Das Millionending

Talk about a dream cast - just two of the most wonderful actors who ever appeared anywhere - Peter Ustinov and Maggie Smith - together - in "Hot Millions," a funny, quirky comedy also starring Karl Malden, Robert Morley, and Bob Newhart. Ustinov is an ex-con embezzler who gets the resume of a talented computer programmer (Morley) and takes a position in a firm run by Malden - with the goal of embezzlement in mind. It's not smooth sailing; he has attracted the attention of his competitor at the company, played by Newhart, and his neighbor, Maggie Smith (who knows him at their place of residence under another name), becomes his secretary for a brief period. She can't keep a job and she is seen throughout the film in a variety of employment - all ending with her being fired. When Newhart makes advances to her, she invites Ustinov over to her flat for curry as a cover-up, but the two soon decide they're made for each other. Of course, she doesn't know Ustinov is a crook.

This is such a good movie - you can't help but love Ustinov and Smith and be fascinated by Ustinov's machinations, his genius, and the ways he slithers out of trouble. But there's a twist ending that will show you who really has the brains. Don't miss this movie, set in '60s London. It's worth if it only to hear Maggie Smith whine, "I've been sacked."

Peter Ustinov received an Academy Award nomination for the script that he co-wrote for this film, and it was a nomination well deserved because if not particularly witty or laugh-out-loud funny, the film still has a number of amusing moments and it is a delight to watch. Ustinov is perfect as a charismatic conman, and Maggie Smith is excellent as a ditsy bimbo in a role very atypical for her repertoire. There are also some interestingly edited sequences and great music too. The scams that Ustinov devises are a bit overly complicated, as is the science behind is the hacking that he carries out, but a full understanding of everything that is going on is not required to enjoy the film. It is interesting to watch and often amusing.

I thought I'd enjoyed Sneakers until I saw Hackers. I thought I'd enjoyed AI until I saw Circuitry Man. I thought I enjoyed Demon Seed until I saw Dungeon Master. I thought I'd enjoyed Johnnie Mnemonic until I saw the Matrix, but this movie set them all back on their heels.

Sir Peter's depiction of the archetypal Hacker is phenomenally well done, and how they managed to predict that Social Engineering skills would be brought to bear in the world of hacking was a phenomenal display of foresight. If Kevin Mitnick's life were ever to be fictionalized more than it has been by the Media and released as a comedy I'd suspect this is what the script would turn out to be like.

Karl Malden and Bob Newhart both provided excellent portrayals of the archetypal 60's executives who still seem so prevalent in today's business world, showing where much of the security concerns of today should be focused.

View this if you're a computer geek, and if you're involved in computer security this movie should be required.

I saw the description of the movie on TCM and only let it run because I like both Peter Ustinov and Maggie Smith, so I was delightfully surprised to find that I really liked the movie and found it quite exceptional. Of course, it is seriously dated, but as a period piece it is well worth watching just for the subtle humour in insight into life and lifestyle almost forty years ago. Now the only problem is trying to find it on DVD so I can watch it more often. I also was quite taken with the performances of Smith and Ustinov as the leads, and of Karl Malden, Bob Newhart, and the cameo appearances by Robert Morley and Cesar Romero.

"Hot Millions" is a well-written, well-acted tale about an embezzler who steals (whoops! -- too low class a word for an embezzler, according to Peter Ustinov's lead character) a "hot million" from the London branch of a U.S. corporation by creating shell corporations on the continent and using the firm's ostensibly secure computer to transfer funds to them. (Remember, spoiler police, this is a comedy, not a mystery.)

From 1968, this movie's depiction of computers may seem naive to today's more computer-literate populace; but as one who has worked with computers since before this film was released, I would assert that even then, this smacks of having been written by and for computer illiterates, probably on purpose to heighten the droll comedic aspects of this British flick.

If one has little taste for this type of entertainment, the movie may seem to drag in spots. Fortunately, it has a nicely wrapped-up ending; unfortunately, the end credits give no indication of the classical music used therein -- the symphonic piece at the end and the piano-flute duet in the middle -- just the song sung by Lulu which I totally don't remember.