Cash and Curry

Only Fools and Horses episode
"Cash and Curry"
Series	1
Writer	John Sullivan
Director	Martin Shardlow
Producer	Ray Butt
Duration	29:51 (DVD/iTunes)
Airdate	22 September 1981
Audience	7.3 million

"Cash and Curry" is the third episode of series 1 of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was first screened on 22 September 1981. In the episode, Del Boy sees a chance to profit from a dispute between two Indian businessmen.

Synopsis

Rodney arrives to pick Del Boy up from a Dinner and Dance he had attended. While there, Rodney is introduced by Del to Vimmal Malik, an Indian man who is looking for business opportunities, much to Del's interest. Outside, the brothers become involved in a dispute between Vimmal and Mr Rham, a man who seems to have a grudge against Vimmal. During the fight, Rham's colleague, another Indian gentleman, tries to intimidate Del with faked Karate moves, but Del distracts him and kicks him in the groin. Del, however, agrees to talk with Rham while Rodney drives Vimmal home.

At an Indian restaurant which Rham claims to be one of his eighteen owned restaurants, Rham explains to Del and Rodney (who comes looking for Del) that he and Malik are from rival families, each of whom makes claim to an ancient statue, of the Hindu God of Wealth Kubera (who Del originally believed to be "one of India's premier wicketkeepers"), of great sentimental and financial value. Malik has the statue, but Rham wants it and informs Del that he is prepared to pay £4,000 for it. He is unable to make such an offer directly however, due to the caste system preventing him from speaking to Malik directly. Sensing an opportunity to profit, Del offers to be the middleman for Rham and Vimmal.

Del speaks to Malik, informing him that Rham is prepared to pay £2,000, with his intention being to keep the other £2,000 for himself. Malik eventually accepts the offer, but is unwilling to hand over the statue before receiving the cash. A problem emerges when it becomes clear that Rham is equally unwilling to handover the money before receiving the statue, Del describes this issue as "The bacon and the egg situation all over again", to which Rodney replies that it's chicken, Del then says that this is no time to argue about food. Rodney at this point attempts to convince Del to let the deal go, but Del is determined and decides to raise the £2,000 himself by selling off unwanted or unneeded items from the flat. Eventually he succeeds in convincing Rodney to go along with the plan.

The money is duly raised and paid to Malik, and the statue handed over. When Del Boy and Rodney go to the restaurant Rham supposedly owns, however, they find that he is gone - and that he does not own the restaurant and never did. The waiter there, who is the real owner of the restaurant, informs him that the cheque provided by Rham bounced, and that enquiries as to his accommodation revealed Rham had left there as well, leaving three weeks rent unpaid. Adding to the Trotter's woes, the owner examines the statue and reveals that they cost just £17 in Portobello Road. Del and Rodney rush to Malik's home to inform him that Rham has left, but find that Malik has also disappeared.

Meanwhile, on the motorway, Malik and Rham joke to each other about the stupidity of the Trotter Brothers in falling for the scam, and it emerges that they are professional con artists who have successfully carried this out in various other cities (Cardiff, Bristol, Southampton, and North and South London), as they travel to their next destination to try it again.

Outside Malik's home, Rodney tries to cheer Del up by jokingly suggesting that they head to a curry house, and Del angrily throws the statue at Rodney. The camera comically freezes as the statue is still in the air.^{[1] [2]}

Episode cast

Episode concept

The idea for the script was based purely on the name of the episode "Cash and Curry", from that the script was devised.^[3]

Notes

This episode, along with "The Longest Night" are the only two of the whole Only Fools And Horses run to not feature the Trotters' flat. It is also the first episode not to feature Lennard Pearce as Grandad.

The Trotters sell their Vauxhall Velox to help raise the £2,000. They remain without a second car until "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle", where Del buys the "Prattmobile", a 1977 Ford Capri Ghia.

David Jason and Renu Setna previously co-starred in an episode of Open All Hours, "Laundry Blues", which aired a few months before this episode. "Laundry Blues" also featured Nick Stringer, who appeared in the previous episode.

Music

Pink Floyd : "Money"

Note: In the VHS/DVD versions, Pink Floyd's "Money" is replaced by another piece of music.

References

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Cash and Curry

• "Cash and Curry" at BBC Online
• "Cash and Curry" at BBC Programmes
• "Cash and Curry" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Cash and Curry" at TV.com
• Full Episode Script