THE MILLION POUND NOTE

UK, 1953, 90 minutes, Colour.
Gregory Peck, Ronald Squire, Joyce Grenfell, Wilfrid Hyde White, A.E. Matthews, Maurice Denham, Reginald Beckwith.
Directed by Ronald Neame.

A light and pleasant comedy. It was directed by Ronald Neame, who had worked with David Lean on his Dickens adaptations. Neame was to film in England and then move to the United States. He was eventually to make such spectaculars as The Odessa File, The Poseidon Adventure, Meteor. His career in the sixties was with such light comedy adventures as A Man Could Get Killed, Gambit. The film is based on a short story by Mark Twain, better known for his stories of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper. It in also a pleasant star vehicle for Gregory Peck working in England as he did in the following year for the action adventure by H.E. Bates, The Purple Plain. The supporting cast in full of English character actors and actresses and comedians. This gives added pleasure to the story, the Edwardian atmosphere, the satire on money and its power. Reginald Beckwith has a good supporting role.

1. An entertaining comedy? Light period satire? Humorous comment on money and its power, the fickleness of people towards money? The relationships between the English and the Americans?

2. The creation of period, London in the early 20th century, streets, houses, restaurants, high society? The musical score and its use of Yankee Doodle Dandy? A pleasant atmosphere for the comedy, the satire?

3. The work of Mark Twain? his genial insight into Americans, the English?

4. The basic implausibility of the plot: the two old brothers and their bet, getting the million pound note? Henry Adams and the accident of his being in London and poor? The coincidence of the two brothers seeing him? His being a fit candidate for the bet? The humour of his big meals and the production of the note, chasing it down the street, the getting of the clothes? The build-up to people chasing him - in the hotel, charity, high society, the American Ambassador, his friend with the gold mine? The making of money, the rise and fall of the stock market, adverse publicity in the Press, the fickleness of people's attitudes? The winning of the bet? The romance and his being loved for his own sake, not for his money? The support from Rock?

5. Gregory Peck's genial presence as Henry Adams? The opening scenes of his hunger and people's reaction, the American Embassy? The conversation with the two brothers and his feeling he was being mocked? His enjoying the dinner and the passing of time? Reaction to the note and his shock? Chasing it down the street and the humour of the chase? Comic touches? The buying of the clothes and the fickleness of the people in the shop? The going to the hotel and the mix-up with Rock? His befriending Rock and employing him to help him? The high society outings? The falling in love with Portia? The Ambassador, his friend with the gold mine? The pressures on him and nightmares? The charity auction? The inability to tell Portia the truth, her reaction to the truth? The vindictiveness of the old Earl and the maid hiding the note? The newspaper exposure? The creditors and their fickleness? The Stock Exchange and his being thrown out? The vindication of the note and everything ending happily? The two brothers and the discussion of the bet? The happy ever after - with money, with Portia?

6. Portia as the strong British heroine? setting her sights on Henry, her manoeuvres. not believing him, the outings and her reaction, her happiness that he had just himself and not the money?

7. Rock and his not being able to speak, the humour of his being mistaken for Henry Adams and the long build-up? His continued support of Adams? A genial character?

8. The gallery of the English satirized: the two brothers and their extravagant bet, the proprietor of the cafe and his wife, the head of the clothes shop and his staff, the hotel management, high society, the American Ambassador? Clothes and money making the man and people taken in by appearances of money? The crowds confronting him in the hotel?

9. The genial experiences of Henry Adams? people looking after him, charity, entertainment? The nightmare? The change of mood when the note disappeared? The character of the old Earl and his confession about the note?

10. The points being made about money, people's attitudes. the power of money? A light touch, moral fable, in the Mark Twain vain?