Brewster's Millions (1985)

A minor league baseball player has to waste $30m in 30 days in order to inherit $300m; however he's not allowed to tell anyone about the $300m deal.

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers:

George Barr McCutcheon (based on the novel by), Herschel Weingrod (screenplay),

Stars:

Richard Pryor, John Candy, Lonette McKee

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Pryor	...	Montgomery Brewster
John Candy	...	Spike Nolan
Lonette McKee	...	Angela Drake
Stephen Collins	...	Warren Cox
Jerry Orbach	...	Charley Pegler
Pat Hingle	...	Edward Roundfield
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Marilyn
Hume Cronyn	...	Rupert Horn
Joe Grifasi	...	J.B. Donaldo
Peter Jason	...	Chuck Fleming
David White	...	George Granville
Jerome Dempsey	...	Norris Baxter
David Wohl	...	Eugene Provost
Ji-Tu Cumbuka	...	Melvin
Milt Kogan	...	Heller

Storyline

Brewster is a minor league baseball player. Unknown to him, he had a (recently deceased) rich relative. In order to test if Brewster knows the value of money, he is given the task of disposing of $30m in 30 days. Brewster isn't allowed to have any assets to show for the $30m or waste the money in any way. If successful, Brewster gets to inherit $300m. The biggest problem of all however, is that Brewster can't tell anyone what he's doing, so everyone thinks he's crazy. Add to this the fact that if he fails, two scheming trustees will get their hands on the money, Brewster's task is not an easy one.

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Plot Keywords:

baseball | minor league baseball | heir | baseball player | lawyer | 

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Taglines:

He has 30 million to spend in 30 days - and he's doing it in the craziest, funniest way ever!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 May 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brewsters millioner

Filming Locations:

Crystal Ballroom, Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$38,800,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Davis Entertainment, Lawrence Gordon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The sound of the clock (when Angela Drake furiously writes out a receipt to Monty near the end of the film) comes courtesy of the New England Digital Synclavier. The Synclavier was an extremely expensive (approx. $200,000 in 1985 USD) digital sampler used not only in the production of many pop records of the time, but in sound design for motion pictures as well.

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Goofs

The stamp dealer who sells Monty the rare "Inverted Jenny" stamp claims that "of the one hundred of these stamps originally printed, this is the only known copy in existence." In fact at least 90 specimens of the "Inverted Jenny" are known to survive in the hands of collectors.

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Quotes

Rupert Horn: [speaking to Monty in his recorded will] Brewster? Greetings from the grave! Don't look so surprised. Did you know your great-grandfather was a honky? My old man married twice. One wife, white, produced me. One wife, black, produced your grandmother. Checkered family you might say. I've outlived them all Brewster, except you. They tell me you're my only living relative and I have to say, I'm disappointed. Look at you! what have you made of yourself? A failed baseball pitcher. I believe in being ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Glory Daze: Some Like It Hot Tub (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Für Elise"
(uncredited)
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

User Reviews

Funny movie.

This movie is consistent with it's humor throughout. So many 80s films start out with an original idea but seem to lose site of it halfway through as it becomes a love story. Not this film, Brewster is trying to spend that money right up until the clock chimes midnight. One of my favorites by Richard Pryor. John Candy only added to it's hilarity.