In the Hanna-Barbera adaptation, Irona's bodyguard function is rather charming. The moment she receives a distress call from Richie, she will react, "Uh-oh, Richie's in trouble!" She instantly goes into jet plane mode and launches while yelling, "I'm coming, Richie!"
In one comic book story where Richie's dad's birthday is coming up but Richie can't think of what to get him, especially since his father is someone who, quite literally, has everything—in the end, Richie decides to take his dad to a baseball game with him. In the final frame, Richie hears his father on the phone with a friend. His father is breaking down crying, telling the friend that his son gave him the best birthday gift he could imagine.
In another comic book story, Richie caught the measles, so the doctor places him and everyone else at Rich Manor in quarantine for the following week to prevent the disease from spreading—and that includes Freckles and Pee-Wee Friendly, who happened to be visiting Richie when the doctor gave his diagnosis. As the week passes, Mr. and Mrs. Friendly become afraid that, after one week with the luxuries of Rich Manor, their sons will rather stay there than return to their home once the quarantine's over. Fortunately, once the kids return, they're too happy upon seeing their parents again to care about luxuries.
1994 Film Adaptation
Richard's sheer joy in the opening scene when he announces to his staff, "I have a son!"
The mere existence of the Dad Link: no matter where Richard is in the world, Richie knows that he can contact his dad and he will respond to him, even if it's just to tell him that they'll talk about things later. This is a man who clearly values his family and, most importantly, his son.
Throughout the film, Richie and his family are shown to be nothing but Nice to the Waiter toward every single one of their servants. An early scene with young Richie shows him saying "thank you" to his butler and treating Cadbury and the others with absolute respect. They in turn clearly enjoy working for the Rich family. He also attacks Reginald for verbally abusing a waiter.
Which makes the scene where he sees his servants being forced out of the mansion by Van Dough's men more heartbreaking.
Richard and Regina Rich make it clear that their vault contains childhood memories and treasures, not money or gold (the opposite of the comics).
Van Dough: No! Is this some kind of joke? (frantically searches for money) This is not right! You mean to tell me that there isn't a single gold bar, or emerald, or thousand dollar bill in this entire mountain?! Mr. Rich: Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you Lawrence, but that's not what we treasure.
To enter the vault, Richard and Regina have to sing a duet in harmony, and the song they use is something they know by heart.
Better yet: The song is "Side by Side," which is about loving someone no matter how poor you are.
Richard and Regina are generally Happily Married: They joke, they flirt, they value their time together, and (see above) they harmonize wonderfully.
The ending where Richie is playing baseball with his new friends, and his parents call him truly the richest boy in the world because he's finally got something that money can't buy: real friends.
Cadbury and Richie's relationship, particularly after his parents disappear.
The idea of Cadbury potentially being Richie's father-in-law, if Richie and Gloria ever get into a relationship like their comic book counterparts.
