Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

In 1928, Samuel Fulton, a lonely New York millionaire, decides to leave his entire fortune to the Blaisdell family. He explains to his lawyer Norton that Millicent Blaisdell's rejection inspired him to become wealthy so he could influence their lives. He travels to Vermont to visit them in person and test his plan.

He rents a room in the Blaisdell home under the alias John Smith and travels from New York to a small Vermont town. He observes the family’s warmth and pride despite their poverty. He contemplates how to guide them without revealing his true identity.

Roberta, the youngest Blaisdell, makes him feel welcome and helps him blend in. The family appears happy but wary of any hidden motives. Samuel quietly observes the family dynamics and their stance against materialism.

Millie Blaisdell and Dan Stebbins declare their engagement, which upsets Harriet who hopes Millie will marry Carl Pennock for wealth. The announcement introduces tension between social ambition and genuine affection. Samuel watches, understanding how wealth could complicate their future.

Norton arrives with the news that the Blaisdells have inherited $100,000 from an anonymous benefactor. The windfall tempts the family to embrace a more fashionable, upper-class lifestyle. Samuel notes how quickly values begin to shift in the glow of wealth.

With the inheritance, the Blaisdell home begins to resemble a stylish household rather than a simple farmstead. The family decorates, buys new goods, and pursues social appearances. Samuel continues to monitor the consequences of sudden wealth.

Howard Blaisdell spirals into gambling and debt as money flows into risky ventures. Samuel steps in to help salvage Howard’s prospects and prevent a public ruin. The intervention strengthens Samuel’s role as a guardian of the family’s finances.

Dan announces he cannot live up to Millie’s expectations and ends their engagement. Harriet pushes Millie to return to the social orbit with Carl, offering a wealth-centered path. Millie reluctantly resumes dating Carl, complicating her true feelings for Dan.

To prevent Millie and Dan from drifting apart, Samuel arranges a meeting at the town cinema. An argument follows, and Millie proclaims her hatred for the family’s sudden wealth. Onlookers begin to suspect that Samuel and Millie are developing a discreet relationship.

During a social party at the Blaisdell house, Harriet overhears cinema gossip and pushes Millie to announce her engagement to Carl. The appearance of propriety overrides true feeling. The manufactured engagement strains the family further.

Charles reveals his investment losses, unsettling the family’s illusion of prosperity. Norton refuses to grant a loan, and the Pennocks also decline support, effectively ending Carl and Millie’s engagement. The wealth illusion collapses under financial pressure.

The Blaisdells retreat back toward their original, humble lifestyle as Millie and Dan resume their engagement with a focus on love over wealth. Roberta secretly enters John’s paintings in an art show and wins first prize, revealing Samuel’s hidden talent. He leaves the Blaisdell house to avoid press, realizing the family now views him as the grandfather he might have been.