Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story is a 1987 television biographical drama starring Farrah Fawcett. The film chronicles the life of Barbara Hutton, a wealthy but troubled American socialite. Released as both a television film and a miniseries, the film won a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film. Fawcett earned her fifth Golden Globe Award nomination, for Best Actress in a Miniseries of Television Film. Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story was based on C. David Heymann's Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton.

Plot

The true story of one of the richest women in America, heiress to the Woolworth fortune, who had vast wealth and seven husbands.

Cast

Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother also appear in archival footage.

Crew

Reception

Critical response

Film critic and journalist John J. O'Connor of The New York Times wrote in his review: "This television portrait gives us a Barbara Hutton who is shy and decidedly uncertain of herself. For the most part, she is the victim of scavengers. [...] Actually, according to Mr. Heymann's book, Miss Hutton was more forward and adventurous than is indicated here by the script constraints put on Ms. Fawcett. She may have been shy but she wasted no time in pouncing on any object or person that caught her fancy." Television critic and journalist Jeff Jarvis wrote in his review: "What the stock market did to itself on Bloody Monday, Farrah Fawcett does to herself here. Her value as an actress soared after The Burning Bed and Extremities. Now comes the crash in Poor Little Rich Girl, a two-night miniseries of miseries about Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton.... Fawcett should have more faith in her talent. If she keeps making herself look awful when she acts, she’s going to be left with only one part to play: Godzilla."

Awards

Release

Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story aired on NBC on November 16, 1987. The film was released on DVD on December 16, 2008, by A+E Networks Home Entertainment.

Citations

Sources