How to Murder a Millionaire

How to Murder a Millionaire

Year: 1990

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: English

Director: Paul Schneider

TV MovieComedy

A Beverly Hills housewife suspects that her husband of thirty years is trying to kill her.

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Timeline & Setting – How to Murder a Millionaire (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of How to Murder a Millionaire (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Irma's home, high-end stores, restaurant, Gilbert's office, Ambassador Hotel, garage

The film unfolds in a glamorous urban setting anchored by Irma's opulent residence and a circle of wealthy socialites. Scenes move between exclusive shops, a fine-dining restaurant, Gilbert's office, and the Ambassador Hotel, illustrating a world where privilege and status drive the action. Key events occur in private homes and in a garage, where fear, deception, and danger intrude on the glossy surface.

💎 Luxury 🏙️ Urban Elite 🕵️ Mystery 💼 Power & Wealth

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:39

Main Characters – How to Murder a Millionaire (1990)

Meet the key characters of How to Murder a Millionaire (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Irma (Joan Rivers)

A wealthy socialite whose lavish lifestyle masks a fear of losing her fortune. As danger closes in, she weighs who to trust and whether to strike first to safeguard her riches.

💎 Rich 🕵️ Suspense

Loretta (Morgan Fairchild)

Irma's confidant and socialite friend who moves within the same circles of wealth. She becomes entangled in the power dynamics around Irma and Walter and adds tension with flirtatious maneuvers.

👑 Socialite 💼 Power plays

Gilbert (David Ogden Stiers)

Loretta's husband and the schemer who plots to murder Irma to seize control of the company. He orchestrates schemes and uses clever manipulation to move his plan forward.

💼 Ambition 🧠 Manipulation

Walter (Alex Rocco)

Irma's husband, a figure of suspicion who alternates between vulnerability and calculated moves. He becomes a focal point of the plot due to alleged affairs and a web of arrangements.

❤️ Marriage 🕵️ Suspense

Danny (Meshach Taylor)

A perpetrator drawn into a plot for money, recruited by others to murder Irma. He shows a pragmatic willingness to blur lines between crime and survival.

🕯️ Crime 💰 Motive

Teresa (Telma Hopkins)

Danny's partner in crime who starts by aiding the burglary and later becomes part of the murder-for-hire plan. She is pragmatic and willing to take risks.

💃 Partnership 🔪 Danger

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:39

Major Themes – How to Murder a Millionaire (1990)

Explore the central themes of How to Murder a Millionaire (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Greed

A web of money and status drives the plot, turning neighbors and spouses into targets. Irma's fortune becomes the prize others covet, prompting schemes of murder and manipulation to seize control of wealth. The conspirators use deception to edge closer to the prize, revealing greed as the core motive. In the end, the pursuit of riches cannot shield them from consequences.

🕵️ Deception

The story is built on secrets, misdirection, and impersonation. Gilbert attempts to manipulate events by pretending to be Walter and guiding Danny toward murder. Irma uses subterfuge and opportunistic moves to protect herself and her assets. The truth gradually surfaces as plans unravel and authorities close in.

💍 Marriage & Trust

The relationships at the center of the plot are strained by suspicion, infidelity rumours, and power plays. Irma suspects her husband; Loretta and Gilbert maneuver for control within a marriage of convenience and wealth. Dinner conversations, seduction attempts, and the fear of betrayal reveal how trust frays under the pressure of danger. In the end, the fragile bonds are put to the test, but the characters seek a uneasy resolution.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:39

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How to Murder a Millionaire Summary

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How to Murder a Millionaire Summary

How to Murder a Millionaire Timeline

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How to Murder a Millionaire Timeline

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