weezeralfalfa The most dominating character role I've seen irascible grandfatherly Charles Coburn play. This is definitely his movie, whatever the official credits suggest. He also dominated, again playing a tycoon, in "The Girl Who Took the West", where again he was concerned how his fortune would fare after he was gone. Coburn, as Samuel Fulton/alias John Smith, having no close kin, wants to bequeath his fortune, especially in gold and oil companies, to the descendants of the one woman he loved, back when he was poor and struggling. He wants to express his gratitude to her for refusing him, which stimulated him to travel around the US, looking for investment opportunities. But first, he wants to test if this family can handle his fortune responsibly. He fakes an advertisement from them for a roomer, then shows up on their doorstep with the paper in hand, badgering them into accepting him as the roomer.Mrs. Blaisdell(Lyn Bari) is characterized as the worst offender in spending the test money lavishly on a mansion with fancy furnishings, expensive car and clothes, etc.. She even demands they trade in their personable Airedale for a pair of French poodles. In large part, she wants these things in order to be accepted as an equal by the town upper crust, so that her daughter, Millie, is better qualified to marry the son of a rich family. Meanwhile, son Charles tries to multiply their fortune by gambling at cards, but instead loses all his money, necessitating Coburn to use his expertise at card gambling to win it back for him anonymously. Meanwhile Mr. Blaisdell gambles a good share of the money on a stock, which then collapses. Daughter Millie is the only one of the adults who is conservative in her demands with the money. Her mother wants her to marry a rich man she doesn't love. Now that they are rich, Millie's boyfriend Dan(Rock Hudson), a mere soda jerk, feels out of place as her boyfriend, so breaks off their engagement. But later, when the family is flat broke, he resumes his interest in Millie, while her rich fiancé suddenly loses interest in her.We don't learn whether Coburn decided to will the rest of his fortune to the family. He took a special interest in Millie. If I were him, I would have all securities, companies and cash put in a trust fund, from which they can draw so much per year. with Millie getting the most. This comedic drama is played against a background of 1920s culture, including raccoon coats and a number of songs. In fulfilling his role as a snooper and aid to the Blaisdells, Coburn is arrested several times for frequenting a speak-easy or a gambling den, and reprimanded for allegedly necking in a movie theater with Millie. He is talked into working in the Blaisdell's pharmacy as a soda jerk, after an inauspicious training period. At night, he has to sleep with the family dog.The aspect that deserves the most criticism is the excessively feel good ending, which has the family returning to their old house and old business(which they had sold),as if they had never received the money and hadn't gone bankrupt. Should Coburn have revealed himself before leaving , or disappeared incognito.Lyn Bari, usually typecast as "the other woman" or loser, has a different role here, but still clearly comes across in a negative light who, along with the others, loses their fortune because of their greed. Also, she champions "the other man" to marry her daughter.

MartinHafer While this is not a brilliant film, it's exactly the sort of old fashioned Hollywood film that I love. It's a nice family slice of life film--much like "On Moonlight Bay" or "Life With Father". These films present a very idealized and sweet look at like in the 'good old days'. So perhaps it isn't 100% real or realistic, but it is fun--and quite nostalgic.The best thing about this film, and the reason I watched it, is that it stars Charles Coburn. While not a household name, he was a marvelous supporting actor and played crusty old gents better than anyone. Take his movies "The Devil and Miss Jones" and "The More the Merrier"--no one could have done it better! Here in "Has Anyone Seen My Gal", he once again is at his best.The movie begins with Coburn talking about dying--though his doctor insists if he takes care of himself he'll live for years. But this isn't what's important to Coburn--what he really cares about is what he'll do with his immense fortune after he dies. As he has no family, he decides he'll give it to the family of his old girlfriend--even though she's since died and he's never met these folks. So, on a whim, he decides to visit his old home town and meet the folks incognito. And, he also then decides to give them SOME of the inheritance to see what they do with it. The rest, it is a joy to watch...and so I won't say any more. Just see the film. Overall, a very nice film. My only reservation, and it's small, is that the mother is a bit too unlikable--and I wish they'd made her a bit less obnoxious. Still, it's well worth seeing.By the way, during the film they mention two other films--"Anybody Here Seen Kelly?" with Bessie Love and "Hold Your Man" with Laura La Plante. These are real films from the late 1920s, if you are interested.

dbdumonteil The follow-up to "no room for the groom" ,"has anybody seen my gal?" displays many similarities with its predecessor .It's "money cannot buy happiness" all over again;the mother who dreams of a rich marriage for a daughter was also present in "no room" .She was more over possessive,she was less kind,but the mother is here as selfish and as snob as Piper Laurie's .The scenes when she plays the nouveaux riches,as French people say , predate the dramatic sequence of Sarah's cocktail party in "All that Heaven allows" .Rock Hudson's part of a waiter is not far from the gardener full of Joie de Vivre in the 1955 work.Generally,people like this movie and dismiss "no room for the groom" ; however ,both movies display Capra's influence and both movies are proof positive that "all I (should) desire"-to mention another Sirk work- is a simple life ."No room" is closer to farce;beside,it's in black and white .If you want to see James Dean,you've got to pay a lot of attention:he only appears a few seconds .

proffate Great fun!I just caught this on AMC and loved it immediately. A millionaire (Charles Coburn) gives $100,000 to the family of the woman who rejected him when he was young. Set in the 1920's when steak was 56 cents a pound, that's a lot of cash!The money immediately goes to the family's head and Coburn has to step in anonymously to set things right.A wonderful period piece, and Coburn doing the Charleston is an incredible sight!