand how it contributes to the whole image built around Grable. Moreover, it was after that film that the actress received the nickname “the girl with the million-dollar legs”, followed by insuring these legs. Regarding Grable’s life and career, that was also the second film where she played alongside her then-husband, Jackie Coogan. The first one was College Swing (Raoul Walsh, 1938). The two stars, however, divorced in 1939. 

An odd thing about the film is that Edward Dmytryk was one of its directors. Although uncredited, that was his second film as a director, and he was used as a replacement after Paramount fired Nick Grinde from the production. It’s weird to think he worked on a B-comedy starring Betty Grable when he truly established himself with his noirs like Murder, My Sweet and Crossfire.

It’s, unfortunately, difficult to find a version of Million Dollar Legs that is visually appealing and of good quality. But as it is a short film, it’s tolerable. I will not tell you to rush yourself on that film immediately and that you ABSOLUTELY have to see it now. However, if you have the time or are looking for some light entertainment, I would recommend giving it a go. Honestly, it’s far from boring, and I enjoyed my second viewing much more than I would have thought.

A huge thanks to Rebecca for hosting that blogathon! Make sure to read the other entries here. See you!