The Millionairess

The Millionairess

Year: 1960

Runtime: 89 mins

Language: English

Director: Anthony Asquith

RomanceComedy

After her father's death, Epifania Parerga, an Italian socialite living in London, inherits enough wealth to become the world's richest woman. Still feeling incomplete without a husband, she unexpectedly falls for Ahmed el Kabir, a modest Indian doctor cherished by his low‑income English patients, challenging her expectations of love and status.

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Timeline & Setting – The Millionairess (1960)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Millionairess (1960). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1960s

Set in a contemporary 1960s milieu, the story features modern clinics, industrial workspaces, and the social dynamics of wealth and status in a postwar era. Fashion, technology, and attitudes reflect the period’s blend of affluence and class tension. The narrative uses this era to satirize high society and its dependencies on money.

Location

London, England, Tibet

The action unfolds primarily in London, spanning Epifania's opulent world, a modern clinic for the poor, and the gritty milieu of a pasta factory. The Thames and riverfront settings provide a backdrop for dramatic encounters between wealth and poverty. Tibet is referenced as Epifania’s planned retreat, signaling a dramatic shift away from her city life and wealth.

🏙️ Urban 🕰️ High Society 🗺️ London Life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:49

Main Characters – The Millionairess (1960)

Meet the key characters of The Millionairess (1960), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Epifania Parerga

Spoiled London heiress who wields vast wealth to influence people and situations. Her arc shows a ruthless use of money to test loyalty and obtain love, followed by a more vulnerable openness as she seeks true connection with Kabir.

👑 Wealth 💃 Vanity 🎭 High Society

Dr. Ahmed el Kabir

A selfless Indian physician who runs a modest clinic for the poor and remains largely immune to Epifania’s wealth. He treats patients with quiet dignity, resisting wealth-driven manipulation while gradually forming a genuine bond with Epifania.

💡 Compassion 🏥 Medicine 🧭 Integrity

Alastair

A muscular tennis player who becomes Epifania’s love interest but struggles to coexist with her domineering wealth. His relationship with Polly and the pressures of riches test his values and resilience.

🎾 Tennis ❤️ Romance ⚖️ Conflict

Julius Sagamore

A shrewd family solicitor who orchestrates financial arrangements and navigates the will to preserve wealth. He embodies pragmatic cunning in the service of maintaining social and economic power.

⚖️ Law 🧠 Cunning 💼 Wealth

Polly Smith

A domestic worker who becomes entangled in Epifania’s factory venture and in the personal life of Alastair. Her perspective highlights the human impact of wealth-driven schemes.

🧵 Labor 👩‍🏭 Domestic life 💪 Independence

Mrs. Joe

Wife of the sweatshop proprietor, she represents practical, working-class resilience amid the social whirl of Epifania’s schemes.

👩‍🏭 Working-class 🧰 Practical

Adrian Bland

A society psychiatrist who pursues Epifania, using social status as a lure. He embodies opportunism and vanity, ultimately becoming a vehicle for the evolving power dynamics between wealth and affection.

🎭 Psychiatry 💼 Power ⚡ Opportunism

Professor Merton

An elderly professor who mentors Kabir and becomes entangled in the ethical complexities of money and medicine.

🎓 Academia 🧠 Wisdom

Joe

Owner of the sweatshop where Epifania applies her social experiment, representing the bridge between wealth ambitions and working-class economics.

🏭 Factory 💼 Owner

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:49

Major Themes – The Millionairess (1960)

Explore the central themes of The Millionairess (1960), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Wealth & Power

Epifania wields immense wealth as a tool to shape people and events, testing suitors and bending situations to her whim. Her scheme to turn £500 into £15,000 by manipulating stock reveals a cynical use of money to secure control. Money dominates interactions and social judgments, highlighting how wealth can masquerade as virtue. The doctor’s integrity challenges this power dynamic, showing money’s limits when faced with genuine care.

❤️ Love & Acceptance

Kabir’s compassion and moral steadiness attract Epifania beyond her wealth, suggesting love can emerge from respect and genuine connection. Their evolving relationship navigates a gulf of class and motive, moving from manipulation to mutual trust. The romance unfolds as a test of character rather than conquest, revealing what it means to be loved for who one is. Ultimately, affection triumphs where wealth falters.

🏭 Labor & Empowerment

Epifania’s foray into running a pasta factory places labor at the center of transformation, not just capital. Her installation of labor-saving machines boosts productivity and alters workers’ lives, illustrating how modernization can empower rather than exploit. The arc highlights the tension between managerial power and workers’ dignity, with Epifania learning through hands-on involvement. It demonstrates that progress is meaningful when it serves people, not just profit.

🎭 Society & Satire

The film satirizes aristocratic pretensions and the performative nature of wealth, exposing the vanity of high society. Sagamore’s orchestration of financial schemes and social maneuvering reveals greed beneath polished surfaces. The plot uses wit and irony to critique how status and money shape moral choices. The ending reframes wealth as a catalyst for real connection rather than a license for control.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:49

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Witty Social Satires like The Millionairess

Clever comedies that use romance to playfully critique class and status.If you enjoyed the clever humor and romantic charm of The Millionairess, you'll love these movies. This list features similar stories that combine playful social satire with delightful courtships, perfect for fans of sophisticated, feel-good comedies about love across class divides.

wittycharmingsophisticatedplayfulromanticamusingtheatrical

Narrative Summary

These stories typically feature a central romantic pursuit that serves as a vehicle for social commentary. A privileged protagonist, often encountering someone from a different social sphere, engages in a battle of wits and values. The plot unfolds through clever banter and situational comedy, leading to personal growth and a happy romantic resolution that affirms love over materialism.

Why These Movies?

They are grouped together for their shared LIGHT tone, STEADY pacing, and focus on witty, character-driven humor intertwined with romance. The viewing experience is consistently charming and amusing, prioritizing clever dialogue and playful romantic entanglements over heavy drama or high tension.

Movies with Eccentric Heiresses like in The Millionairess

Theatrical and wealthy heroines who find love by challenging their own expectations.Fans of Epifania's dramatic and determined character in The Millionairess will enjoy these films. Discover more movies featuring wealthy, strong-willed heroines whose search for true love leads them on amusing and transformative adventures, challenging their views on status and happiness.

theatricalromanticcharmingwhimsicaldeterminedself-discoveryplayfulsophisticated

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a specific character arc: a fabulously wealthy and strong-willed woman feels a void in her life despite her material comforts. She sets out to find a partner, often creating elaborate conditions or tests. Her pursuit forces her to confront her own prejudices about class and worth, ultimately leading her to an unexpected match that fulfills her emotionally, not just socially.

Why These Movies?

These films share a focus on a very particular CHARACTER archetype: the dramatic, resourceful, and ultimately lovable heiress. The similarity lies in the protagonist's journey of self-discovery through romantic pursuit, all wrapped in a comedic, low-stakes package with a guaranteed happy ending.

Unlock the Full Story of The Millionairess

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The Millionairess Summary

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The Millionairess Summary

The Millionairess Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Millionairess with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Millionairess Timeline

The Millionairess Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Millionairess Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Millionairess

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More About The Millionairess