Sugar Falls for Joe's Millionaire Act, Explained

What happens

In the hotel room, Sugar gushes to Daphne about Shell Oil Junior, a young millionaire with glasses and a yacht: "He's so cute." Daphne knows this is Joe in disguise and calls it a low trick. When Osgood Fielding phones to invite Daphne to supper on his yacht, Joe sees his chance and plans to take Sugar out on the boat instead.

What's really going on

The scene runs on a joke about who is deceiving whom. Sugar thinks she has found a gentleman millionaire, and she is genuinely excited — "He's so cute" — but the audience knows the man is Joe, the same person she is telling the story to. Jerry, as Daphne, is outraged at the sheer cynicism of it, calling it a millionaire act and the meanest kind of trick. The comedy then doubles back when Osgood, who is pursuing Daphne, calls to invite her onto his yacht. Joe seizes the opening: he will take the yacht and Sugar, and leave Daphne ashore to keep Osgood busy. It is a scheme that solves Joe's romance and dumps the cost on his friend, which is why the closing "Not tonight, Josephine" lands.

Key lines & what they mean

“Well, I'm not gonna let this one get away. He's so cute.”

Sugar has decided on Shell Oil Junior: after a lifetime of losing men, she is determined not to lose this one, and her reason is simply that she likes him.

“Now, Joe, you're gonna get hurt because when I'm aroused, I'm a tiger.”

Jerry's mock threat to Joe; the joke is that Jerry, the reluctant partner, is now the fierce one defending Sugar's feelings.

“Tell her I'd like her to have a little supper with me on my yacht, after the show tonight.”

Osgood's invitation to Daphne, delivered over the phone; it sets up the yacht that Joe will end up using for his own date with Sugar.

“Shell Oil Junior. He's got millions, he's got glasses, he's got a yacht.”

Sugar's checklist for the perfect man, all three boxes ticked at once; the joke is that the ideal man is Joe wearing a fake accent.

“No. I'm going to be on the boat with Sugar.”

Joe's blunt correction to Daphne's assumption: he is not sending Daphne on the date, he is using the yacht to take Sugar himself.

Theme

• Deception — Sugar falls for a millionaire who is really Joe in disguise, and the scene lets the audience enjoy the double deception she cannot see.
• Romance — Sugar's excitement is genuine — she thinks she has finally found the man she was looking for — which makes Joe's scheme both funny and a little cruel.