Botando un millón

Dennis O'Keefe in a field day romp in Brewster's Millions.

He becomes an instant millionaire through inheritance but in order to get the full $8 million, he must spend $1 million by age 30, which is in 2 months.

He is not permitted to tell anyone why he is spending money as if there is no tomorrow. Naturally, his love-life will be adversely affected.

Of course, when this occurs, O'Keefe gets that Midas Touch. Everything and everyone he touches yields a gold-mine.

As his butler, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson has lots of fun here and you can see that he is enjoying himself..

The film co-stars Helen Walker as his befuddled girlfriend and there is a nice turn by June Havoc, as a flashy Broadway show-girl, caught up in this mayhem.

The picture succeeds because of the fine performance of O'Keefe who has the part of the suddenly wealthy ex-G.I. down to a science. We feel his emotions of joy, frustration and comic desires.

Hook these folks up to a generator and there's enough high energy to light up a city. It's the nutty premise, of course, that carries the movie. Brewster (O'Keefe) must squander a million in order to inherit seven. Trouble is that he can't seem to squander it fast enough— the money comes back faster than it goes out. What a predicament, as the audience wonders what they would do in his place.

It's the wacky idea of giving money a negative value that's so engaging. It's like the economic counterpart to disbelief in religion, and we see that in the astonished reactions to Brewster's unorthodox behavior. After all, in a monetary economy money amounts to something of a secular god. So, simply getting rid of it heedlessly looks not only like an act of disbelief, but also of rank insanity. The comedic set-ups flow from this central idea, as time grows short and Brewster grows increasingly frantic.

Too bad O'Keefe has been largely forgotten. Though not front-rank, he's quite good at working himself into a humorous lather. Those two uninhibited farces Getting Gertie's Garter (1945) and Up in Mabel's Room (1944) are also lots of fun thanks to both O'Keefe and director Dwan who has a real feel for the material. Hard to think of better wartime escape than this trio of films. Then there's the lovely, star-crossed Helen Walker whose "upside- down" eyes look like no other actress of the period. No wonder Brewster thinks she's worth a million.

The movie's been made a number of times, but never better than here. The fact that all three Dwan comedies were produced by the independent Ed Small Productions likely accounts for their relative obscurity. Too bad because each stands as a talent showcase for its lead star and comedy director, and is still a lot of fun. Especially the one here since last time I checked, we're still in a money economy and Brewster still looks amusingly loony.

An archetypal fast and furious, beat-the-clock screwball comedy based on a typically offbeat idea of a returning soldier standing to inherit millions if he can spend a million dollars in two months, but not tell anyone in the process. Cue a procession of hair-brained supposedly dead-duck schemes and investments which naturally come good to thwart our hero's plans until things right themselves by the end.

The basic idea is a good one and you suspect in the hands of a Frank Capra or Preston Sturges could have been wrung for more laughs and one suspects a bit deeper social comment, this failing exposed none more so than when Brewster's overnight largess to his black servant is to offer him a lackey's job for life, just after he's thrown tens of thousands of dollars at the rest of his nearest and dearest.

For me the pacing was just too frenetic and while likable enough the lead actors lacked the personality and timing of the recognised A-list acting talent of the day. Plus, I have to say the crudely deferential treatment of said black man-servant, all loud wise-cracks and "Yass boss, no boss" dates the film horribly.

But putting that to one side, this is a rollicking, occasionally humorous and engaging Golden Age comedy, worth diverting 75 minutes of your time for.

Home from service in World War II, business-minded Dennis O'Keefe (as Montague "Monty" Brewster) wants to marry curvy blonde sweetheart Helen Walker (as Peggy Gray) right away. The couple has clearly waited long enough. However, a lawyer arrives with news that postpones the nuptials and Mr. O'Keefe's longed-for honeymoon. He has inherited one million dollars from his anthropologist uncle - but there are stipulations. O'Keefe must spend the million in two months to obtain the real prize - seven million dollars. He must not reveal the will's million-dollar detail to anyone, including Ms. Walker. His deceased uncle believes O'Keefe should "learn to hate spending money." O'Keefe thinks spending the million will be a "cinch," but you know otherwise...

"Brewster's Millions" is a fun, fast-paced version of the classic story...

By speed-reading the lead performance, O'Keefe and director Allan Dwan help make it more believable; if you stopped to catch your breath, you would likely think of some better ways to spend the million. This also distracts from the fact that the self-described "poor" couple already look like millionaires - they are beautifully-dressed, live in what looks like a mansion and are waited on by loyal Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (as Jackson). By the way, Mr. Anderson infuses his role with more dignity than expected. Another obvious strength is Mr. Dwan giving the old stage play an almost three-dimensional quality. Observe, for example how Dwan introduces Anderson through a soapy window. And throughout the film, Dwan uses his sets, cameras and players exceptionally well.

******** Brewster's Millions (4/7/45) Allan Dwan ~ Dennis O'Keefe, Helen Walker, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, June Havoc

Unfortunately, mention of the film title today always stops with Richard Pryor. While the Peoria comedian deserves mention, his 1985 film is not the definitive version. You have to go back to 1945 to pick up the Dennis O'Keefe rendition. It's wild and wacky, silly enough to amuse but also throws a spotlight on Hollywood's special ability to let one escape from the real world for an hour or two. Good luck finding it!