Filmland Follies

          They say not to judge a book by its cover - but a movie titled The Richest Girl in the World is already intriguing, at least to me. And if I know anything from Downton Abbey , starting off with the sinking of the Titanic is a surefire way to interest an audience.          The Richest Girl in the World stars Miriam Hopkins in the title role, Joel McCrea as her love interest, and Fay Wray as her friend and secretary. I had never seen a Miriam Hopkins film before this one, but I thought her wonderful. I found her to be one of those actresses who can convey a head full of thoughts with just her expression. Hopkins and McCrea would go on to make four more films together after Richest Girl .               So what happens in a movie about the richest girl in the world?               When the Titanic sinks, baby Dorothy Hunter is left without parents but with their enormous fortune. She grows up under the care of her guardian John Connors, who keeps her hidden from the public eye.

          Many famous actresses were also excellent athletes, both on- and off-screen. Here's an appreciation of four of these women. Esther Williams   Esther Williams was known as Hollywood's "Million Dollar Mermaid" after the 1952 film she starred in. A competitive swimmer from an early age, she had won three US National championships in breaststroke and freestyle by age 16. Esther planned to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics before it was canceled when World War II broke out. She was discovered by MGM talent scouts while in Billy Rose's Aquacade, a singing, dancing, and swimming troupe. Her career in movies was defined by her starring roles in "aquamusicals" with elaborate synchronized swimming scenes, such as Neptune's Daughter and Dangerous When Wet . Katharine Hepburn Katharine Hepburn was a noted athlete who enjoyed swimming, tennis, running, diving, and golfing. She took frequent golf lessons as a child and made it to the semi-finals of th