The million dollar thing
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The million dollar thing |
| Original title | Hot Millions |
| Country of production |
United Kingdom United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1968 |
| length | 106 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Eric Till |
| script |
Ira Wallach Peter Ustinov |
| production | Mildred Freed Alberg |
| music | Laurie Johnson |
| camera | Kenneth Higgins |
| cut | Richard Marden |
| occupation | |
| |
The Million Thing is a 1968 British / American comedy film with Peter Ustinov in the lead role.
action
Marcus Pendleton has just been released from prison. He owes his stay there to an electronic brain that caught his eye on his last coup.
That shouldn't happen to him again. For his next raid, he would like to make conscious use of modern computer technology. First of all, he makes sure that the computer expert Caesar Smith goes on a longer vacation trip to spend the time as a butterfly hunter in the distance.
Pendleton is getting fit in data processing and hires under the name Caesar Smith at the London branch of a US corporation as chief programmer. He quickly succeeds in gaining the trust of his superior, the London branch manager Carlton J. Klemper.
Marcus manipulates the computer so that monthly amounts are transferred to three non-existent companies. Then he makes secret trips to Paris, Rome and Frankfurt to redeem the amounts. Marcus reports to a secretary, Patty Terwilliger, whom he marries soon afterwards. When his wife becomes pregnant, he leaves the company and flees to Rio with Patty. But Klemper and his employee Willard C. Gnatpole track down the fraud. They identify the perpetrator and follow him to Rio.
Patty has now invested the money in stocks and made a profit. Marcus pays back the money he stole and devotes himself to his next career. He wants to be the conductor of an orchestra in which Patty plays the flute.
Reviews
The lexicon of the international film about the film: "Modern fairy tale, in which the desired combination of comedic play and pointed parody of electronic technocracy fails in favor of less profound but amusing entertainment."
The film magazine Cinema : "A" hacker "from the very beginning! Clever fun by Eric Till. Conclusion: British coolness paired with irony: strong!"
The Variety praises the script, the excellent actors, the enthusiastic direction and the speed.
Vincent Canby of the New York Times describes the film as an amiable, conventional comedy. The script was written with a high level of intelligence, the actors act with wit.
Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" thinks the film is not a boisterous, but a friendly and warming comedy.
Awards
In 1969 the script was nominated for an Oscar and a WGA Award from the Writers Guild of America .
background
The US premiere took place on September 19, 1968. In Germany, the film first appeared in cinemas on May 16, 1969.
The MGM production was filmed in the company's studios in Borehamwood / Hertfordshire .
Web links
- The millions of thing in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The million dollar thing . In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ The million dollar thing . CINEMA Online. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
- ↑ Hot Millions . variety.com. December 31, 1967. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
- ↑ Vincent Canby: "Hot Millions," Comedy With Ustinov as an Embezzling Computer Expert . nytimes.com. September 20, 1968. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
- ↑ Roger Ebert: Hot Millions . rogerebert.com. October 21, 1968. Retrieved October 3, 2015.