My review was written in May 1991 after a Murray Hill screening in Manhattan.
Showbiz and teen pic cliches mix incompatibly in "Rich Girl" a movie similar to drive-in fare of 15 years ago but really a throwback to early talkies. Studio Three's choice of wide theatrical release s not a shrewd move.
Pic coincidentally stars Jill Schoelen in the title role, after she toplined in Studio Three's debut pic "Popcorn", released in January. She filmed "Rich Girl" in October 1989 and immediately flew to Jamaica to replace the leading lady in "Popcorn". Both pics were made independently an acquired by the distrib.
Lame script credited toRobert Elliot (billing wa Robert Havanna during production) is strictly by the numbes. Schoelen is a rich kid in L. A. wh rebels against her dad (Paul Gleason) and fiance who's a yuppie jerk (overplayed by Sean Kanan).
Out on her own, she gets a job as cocktail waitress in Ron Karabatsos' nightclub, where handome hunk Don Michael Paul is lead singer of the house band. Inevitable Paul/Schoelen romance bridging class barriers, daddy and Kanan's attempts to break them up and Paul's attempt to make it in the music business suplly dozens of stilted plot twists.
Absurd climax is a showcase night for record industry types in which Schoelen reluctantly debuts as replacement singe in Don's band, something Bessie Love or Ruby Keeler might have pulled off 60 years ago. Shoelen keeps her eyes tightly shut throughout the singing routine, but at least she attempts a warble; co-star Pau is dubbed in vocals b Jay Essess.
Joel Bender directs effeiciently but low-budget effort looks an plays like a dierct-to-video feature. Numerous mediocre performances by groups inlcuding Precious Metal and Celebrity Skin just drag out the running time.
Schoelen, whose career peak thus far remains the lead role in "The Stepfather", is apealing but miscast as a rich brat -she looks folksy throughout.
Paul is convincing in leather jacket and on motorcycle (he subsequently wrote the screenplay for the Don Johnson-Mickey Rourke-starrer "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man") though he looks uncomfortabe doing a Michael Pare routine out of "Eddie and the Cruisers". Best acting is by Karabatsos, dead on as the friendly but tough club owner.
