No one can resist a good “rags to riches” story, in which a struggling protagonist manages to achieve the fortune they have always dreamed of. However, we happen to find “riches to rags” stories — in which a wealthy protagonist loses everything but, in most cases, gains something more valuable — even more interesting and, in many cases, much funnier. See for yourself by taking a look at some of our favorite examples from the big and small screen.
Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
The beloved, hilarious, Emmy-winning Canadian import Schitt’s Creek starred real-life father and son duo Eugene and Dan Levy (who also created), along with Catherine O'Hara and Annie Murphy, as a wealthy family who lose everything… well, almost everything. Their one remaining asset is the titular small town, which was purchased for David Rose (Dan Levy) as a joke, and becomes their new home.
It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
One of the most iconic and inspirational holiday movie classics is Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, starring James Stewart as a businessman who grows desperate when he loses an important sum of cash. However, after his guardian angel shows him a world in which he was never born on one fateful Christmas Eve, he realizes there are things in life worth much more than money.
Trading Places (1983)
John Landis' hilarious classic counts as both a riches-to-rags story from the perspective of Dan Aykroyd's Louis Winthorpe and a rags-to-riches story when following Eddie Murphy's Billy Ray Valentine. By the end, however, Trading Places ultimately becomes a riches-to-rags story when the duo team up against the billionaire brothers who treated them like guinea pigs: Randolph (Ralph Bellamy) and Mortimer Duke (Don Ameche).
Overboard (1987)
In Overboard, real-life couple Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell star as a spoiled, rotten socialite and the blue-collar handyman she cheats out of payment, respectfully. When he discovers she has fallen off her yacht and lost her memory, he convinces her she is his wife and shows her a taste of the blue-collar lifestyle.
A Little Princess (1995)
Alfonso Cuarón's sophomore directorial effort, A Little Princess, stars former child star Liesel Matthews as Sara Crewe, the daughter of a wealthy, widowed British Army officer who goes off to fight in World War I. Sara is then sent to a boarding school when, after her father is presumed dead, the cruel headmistress forces her to become a servant.
The Jerk (1979)
One of the best Steve Martin movies, The Jerk, starts off as a rags-to-riches story as the helplessly naive Navin Johnson achieves great success by inventing a device that prevents eyeglasses from slipping. Unfortunately, a flaw in the design forces him to pay millions of dollars in damages, leading him to a life on the streets.
A Civil Action (1998)
Based on a true story, A Civil Action stars John Travolta as a successful attorney seeking to bring a leather manufacturing company allegedly responsible for water contamination and, subsequently, poisoning several children to justice. The otherwise bold and honorable act ends up driving his law firm and himself into bankruptcy.
Goodfellas (1990)
One of Martin Scorsese's best movies, Goodfellas, is one of the most realistic depictions of the mafia lifestyle ever put on film. It is based on Nicholas Pileggi's non-fiction book, Wiseguy, which chronicles the rise and fall of mobster Henry Hill, as played by Ray Liotta in the film that also stars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in an Academy Award-winning performance.
Blue Jasmine (2013)
From writer and director Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine stars Cate Blanchett in an Academy Award-winning performance as a well-off Manhattan socialite who falls on hard times. As a result, she suffers a nervous breakdown and travels to San Francisco to move in with her sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins).
Cyrano (2021)
Joe Wright's adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play, Cyrano de Bergerac, stars Peter Dinklage as a man who is reluctantly convinced to help another man named Chris (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) woo the woman whom he secretly loves, Roxanne (Haley Bennett). It is not until he is stricken with poverty and about to succumb to his battle wounds that he finally musters the courage to reveal his true feelings to her.
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (1948)
One of the best Western movies of all time, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is one of the most classic examples of characters coming across an unimaginable fortune, only to run into circumstances that cost them everything. The film stars Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt as two desperate Americans who enlist the help of an old prospector (Walter Huston) to help them mine for gold in 1920s Mexico.
Arrested Development (2003-2019)
Jason Bateman leads the Arrested Development cast as a widowed father struggling to keep his grossly dysfunctional family together when his father's arrest causes them to lose it all. Despite universal acclaim when it first aired, the sitcom — also starring the likes of Portia de Rossi, Tony Hale, Will Arnott, and plenty more icons — was canceled by Fox after three seasons before Netflix revived it for two more about a decade later.
The Money Pit (1986)
From producer Steven Spielberg, The Money Pit stars Tom Hanks as a successful lawyer and Shelley Long as his musician girlfriend who think they have found their dream home. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a real fixer-upper that leads them directly to financial (and possibly romantic) ruin.
Quicksilver (1986)
Kevin Bacon stars in Quicksilver as a hotshot stock exchange share trader who ends up costing his company and himself all their savings. This leads him to start a new and, actually, more liberating career as a bike messenger and lead a new life that involves a romance with a young woman (Jami Gertz) whom he saves from a street gang.
Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Writer and director Preston Sturges' Sullivan's Travels stars Joel McCrea as a Hollywood filmmaker known best for comedies who longs to make a more dramatic and realistic social commentary. In order to gain the perspective he needs, he lives as a homeless person, during which he strikes up a relationship with an impoverished woman (Veronica Lake) who dreams of becoming an actress.
Mood Indigo (2013)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind director Michel Gondry's surreal adaptation of Boris Vian's 1947 novel, L'écume des jours, is a fun and quirky romance... until it is not. Mood Indigo — as it is called in the States — takes a devastating turn when Chloé (Audrey Tatou) comes down with a strange illness and her wealthy inventor husband, Colin (Romain Duris), uses every last penny he has in search of a cure.
Maid to Order (1987)
Director Amy Holden Jones' Maid to Order is sort of like a modern-day retelling of Cinderella, but in reverse. It stars Ally Sheedy as a wealthy, out-of-control young woman who wakes up in a world in which she was never born, courtesy of her fairy godmother (Beverly D'Angelo), and must learn how to make a living on her own by becoming a maid.
Downhill (1927)
One of the earliest Alfred Hitchcock movies is the silent-era drama Downhill, in which a college rugby player (Ivor Novello) takes the rap for a false accusation against his friend (Robin Irvine) so he can avoid expulsion. That only leads to a series of circumstances that get increasingly worse for him, including having his inheritance exhausted by his two-timing wife.
Dumb Money (2023)
Craig Gillespie directs a star-studded cast, including Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Pete Davidson, in what some might interpret as a modern Robin Hood tale. Dumb Money is inspired by the true story of people who literally gave Wall Street a run for its money after betting big at the stock market on video game retailer, Game Stop.
2 Broke Girls (2011-2017)
The title of CBS's 2 Broke Girls — a funny TV show about blue-collar characters — refers to diner servers and roommates Max (Kat Dennings) and Caroline (Beth Behrs). While Max has been broke for her entire life, it only recently happened to Caroline after her wealthy father (Steven Weber) was jailed for participating in a Ponzi scheme.
Triangle Of Sadness (2022)
Three Academy Award nominations — including Best Picture — went to writer and director Ruben Östlund's biting satire about the rich, Triangle of Sadness. It follows a group of conceited wealthy people, including a young couple of fashion models played by Harris Dickinson and the late Charlbi Dean, who end up struggling to survive when their luxury yacht (captained by Woody Harrelson) crashes on a deserted island.
Empire Of The Sun (1987)
J.G. Ballard's autobiographical novel, Empire of the Sun, was adapted into one of director Steven Spielberg’s best movies from the 1980s. A young Christian Bale leads the film as a privileged British boy forced to fend for himself after becoming separated from his parents in the midst of Japan's invasion of Shanghai during World War II.
Fun With Dick And Jane (1977)
Not to be confused with a famous educational children’s book, Fun with Dick and Jane stars George Segal and Jane Fonda as a married couple forced to turn to a life of crime to make ends meet after they suddenly find themselves unemployed and in heaps of debt. The comedy classic was later remade for more modern audiences with Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni assuming the title roles in 2005.
The House Bunny (2008)
In The House Bunny, Anna Faris plays a model named Shelley who wakes up the day after her 27th birthday to a note informing her that she is being kicked out of the famous Mansion. This leads her to become a house mother to a misfit college sorority, whom she teaches how to be confident and successful in the dating game.
The Railway Children (1970)
Jenny Agutter leads this British family film based on the novel by E. Nesbit. Set in 1904, The Railway Children chronicles the struggles of a family whose financially comfortable existence is upended when their bureaucrat father disappears.
Life Stinks (1991)
One of the more forgotten Mel Brooks movies, Life Stinks, is a rare example of a riches-to-rags story in which the protagonist voluntarily participates in the impoverished lifestyle. The legendary comedian, who also co-writes and directs the film, plays a successful businessman who makes a bet with a longtime competitor that he can survive life on the streets, only to discover he may be in over his head.
Arthur 2: On The Rocks (1988)
The classic 1981 comedy, Arthur, stars Dudley Moore as a British man-child who must choose between marrying a woman he does not love and keeping his enormous fortune or being with the woman he loves (Liza Minelli) and losing it all. In the sequel, Arthur 2: On the Rocks, he actually does end up losing it all, due to a vengeful scheme, which forces him to sober up and finally get a job.
Uptown Girls (2003)
The late Brittany Murphy stars in Uptown Girls as an irresponsible woman who loses her inheritance. Forced to find a job for the first time, she becomes a nanny to a precocious 8-year-old, played by a young Dakota Fanning.
Good Advice (2001)
In Good Advice, Charlie Sheen plays an arrogant stockbroker who makes a huge mistake that costs him his job and his equally conceited girlfriend (Denise Richards). In a plot to get back on track, he secretly takes over his ex's advice column, which helps him gain a deeper perspective on life that he had been missing.
Princess Protection Program (2009)
In the Disney Channel Original Movie, Princess Protection Program, Demi Lovato plays a young royal whose land is invaded by a neighboring country, forcing her to go into hiding. She is sent to live with a special agent (Tom Verica) and his teenage daughter (Selena Gomez) who introduce her to the simpler life.
Broke (2020)
This short-lived sitcom says it all in the title. Broke stars Jaime Camil as a man cut off by his rich daddy, forcing him to move in with the estranged sister (Pauly Perrette) of his wife.
Rocky V (1990)
While considered by many to be a sequel that never should have happened, Rocky V is noteworthy for how it changes the career trajectory of Sylvester Stallone's iconic title character. An injury forces Rocky Balboa to retire from boxing and, soon after, he loses his fortune on the stock market, leading him to become a trainer for Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison).
Seeing people fall on hard times can be devastating, but the topic can also serve as the basis for some inspiring and even funny stories.
