Brewster's Millions (1985 film)

For other film adaptations of the novel, see Brewster's Millions (film).

Brewster's Millions
Promotional film poster
Directed by	Walter Hill
Produced by	Lawrence Gordon Gene Levy Joel Silver
Written by	Timothy Harris Herschel Weingrod
Based on	Brewster's Millions by George Barr McCutcheon
Starring	Richard Pryor John Candy Lonette McKee Stephen Collins Hume Cronyn
Music by	Ry Cooder
Cinematography	Ric Waite
Edited by	Freeman A. Davies Michael Ripps
Production company	Silver Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	May 22, 1985 (1985-05-22)
Running time	100 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Box office	$45,833,132 89,585 admissions (France)

Brewster's Millions is a 1985 comedy film starring Richard Pryor and John Candy 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 and Timothy Harris. It was directed by Walter Hill.

Plot

Monty Brewster is a Minor League Baseball pitcher with the Hackensack Bulls. He and his best friend Spike Nolan, the Bulls' catcher, are arrested after a post-game bar fight and cannot afford bail. A stranger offers bail, if they will come to New York City with him. At the Manhattan law office of Granville & Baxter, Brewster is told that his recently deceased great-uncle Rupert Horn, whom he has never met, has left him his entire fortune but with several conditions.

Brewster is challenged to either take $1 million upfront, or spend $30 million within 30 days to inherit $300 million. If he chooses the former, the law firm becomes the executor of the estate and divides the money among charities (after taking a fee). In the latter case, after 30 days, he may not own any assets that are not already his, and he must get value for the services of anyone he hires. He may donate only 5% to charity and lose 5% by gambling, and he may not waste the money by purchasing and destroying valuable items. Finally, he is not allowed to tell anyone, even Spike. If he fails to spend the entire $30 million, he forfeits the balance and inherits nothing. Brewster decides to take the $30 million challenge, and Angela Drake, a paralegal from the law firm, is assigned to accompany him and keep track of his spending.

Brewster, who has no concept of money (never having earned more than $11,000 a year), rents an expensive hotel suite, hires personal staff on exorbitant salaries, and places bad bets. However, Spike makes good investments, earning Brewster money. Realizing that he is making no headway, Brewster decides to run for Mayor of New York and throws most of his money at a protest campaign urging a vote for "None of the Above."

The two major candidates threaten to sue Brewster for his confrontational rhetoric, but they settle out of court for several million dollars. Brewster then hires the New York Yankees for a three-inning exhibition against the Bulls, with himself as the pitcher. He is forced to end his protest campaign when he learns that he is leading in the polls as a write-in candidate; the job carries an annual salary, which is considered an asset under the terms of the will. Blowing his last $38,000 on a party after the game, Brewster becomes fed up with money and is heartbroken that Spike, Angela, and others around him do not understand his actions.

On the final day, he finds that the sycophantic treatment he received from his entourage is gone, and he makes his way to the law office. Having withdrawn from the election, he learns that the city voted "None of the Above," forcing another election with none of the candidates running for office again.

Warren Cox, a junior lawyer from the law firm and Angela's fiancée, has been bribed by the firm to ensure Brewster fails to spend the entire $30 million. Moments before time expires, Warren hands Brewster some money previously thought to have been spent and informs him he is not broke. Brewster punches Warren, who threatens to sue. Realizing he will need a lawyer, he pays the money to Angela as a retainer. With the transaction completed and all of the money now gone, Brewster inherits the entire $300 million.

Cast

• Richard Pryor as Montgomery "Monty" Brewster
• John Candy as Spike Nolan
• Lonette McKee as Angela Drake
• Stephen Collins as Warren Cox
• David White as George Granville
• Jerome Dempsey as Norris Baxter
• Jerry Orbach as Charlie Pegler
• Pat Hingle as Edward Roundfield
• David Wohl as Eugene Provost
• Tovah Feldshuh as Marilyn
• Hume Cronyn as Uncle Rupert Horn
• Joe Grifasi as J.B. Donaldo
• Peter Jason as Chuck Fleming
• Rick Moranis as Morty King
• Carmine Caridi as Salvino
• Lin Shaye as Journalist at rally
• Yakov Smirnoff as Cab driver
• Grand L. Bush as Rudy
• Conrad Janis as Businessman in car
• Rosetta LeNoire as Judge R. Woods
• Joseph Leon as Stamp store proprietor
• Robert Ellenstein as Mr. Carter
• Reni Santoni as Vin Rapelito
• Alan Autry as Biff Brown
• R. D. Call as Courtroom guard
• Kip Waldo as Heckler at rally
• Shaka Cumbuka as Heckler at rally
• Brad Sanders as Luther
• Bill McConnell as Plaza bartender
• Margot Rose as Torchy's waitress

Production

The movie was the first film greenlit by the Frank Price regime at Universal. Director Walter Hill was not known for his comedies but he ended up getting the job based on the success of his direction of Eddie Murphy in 48 Hrs..

The Hackensack Bulls' baseball park was a set from the TV series Bay City Blues, formerly located at the LADWP Valley Generating Station in Sun Valley, California.

The “Hackensack Bull” mascot costume used for the movie with Richord Pryor and John Candy was made by Carol Flemming Mascot Costumes. The studio ordered it at the last minute and it was delivered within one week.

Princess Anne visited the set during filming as part of her US tour.

Walter Hill says later he purposefully made the film "to improve his bank account and success quotient".

Reception

The movie received mixed reviews. The staff review in Variety said bluntly: "It's hard to believe a comedy starring Richard Pryor and John Candy is no funnier than this". Janet Maslin, in her review for The New York Times, called the film "a screwball comedy minus the screws" which "does nothing to accommodate Mr. Pryor's singular comic talents". Director Walter Hill, she said, did not understand "the advantages of screwball timing". and the film's slow pace and lack of style gives it "a fatuous artificiality". She went on to praise the film's supporting cast, including John Candy, but said that the "flat" screenplay forces Candy to repeat himself.

Walter Hill later called the movie "an aberration in the career line" being his only flat out comedy. He added that "whatever [the film's] deficiencies, I think the wistful quality was there. I was happy about that. The picture did well and made money."

External links

• Brewster's Millions at IMDb
• Brewster's Millions at the 80s Movie Gateway
• Brewster's Millions at AllMovie
• Brewster's Millions at Rotten Tomatoes
• Brewster's Millions at Box Office Mojo