Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story is a 1987 television biographical drama starring Farrah Fawcett. The film chronicles the life of Barbara Hutton, a wealthy but troubled American socialite. Released as both a television movie and a miniseries, the film won a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film. Fawcett earned her fifth Golden Globe Award nomination, for Best Actress in a Miniseries of Television Film.[1] Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story was based on C. David Heymann's Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton.[2]
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story | |
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Part 1 print advertisement | |
Based on | Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton by C. David Heymann |
Written by | Dennis Turner (Teleplay) |
Directed by | Charles Jarrott |
Starring | |
Theme music composer | Richard Rodney Bennett |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producer | Lester Persky |
Producers | Nick Gillott Tomlinson Dean |
Cinematography | Alan Hume John Lindley |
Editor | Bill Blunden |
Running time | 240 minutes |
Production companies |
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Distributor | NBCUniversal |
Release | |
Original network | NBC |
Original release | November 16, 1987 |
Plot
The true story of one of the richest women in America, heiress to the Woolworth fortune, who had vast wealth and seven husbands.
Cast
In the miniseries title sequence, the cast is credited in the following order:[3]
- Farrah Fawcett as Barbara Hutton (Adult)
- Matilda Johansson as Barbara (Age 5)
- Fairuza Balk as Barbara (Age 12)
- David Ackroyd as Graham Mattison
- Stéphane Audran as Pauline de la Rochelle
- Amadeus August as Court Haugwitz-Hardenberg Reventlow
- Nicholas Clay as Prince Alexis Mdivani
- Bruce Davison as Jimmy Donahue (Adult)
- John Lindros as Jimmy Donahue (Age 11)
- Carmen Du Sautoy as Roussie
- Anne Francis as Marjorie Merriweather Post
- Sascha Hehn as Baron Gottfried von Cramm
- Kevin McCarthy as Franklyn Laws Hutton
- Tony Peck as James Douglas III
- Zoë Wanamaker as Jean Kennerly
- Clive Arrindell as Prince Igor Troubetzkoy
- Linden Ashby as Lance Reventlow (Adult)
- Robert Holman as Lance (Ages 5–7)
- Jonathan Brandis as Lance (Age 11)
- Debbie Barker as Jill St. John
- Brenda Blethyn as Tiki Tocquet
- Nigel Le Vaillant as David Herbert
- Miriam Margolyes as Elsa Maxwell
- Carolyn Seymour as Dorothy Cadwell Taylor Dentice di Frasso
- Tracy Brooks Swope as Peggy
- Burl Ives as F.W. Woolworth
- James Read as Cary Grant
- Michael Shannon as Morley Kennerly
- Jana Shelden as Irene Olive Curley Bodde Hutton Moffett
- Toria Fuller as Edna Woolworth Hutton
- Blain Fairman as James P. Donahue
- Susan McDonald as Nurse
- Patricia Northcott as Jessie May Woolworth Donahue
- Liza Ross as Aunt Grace
- Nancy Gair as Louise Astor Van Alen
- Julie Eccles as Doris Duke
- David Gilliam as Phil Plant
- Peter Scranton as Jack Pauling
- John Golightly as Inspector Clair
- Julie Ronnie as Sally
- Ronald Leigh-Hunt as Raymond Needham
- James Woolley as Clifford Turner
- Vernon Dobtcheff as Jules Glaenzer
- Nicholas Le Prevost as Sir Patrick Hastings
- Tim Bannerman as Norman Birkett
- Sneh Gupta as Moharoni
- Ellen Garber as Woman friend
- Jeremy Anthony as Maurice Doan
- Neville Jason as Raymond Doan
- Kenny Baker as Burlesque Artist (Uncredited)
- Winston Churchill as Himself (Archival footage) (Uncredited)
- Adolf Hitler as Himself (Archival footage) (Uncredited)
- Queen Elizabeth II as Herself (Archival footage) (Uncredited)
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother as Herself (Archival footage) (Uncredited)
Crew
- Written by: Dennis Turner
- Directed by: Charles Jarrott
- Producer: Nick Gillott
- Music: Richard Rodney Bennett
Reception
Critical response
Film critic and journalist John J. O'Connor of The New York Times wrote in his review: "This television portrait gives us a Barbara Hutton who is shy and decidedly uncertain of herself. For the most part, she is the victim of scavengers. [...] Actually, according to Mr. Heymann's book, Miss Hutton was more forward and adventurous than is indicated here by the script constraints put on Ms. Fawcett. She may have been shy but she wasted no time in pouncing on any object or person that caught her fancy."[4] Television critic and journalist Jeff Jarvis wrote in his review: "What the stock market did to itself on Bloody Monday, Farrah Fawcett does to herself here. Her value as an actress soared after The Burning Bed and Extremities. Now comes the crash in Poor Little Rich Girl, a two-night miniseries of miseries about Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton. [...] Fawcett should have more faith in her talent. If she keeps making herself look awful when she acts, she’s going to be left with only one part to play: Godzilla."[5]
Awards
- 45th Golden Globe Awards
- 40th Primetime Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Costume Design for a Miniseries or a Special (won)[7]
- Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Special (won)[8]
- Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries or Special (won)[9]
Release
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story aired on NBC on November 16, 1987.[4] The film was released on DVD on December 16, 2008, by A+E Networks Home Entertainment.[10]
References
Citations
- "Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story". 16 November 1987 – via IMDb.
- Heymann, C. David (1983). Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton. New York City: Random House. ISBN 978-0394509426.
- Wagner 2011, p. 154.
- O'Connor, John J. (November 16, 1987). "TV Review; 'Poor Little Rich Girl,' on Hutton". The New York Times. New York City: The New York Times Company. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- Jarvis, Jeff (November 16, 1987). "Picks and Pans Review: Poor Little Rich Girl: the Barbara Hutton Story". People. United States: Meredith Corporation. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- Associated Press (January 6, 1988). "Nominees Announced For 1988 Golden Globes". The New York Times. New York City: The New York Times Company. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- "Outstanding Achievement in Costuming for a Miniseries or a Special - 1988". Primetime Emmy Award. United States: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. August 27, 1988. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- "Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Special - 1988". Primetime Emmy Award. United States: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. August 27, 1988. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- "Outstanding Achievement in Makeup for a Miniseries or a Special - 1988". Primetime Emmy Award. United States: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. August 27, 1988. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story. A+E Networks Home Entertainment (DVD). New York City: A&E Networks. December 16, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
Sources
- Wagner, Laura (2011). Anne Francis: The Life and Career. New York City: McFarland & Company. p. 154. ISBN 978-0786463657.