​​​​​​​Susan Evans Grove

A billionaire's daughter defies her father and her money to marry the stable boy only to find out he is the heir to the throne of Lithuania and ten times richer than her Daddy.

This 1946 drama tells the story of how a billionaire's daughter defies her father to marry the stable boy, only to find out he is the heir to the throne of Lithuania and three times richer than her Daddy. Directed  by Jim Chrysler, screenplay by Dale Spaulding, and starring Elva La Treque, Walter Abel and Bob Crosby.

In Elva La Treque’s second role with Mitsumount Pictures she plays Molly Fairlane, the isolated only daughter of automobile mogul Frederick Fairlane. Despite his 17 car garage and his fortune gleaned from automobiles Frederick prefers the gallop of a horse to travel around his 67 acre estate. Molly learns at a tender age that riding and riding well is the only way she is going to get her father’s attention. All that time in the stable means all that time with Danielius the stable boy and their affection quickly accelerates. When Frederick realizes the affection growing between the two he immediately warns Danielius to stay away from his prized filly. He then explains to his daughter that while arranged marriage is not an American concept hers most definitely will be and a mere stable boy would not be in the race.

Frederick’s threats do little to dissuade the two young people. To illustrate this director Jim Chrysler created a  famous 3 minute scene where their passionate kissing is interrupted and restarted every three seconds. This served to both guarantee box office success and thumbs its nose at the Hays Code. Not wanting to completely disregard the code the actors would clearly need to get married after that kind of scene and indeed they do elope.

The denouement of the screenplay comes when the father, having discovered the betrothal and the betrayal, is shouting at the couple when an entourage of Lithuanian thugs enter the barn. It is revealed to a shocked Molly that Danielius is the heir to the throne of Lithuania. It is certain that the ending we see (the fathers agree to the marriage and jointly throw a lavish party to celebrate) was not Screenwriter Dale Spaulding first draft nor his first choice.  Spaulding is surely making a statement that while Democratic, America has still not shed its royal configuration.

Recalling the social registry of early New York, Spaulding is critiquing the caste system within the United States and specifically the New Money Hollywood. One gets the sense that the screenwriter is working through his exile after three failed productions on Broadway knocked him off the Great White Way.

La Treque is charming as the innocent Molly and the relationship between her and veteran Walter Abel as Frederick feels genuine. This film is the first sighting of La Treque’s soon to be future, past, future, past, future, past, future, past husband Blanc La Rocque who plays a bit part as part of the king’s entourage.