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An Antidote to Paris Hilton: Young Heirs Who Are Not Spectacles.
Interesting almost comical but very interesting
Not much to admire in these sad little lives
Poor Rich Kids
What You Inherit May Not Be As Valuable As What You Earn

Born Rich
Starring: Georgina Bloomberg , Stephanie Ercklentz , Christina Floyd , Cody Franchetti , and Austin Fuentes
Director: Jamie Johnson (IV)
Manufacturer: Shout Factory Theatr
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Family Wealth--Keeping It in the Family: How Family Members and Their Advisers Preserve Human, Intellectual, and Financial Assets for Generations
Preparing Heirs: Five Steps to a Successful Transition of Family Wealth and Values
Navigating the Dark Side of Wealth: A Life Guide for Inheritors
Silver Spoon Kids : How Successful Parents Raise Responsible Children
Children of Paradise: Successful Parenting for Prosperous Families

ASIN: B0002MPPVU
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Description

An Inside Look at the Lives of the Heirs to The World's Greatest Family Fortunes

Jamie Johnson, 20-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical empire, turns in a remarkable documentary about the lives of the children of the wealthiest families in the world. This 2003 Sundance Film Festival Selection and Emmy-nominated documentary shows Johnson turning the camera on himself and 10 of his friends. Born Rich candidly reveals the great privileges and the excess baggage that go along with their high net worth. For the first time ever in a feature documentary, hear Trumps, Bloombergs and Vanderbilts discuss the one subject everybody knows is taboo—money, and lots of it.

Includes:
Georgianna Bloomberg, media heiress
Stephanie Ercklentz, finance heiress
Cody Franchetti, textile heir
Christina Floyd, professional sports heiress
Juliet Hartford, A&P Supermarket heiress
Josiah Hornblower, Vanderbilt/Whitney heir
S.I. Newhouse IV, media heir
Ivanka Trump, real estate heiress
Luke Weill, gaming industry heir
Carlo von Zeitschel, European royalty

DVD Extras:
-Commentary by director Jamie Johnson, producer Dirk Wittenborn and textile heir Cody Franchetti
-Deleted scenes

Customer Reviews:

An Antidote to Paris Hilton: Young Heirs Who Are Not Spectacles........2007-07-07

As his 21st birthday approached, the occasion on which Jamie Johnson would inherit his share of the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune, Mr. Johnson set out to understand how young people who have been born into wealth feel about their place in a society that esteems the concept of meritocracy. Once he overcame the taboo of talking about money -which is apparently more grave than I thought among the rich- "Born Rich" offers some interesting interviews from his friends and acquaintances, people in their early 20s whose fortunes were made generations ago. Among his ten subjects are Ivanka Trump (real estate heiress), S.I. Newhouse (publishing heir), Josiah Hornblower (Vanderbilt/ Whitney heir), Luke Weil (gaming industry heir), and Cody Franchetti (textile heir).

Johnson introduces the audience to each "rich kid" and tells us how their families came to their fortunes. When he made this film, Jamie Johnson was grappling with mixed messages about wealth and trying to figure out what to do with himself when there is no necessity to do anything. He takes us along as he listens with interest to what others in similar situations have to say about their upbringing, money, work, and their social lives. Many of these people are self-conscious about not having earned their money or status. Of particular interest is the difference between the Americans and Europeans, who are less concerned with unworthiness, as Europe has a long and respectable tradition of idle rich. "Born Rich" is not weighty, but it examines an unusual predicament: How does one lead a purposeful life when "the American Dream" has already been accomplished for you?

The DVD (Shout Factory 2004): Bonus features are 5 deleted scenes and 2 audio commentaries. The deleted scenes include 3 interview outtakes, one after-party outtake, and a tour of S.I. Newhouse's home. The first audio commentary is by Jamie Johnson. It's an articulate and probably scripted explication of his reasons for making the film, the ongoing theme that you cannot talk about money, more about himself, the interview subjects, and why they volunteered to be in the film. The second audio commentary is by Jamie Johnson, his uncle and producer Dirk Wittenborn, and Cody Franchetti. This doesn't repeat too much from the first commentary. It focuses more on the social aspects and personal interactions of those in the film. Wittenborn contributes some stories, as he knew some of the older generations in those families.

Interesting almost comical but very interesting.......2007-06-27

I really like this. Its always interesting to see how crazy people from other walks of life are. I mean god I thought I had issues with a lack of money, but then I see how many problems arise and how money is almost a torture as much as a blessing. "Money is the root of all evil." That saying isn't very far from the truth. However one thing that I have to admit is that what was done here is a true and unedited look into the life of the wealthy. What was done took great courage to break the taboo that is money to the rich. And I mean the Johnson heir ask questions that really make sense. He said he is about to inheirit more money then most will ever make in their life time and all he did was have a birthday. He ponders on what he should do with it and how to use it effectively. I think if your curious about how others view and live life you will enjoy this greatly.

Not much to admire in these sad little lives.......2007-04-20

I really cannot add much to all the comments above except this: This is exactly the life and upbringing of George W. Bush our president. No wonder he has no clue about the working man and woman, real life (and death), generosity or caring. The only thing he did differently from those portrayed here was to have Carl Rove portray him as a "good-ol-boy" just before election time so all those sad Wal-Mart shoppers would think he was one of them. A pathetic commentary on the weathiest among us- and I am glad the young Mr. Johnson had the courage to make it.

Poor Rich Kids.......2006-11-24

Disobeying his father's orders that he's not to talk about money, Jamie Johnson decided to get his well-to-do friends to reflect on the bizarre experience of being born rich. The documentary starts on Johnson's 21st birthday, the day he gets "more money than most people win or earn in their lifetime."

Despite his rarified upbringing, Johnson seems to have a good head on his shoulders and is aware of the pitfalls and problems encountered by the very wealthy. His own relatives, the heirs of Johnson & Johnson, have had more than their share of scandal, shame and misery, and Jamie seems determined not to go down the same path.

I'm not rich, but I would bet a great deal of money that most of the friends he interviewed for "Born Rich" won't avoid such troubles. There's S.I. Newhouse IV, who can't stand to be around his own family; Cody Franchetti, who seems to devote most of his time at the tailor's, getting the right clothes, and who is so ardently in love with himself I doubt he'll pry himself away from a mirror long enough to actually see a woman; Carlo von Zeitschel, a single pimply guy who hasn't yet gotten the memo that Italy hasn't had royalty in decades and who's already talking about his future divorces; Josiah Hornblower, a Vanderbilt/Whitney heir in his twenties who seems so lost I almost wanted to hug him; and Luke Weill, who sued Johnson to try to get out of the documentary. I don't blame him: stupid and arrogant, Weill is such a despicable moron that if he were my son, I'd disinherit him immediately.

Particularly poignant is a scene in which Jamie Johnson asks his father advice regarding what to do with his life and his dad, who is painting and doesn't even bother to look at his son, suggests collecting. "As a career?" Jamie asks, both disappointed and amused. "Yes," Johnson father says, reaching for the brush. Once senses that this is the most profound interaction father and son have had in a long time.

Other than Johnson, the only two people who come across as normal are Ivanka Trump (who would have thought?) and Georgina Bloomberg, who's found in equestrian competitions what makes her happy in life.

As for the others, they prove true the cliché that money can't buy happiness. Judging from "Born Rich," it obviously can't buy a brain or a heart either.

What You Inherit May Not Be As Valuable As What You Earn.......2006-11-19

In BORN RICH, director Jamie Johnson offers an unprecedented look into the lives, fears and attitudes of ten young privileged New Yorkers. Highly recommended, this is a film that would never have been made a generation ago, before the Oprah-esque confessional came into vogue. And that's why it's worth a look.

What makes it great is that BORN RICH can be appreciated on many different levels. Yes, it offers a gossipy, rubbernecking opportunity to gawk the very rich - which is fun, but the more I watched this film the more I saw how quickly my reactions to the ten characters changed.

Halfway through, I found myself quickly judging the ten privileged participants. Spoiled, obnoxious, overly giggly, some of the characters are initially easy to dismiss. But the more I watched them evaluate their positions in life, the more I felt empathy for them.

Ultimately these people are continuously evaluating their own worth. And they are painfully aware that their privileged lot in life has nothing to do with their own efforts.

Some of the ten participants come off better than others, but I really don't understand why one in particular resorted to suing the filmmaker. BORN RICH is made so honestly and so lovingly that I don't think anyone here has any reason to worry about how they are portrayed. All I saw were scared, thoughtful characters trying to grapple with a very alienating problem: trying to define your own worth, without relying on your family name and inherited privilege.

- Regina McMenamin

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