He persuaded both of them that life was worth living.Both characters could not "see" him or recognize him for what he was.However, the Tramp functioned as a savior and wish-fulfiller for both of them.For the blind flower girl, he masqueraded as a wealthy duke in her mind, and for the drunk millionaire, the Tramp repeatedly saved the man""s life and provided a congenial friend.You must summon our friends, bird and beast.The battle for the Mountain is about to begin."In Lonely Mountain, a search was being conducted for the Arkenstone by an insistent Thorin: "The Arkenstone is the birthright of our people."]Finally, Mrs.Rittenhouse welcomes him to her "poor home." He eyes her palatial residence and considers it not so bad, but then reconsiders and likens it to a cheap hotel:Wait a minute.It was Selznick""s first assignment at MGM after leaving RKO Studios, and he was responsible for selecting Cukor as the director.Originally, it was to have been directed by Ernst Lubitsch.The film was devoid of any Academy Award nominations.The outrageous film was both a critical and commercial failure at the time of its release - audiences were taken aback by such preposterous political disrespect, buffoonery and cynicism at a time of political and economic crisis, with Roosevelt""s struggle against Depression in the US amidst the rising power of Hitler in Germany.