Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke (1999– ) User Reviews

What happened to?

[cjcz50 · 28 May 2004]

This was an enjoyable production. I had not seen the movie the first time it was released all the way through. Although I am certain producers took much license with some aspects of Ms. Duke's history, I think the general core of her life was well demonstrated. Sequential scenes were well produced and flowed throughout the production. Overview of major experiences in Ms. Duke's life were well developed and portrayed, giving us a taste, on a small scale, but yet a taste, of what struggles Ms. Duke had to endure. It was easy at times to forget about her wealth and see through to a genuine human being struggling to find her place and to find happiness.

It is a prime example of the old adage that money does not buy happiness. In fact, it can create more problems than an average wage earning person could experience. The butler did it, there is no doubt. The entrance of the adopted child, Chanzy, into Ms. Duke's life was one of the saddest and most despicable situations I have witnessed. I think this individual absolutely broke Ms. Duke's heart and destroyed the last little bit of trust Ms. Duke had in human beings. I would be interested to find out if Chanzy truly did inherit from Ms. Duke's estate and if she is still with us, what her life has been like since Ms. Duke's death and what she is doing now.

The Butler Did It!

[ldavis-2 · 3/10 · 26 June 2002]

Like most people, I didn't know a lot about Doris Duke, except for her friendship with those vipers, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. Then, after watching the mini, I came across stuff about her on the web. To say it took liberties is being kind.

While it established Duke's need to do something meaningful with her life, she helped care for soldiers in Egypt, not England. And, it completely ignored her philanthropy, how she gave nearly $400 million, often anonymously and her deep involvement with Duke University. There wasn't even so much as a coda about The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, created by Duke in her Will, to support the arts, the environment, fund cures for diseases and help abused and neglected children.

Although, as the mini shows, Duke had a torrid affair with Duke Kahanamoku, he did not father her child, Arden, who died 24 hours after she was born; she was fathered by her first husband, James H.R. Cromwell. She also had flings with George S. Patton and Errol Flynn (who didn't?), neither of whom were portrayed.

How she took a $30 million inheritance and parlayed it into a $1.2 billion fortune would've been a great primer for all us would-be moguls, but the mini ignored this completely, too.

It also ignored an incident that should have landed her in jail for at least 20 years. On 7 October 1966, Duke and her interior decorator, Eduardo Tirella, were leaving her estate, Rough Point. As Tirella opened its gates, Duke "accidentally" gunned the car, dragged him across the street, then crushed him against a tree. A week later, the police ruled it an "unfortunate accident." The Chief of Police resigned in disgrace amid the furor in the wake of the investigation, and Duke paid Tirella's family a hefty sum after they filed suit.

It seemed all the film makers were interested in was the power struggle to control a now-dying Duke and her money, and the rumor that she was fathered by a Swedish butler. Fine, but at least get the facts straight.

Well acted mini series- should be on DVD

[filmsfan38 · 10/10 · 23 May 2005]

I saw this movie last night on TV. For some reason it has not come out on DVD though I can't understand why not. Its better than most mini series in my view. I think its probably the best role Lauren Bacall has played since she was older. I have always liked her starting with her first acting role when she was 19, which was "To Have and to Have not" with soon to be husband Humphrey Bogart. For someone in their first acting part, she was good. Too Rich: Story of Doris Duke was very interesting and one of the main points I got out of it, was that money does not always bring happiness and in fact can cause great misery. Doris Duke had a sad life looking for love in the wrong people and appears to have been taken advantage of because of her money, much of her life. She adopted a grown up young woman as a daughter but the daughter only did things for her own gain. Doris had a baby either dead at birth or shortly after. Richard Chamberlain, young Dr. Kildare of years ago on TV, played a great dramatic part as the scheming Bernard, Doris's butler. I won't tell you the ending, but its quite surprising. I would very like to see this mini series released on DVD as the acting is very well done, and the mini series deserves exposure. I hope that happens soon.

The sad ending of the life of a great woman

[mark.waltz · 9/10 · 2 April 2001]

I am watching this film for the third time since I first saw it about two years ago when it originally aired. I am amazed by how little recognition it got at the time, and that it was totally overlooked for any Emmy nominations! I knew little of the life of Doris Duke when this movie aired, and I tuned in more because of the presence of the incredible Lauren Bacall. To see that this woman, now in her 70's, is still working, and taking on leading roles in major productions like this, is a sign of some good things in Hollywood. Upon seeing pictures of the real Doris Duke, I was surprised how much Bacall looked like her. Considering she lived in L.A., it would be some coincidence if they never met!

One thing they did have in common. In Bacall's biographies, she mentions knowing writer Louis Bromfield, who is played here by the wonderful Brian Dennehy. Duke and Bromfield had a brief but romantic relationship, portrayed here by Bacall and Dennehy. As the young Doris Duke, Lindsay Frost (best known to me as Meg Ryan's replacement as Betsy on "As the World Turns") gives a tender and touching performance. As Chanzy, the young girl Duke adapts, Mare Winningham appropriately switches from dutiful daughter to partying young adult. Then, there is Doris's cold-hearted mother (played with a delicious malevolence by Kathleen Quinlan). This woman's heart is thicker than Alaskan Icebergs! And the things she does which affect Doris's future are horrifying! There is a memorable scene between the 44-year old Quinlan as the aged Mama Duke and the 74-year old Bacall as her daughter where all the anger and hatred comes spewing forward.

Richard Chamberlain portrays the cool somewhat creepy butler Bernard, a man with or without a motive on his mind. All remembrances of "The Thorn Birds" and "Shogun" will be forgotten while watching him in this film. This is where the unsolved mystery comes in. Did he or didn't he? This film will have you wondering what part he played in Doris Duke's death. Yet, it is Bacall who commands with her diva-like presence. As Duke, she invests her heart totally into the ups and downs of what makes this character tick.

According to this, Doris Duke was no selfish, money hungry cold-hearted rich witch. She was a woman with feelings, dreams, tenderness's, vulnerabilities, and wanted someone with whom she could share them. Viewers who can look past the trappings of wealth, power, and position will find their heart breaking along with Doris Duke's. It is this quality of the film alone that makes it an unforgettable experience. I would also like to mention the fabulous musical score that adds to the sweeping epic affect of one of the best TV movies in recent years!

Excellent film on Doris Duke

[james_thompson-97986 · 9/10 · 23 January 2021]

I just caught this film on TUBI (an excellent free streaming service). I'd never heard of this film. The cast, Lauren Bacall Richard Chamberlain and Mare Winningham, is what got my attention. They were all amazing here. The story, about tobacco heiress Doris Duke, was very well made. The acting, direction, and writing were all top notch. The miniseries, shown on CBS in 1999, holds up well in 2021. It's a sad tale, covering Ms. Duke's turbulent life: her relationship with her mother and father, her marriages, her adoption, and her relationship with her butler. Though I believe many liberties were taken with the script, this was very well written. The leads do a very good coveting Ms Duke and her butler Bernard. You route for Ms. Duke, and you hate the scheming Bernard. All and all, a very good 2 part miniseries. Thanks TUBI for making these old TV movies available.

Bacall-Chamberlain in a rather well-made saga.

[lionel.willoquet · 17 July 2001]

The life of a rich American heiress, whose fabulous fortune poses an obstacle to happiness. This saga, devoted to the heartache of an overly wealthy woman, provides a good opportunity to savour some fine actors.