The Big Money (film)
| The Big Money | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Movie Poster (1958) | |
| Directed by | John Paddy Carstairs |
| Produced by | Joseph Janni |
| Starring | Ian Carmichael Belinda Lee |
| Cinematography | Jack Cardiff Jack E. Cox |
| Edited by | Alfred Roome |
| Music by | Van Phillips |
| Distributed by | The Rank Organisation |
Release date | 1958 |
Running time | 86 mins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | ₤175,000[1] |
The Big Money is a 1958 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Ian Carmichael, Belinda Lee and Kathleen Harrison.[2]
Diana Dors was originally cast as Gloria but turned down the role because she did not want to work with Joseph Janni. The film was completed in 1956 but its release was cancelled because Rank Organisation boss Sir John Davis did not believe it was sufficiently funny.[1] It sat on the shelf for two years before a product shortage led to a June 1958 release on Rank's Odeon circuit.
Plot
Willie (Ian Carmichael) is the bad seed of a family of thieves (James Hayter, Kathleen Harrison and Jill Ireland). One day, he steals a briefcase from a dodgy clergyman (Robert Helpmann), which is full of pound notes. Unfortunately, the notes all have the same serial number!
He is seduced by "the big money" and starts passing the counterfeits, one bill at a time. Much of his need for money is to impress Gloria (Belinda Lee), the pretty barmaid at his local pub. She dreams of the millionaire who will come and give her the good life. Unfortunately, he cannot pass the fake money fast enough to keep up with her wants.
When she helps herself to some of the counterfeit money, it gets the attention of the police and the mobsters. It all ends in a free-for-all, between the police, Arabs, and mobsters, in disguise. Finally, she has to decide whether she loves him or his money.
_Movie_Poster.jpg)
Partial cast
- Ian Carmichael – Willie Frith
- Belinda Lee – Gloria
- Kathleen Harrison – Mrs Frith
- Jill Ireland – Doreen Firth
- Robert Helpmann – The Reverend
- James Hayter – Mr Frith
- George Coulouris – The Colonel
- Renée Houston – Bobbie
- Michael Brennan – Bluey
- Leslie Phillips – Receptionist
- Harold Berens – Bookmaker
- Hugh Morton – Valet
- Ferdy Mayne – Furrier
- Digby Wolfe – Harry Mason
- Michael Balfour – 'Wilberforce'
References
- ^ a b "Star Dust". The Mirror. Perth: National Library of Australia. 4 August 1956. p. 12. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
- ^ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/25782
External links
 | This article related to a British film of the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article about a crime comedy film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |