Brewster's Millions (1985 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the 1921 Roscoe Arbuckle film, see Brewster's Millions (1921 film).
For the 1914 Cecil B. DeMille film, see Brewster's Millions (1914 film).
Brewster's Millions

Promotional movie poster
Directed by Walter Hill
Produced by Lawrence Gordon
Gene Levy
Joel Silver
Written by Timothy Harris
George Barr McCutcheon (novel)
Herschel Weingrod
Starring Richard Pryor
John Candy
Music by Ry Cooder
Cinematography Ric Waite
Editing by Freeman A. Davies
Michael Ripps
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) 1985
Running time 100 min.
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Brewster's Millions is a 1985 comedy film starring Richard Pryor based on the 1902 novel of the same name by George Barr McCutcheon. It is the seventh film based on the story, with a screenplay by Herschel Weingrod & Timothy Harris. It was directed by Walter Hill.

Contents

[edit] Taglines

  • You don't have to be crazy to blow $30 million in 30 days. But it helps.
  • Yesterday he was a relief pitcher in the minor leagues of life. Today he's been handed the American Dream...on a very hot plate.
  • An American excess story.

[edit] Plot summary

For the plot of the original novel, see Brewster's Millions.

Monty Brewster is an aging minor league baseball pitcher, with the (fictional) Hackensack Bulls. He suddenly finds that he is an inheritor of an eccentric millionaire who wanted to discourage him from spending excessively. To do so, Brewster must spend the entirety of $30 million within a strict time limit in order to inherit $300 million. There are some conditions attached: the money cannot simply be destroyed nor can he buy expensive goods and destroy them. Furthermore, only 5% of the amount can be given away to charity as well as 5% as gambling losses. As well as the usual range of wasteful spending gags, Brewster joins the race for Mayor of New York City and throws most of his money at a protest campaign urging a vote for "None of the Above." The two major candidates sue Brewster for his confrontational rhetoric, leading to a massive settlement which of course furthers their competitor's true goal. He also hires the New York Yankees for a three-inning exhibition against his Hackensack team, with himself as the pitcher. Unfortunately, Brewster is forced to end the occasion by stopping his protest campaign when he learns that he is leading in the polls as a write-in candidate and has to publicly announce that he cannot accept the mayoralty if he won it.

Brewster is almost thwarted by a junior lawyer (Warren Cox) from the firm which is executing the inheritance. Cox has been bribed by partners of the firm to ensure Brewster fails to spend the entire $30 million, which he does by hiding a small amount of cash intended as a holding deposit on a purchase. At the last moment, Cox reveals his duplicity to Angela Drake, his fiancée and a paralegal who has been doing Brewster's accounting during the 30 days. Of course, Brewster himself has developed an unrequited attachment to Angela; when Cox reveals the plot to her with barely a minute to spare, Angela steps in to save Brewster by revealing the underhanded plot. Monty then at the last minute writes a check in the amount of the hidden fund as a retainer for her services as a paralegal. With the check written and handed over to the legal representation of his benefactor's estate, he completes the challenge at the stroke of midnight, inheriting an even larger sum of money, and complete the transfer of Angela's affections to Monty himself.

[edit] Cast

[edit] External links

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