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Brewster's Millions
Promotional movie poster
Directed by	Walter Hill
Produced by	Lawrence Gordon Gene Levy Joel Silver
Written by	Timothy Harris George Barr McCutcheon (novel) Herschel Weingrod
Starring	Richard Pryor John Candy
Music by	Ry Cooder
Cinematography	Ric Waite
Editing by	Freeman A. Davies Michael Ripps
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	in film
Running time	100 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

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

• You don't have to be crazy to blow $30 million in 30 days. But it helps.
• Yesterday he was a relief pitcher in the minor leagues of life. Today he's been handed the American Dream...on a very hot plate.
• An American excess story.

See Brewster's Millions for the plot of the original novel

As in the novel, the premise is that an individual must spend the entirety of a large amount of money within a strict time limit, in order to inherit a significantly larger fortune. There are some conditions attached: the money cannot simply be destroyed or given away, for example.

Brewster is an aging minor league baseball pitcher, with the (fictional) Hackensack Bulls. The amounts involved in the inheritance in this version are $30 million (to be spent) and $300 million (the real windfall). As well as the usual range of wasteful spending gags, Brewster joins the race for Mayor of New York City and throws most of his money at a campaign urging a vote for "None of the Above," only to be forced to withdraw from the race when he learns that he is leading in the polls. He also hires the New York Yankees for a three-inning exhibition against his Hackensack team, with himself as the pitcher.

Brewster is almost thwarted by a junior lawyer (Warren Cox) from the firm which is executing the inheritance. Cox has been bribed by partners of the firm to ensure Brewster fails to spend the entire $30 million, which he does by hiding a small amount of cash intended as a holding deposit on a purchase. At the last moment, Cox reveals his duplicity to Angela Drake, his fiancée and a paralegal who has been doing Brewster's accounting during the 30 days. Of course, Brewster himself has developed an unrequited attachment to Angela; when Cox reveals the plot to her with barely a minute to spare, Angela steps in to save Brewster and complete the transfer of her affections.

It should be noted that in the ending of this version of the film, Brewster gives the money to Angela as a retainer for her services as a lawyer. Technically, this makes Brewster the owner of "pre-paid legal services", an asset which should void the terms of the will. This discrepancy is never addressed, probably because the firm technically cheated Brewster.

• Richard Pryor - Monty Brewster
• John Candy - Spike Nolan
• Lonette McKee - Angela Drake
• Stephen Collins - Warren Cox
• David White - George Granville
• Rick Moranis - Morty King
• Jerry Orbach - Charlie, Manager of the Hackensack Bulls

• Brewster's Millions at the Internet Movie Database
• Brewster's Millions at the 80s Movie Gateway
• Brewster's Millions at All Movie Guide

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