Rings on Her Fingers
Rings on Her Fingers is a 1942 American screwball comedy film directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney. The screenplay concerns a poor man who gets mistaken for a millionaire and is swindled out of his life savings.
Rings on Her Fingers | |
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Directed by | Rouben Mamoulian |
Produced by | Milton Sperling |
Written by | Robert Pirosh (story) Joseph Schrank (story) |
Screenplay by | Ken Englund Emeric Pressburger (uncredited) |
Starring | Henry Fonda Gene Tierney Laird Cregar Spring Byington |
Music by | Cyril J. Mockridge Leigh Harline |
Cinematography | George Barnes |
Edited by | Barbara McLean |
Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
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Running time | 86 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $651,000[1] |
Box office | $925,300[1] |
Plot
Susan Miller (Gene Tierney) works as a girdle salesgirl in a large department store. She dreams of living on "the other side", among the rich. An elderly woman, calling herself Mrs. Maybelle Worthington (Spring Byington), comes to buy some underwear. She is actually a professional swindler. Her partner Warren (Laird Cregar) meets her at the department store, and reports that her "daughter" (a partner in their schemes) has run away to get married. They notice that Susan resembles the "daughter", and ask her to impersonate the missing girl at their party that evening. Susan sees an opportunity to experience life among the rich, and wear the expensive clothes she could never afford.
From that day on, Susan becomes "Linda Worthington" and accompanies "Mother Worthington" and "Uncle Warren" in their travels. They use her to attract marriageable young rich men, whom they swindle. One day in Southern California, they encounter John Wheeler (Henry Fonda), and overhear his plan to buy a yacht for $15,000. They take him for a millionaire, and use "Linda" to lure him into one of their swindles. But John is actually an accountant, who has carefully saved the $15,000 out of his limited income. This time Susan/Linda falls in love with the intended victim, and it's hard for them to find their way to happiness.
Cast
- Henry Fonda as John Wheeler
- Gene Tierney as Susan Miller / "Linda Worthington"
- Laird Cregar as Warren
- Spring Byington as Mrs. Maybelle Worthington
- Shepperd Strudwick as Tod Fenwick (as John Shepperd)
- Frank Orth as Kellogg
- Henry Stephenson as Colonel Prentiss
- Marjorie Gateson as Mrs. Fenwick
- George Lessey as Fenwick Sr.
- Iris Adrian as Peggy
- Harry Hayden as Conductor
- Clara Blandick as Mrs. Beasley
- Charles C. Wilson as Captain Hurley
- Gwendolyn Logan as Miss Calahan
Reception
The film recorded a loss of $14,100.[1]
References
- Mank, Gregory William (2018). Laird Cregar: A Hollywood Tragedy. McFarland.