Bill Lawrence wins a slew of prizes on a radio quiz program. His happiness is short-lived when he discovers he'll have to sell the prizes in order to pay the taxes on them.
Complete credited cast: | |||
James Stewart | ... | William J. 'Bill' Lawrence | |
Barbara Hale | ... | Amy Lawrence | |
James Gleason | ... | Harry Summers | |
Fred Clark | ... | Mr. Andrew J. Woodruff | |
Alan Mowbray | ... | Leslie | |
Patricia Medina | ... | Hildegarde Jonet / Hilda Jones | |
Natalie Wood | ... | Phyllis Lawrence | |
Tommy Rettig | ... | Tommy Lawrence | |
Robert Gist | ... | Pete Spooner | |
Lyle Talbot | ... | Fred Burns |
Bill Lawrence wins a slew of prizes on a radio quiz program. His happiness is short-lived when he discovers he'll have to sell the prizes in order to pay the taxes on them. Written by Daniel Bubbeo <dbubbeo@cmp.com>
"The Jackpot" is a story about Bill Lawrence, an ordinary man with a lovely wife, two growing kids, a regular job and a good group of friends. But this ordinary man thinks his life is too ordinary, too boring. Then one night he has an opportunity to answer a question on a radio quiz show. Once he gives the correct answer and begins to receive the prizes, his life is no longer boring or ordinary. Of course he soon wishes things were back to normal. Jimmy Stewart is such a pleasure to watch as he runs through a whole gamut of emotional upheavals. He goes from his routine life to the stress of trying to win the contest, to the euphoria of winning, to the turmoil when the prizes arrive, and then to the shocking discovery that he'll have to pay taxes on them. Barbara Hale is wonderful as his patient wife, who gets a little fed up with him as he laments his life decisions. James Gleason is also noteworthy as Bill's friend and adviser. While the story in itself isn't top notch, the acting more than makes up for it.