Milioni in pericolo

Brewster's Millions (1945)

*** (out of 4)

Screwball comedy has Monty Brewster (Dennis O'Keefe) returning home from the war and finding himself with an inheritance for $8 million. The only catch is that he must spend $1 million within a two month period in order to collect the rest of the money. One of the deals is that he can't tell anyone so the people around him, including his fiancé (Helen Walker) and best friend (Joe Sawyer) thinks he's crazy. This was the fifth version of this famous story and two more would follow with the most recent being the 1985 version with Richard Pryor and John Candy. Having only seen tha version (the 1914 Cecil B. DeMille film is lost) this one here plays much better, although there aren't quite as many laughs. For a comedy one might say this fails because there aren't too many laughs but I didn't find that to be the case because there's so much innocent charm that one can't help but get caught up in the story and the situation O'Keefe finds himself in. O'Keefe really makes the film go with his frantic performance, which is very good. The way he slowly starts to lose his mind as he can't get all the money spent is priceless and makes for a good time. June Havoc, Gail Patrick, Mischa Auer and John Litel add nice support as well. Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, a black actor, does a great job playing O'Keefe's servant and delivers most of the laughs in the film. It's also worth noting that this movie was banned in Memphis because it was deemed that their relationship was too "equal in nature" and the people of Memphis didn't want people watching a movie where the races were shown as equal. While the film isn't a major success or a masterpiece of comedy, it does work for what it is. The nice performances by the now forgotten actors is another reason to watch this film even though it's rather rare.

This is a harmless screwball romp (one of the last of its kind) from the '40s starring DENNIS O'KEEFE as a man who, to satisfy the whim of a wealthy relative, has to spend $1,000,000 within a short amount of time in order to qualify for a $7,000,000 inheritance.

The script makes sure that he has a hard time ridding himself of dough. Seems everything he touches suddenly has the Midas touch. It's stretching it a bit when he even gets a telephone call from some radio show blithely announcing that he just won $25,000. It should happen to all of us, most of whom are still waiting for the Prize Patrol to show up at our door from Publisher's Clearing House.

Anyway, the script makes sure that O'Keefe has to mug his way through many hapless situations involving show biz connections, a fancy yacht, horse racing, everything that conceivably could give him a chance of losing money--but of course there's a happy ending.

Nice to see so many '40s players in the supporting roles. HELEN WALKER, NEIL HAMILTON, JOHN LITEL, JUNE HAVOC,MISCHA AUER, GAIL PATRICK, EDDIE "ROCHESTER" ANDERSON among others.

Allan Dwan directed and keeps things moving at a fast clip. And whatever happened to DENNIS O'KEEFE? He was a good light comedian and did a lot of straight dramatic roles too. Then suddenly he was out of sight in the movies, swallowed up by television for most of his career.

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

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.

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!