Comedy

The Million Pound Note

- Great fun... you can bank on it!

An impoverished American sailor is fortunate enough to be passing the house of two rich gentlemen who have conceived the crazy idea of distributing a note worth one million pounds. The sailor finds that whenever he tries to use the note to buy something, people treat him like a king and let him have whatever he likes for free. Ultimately, the money proves to be more troublesome than it is worth when it almost costs him his dignity and the woman he loves.

Release Date : 1954-01-07

Language :EnglishItalian

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : The Rank Organisation

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Man with a Million

Cast

Character Name : Henry Adams

Original Name : Gregory Peck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oliver Montpelier

Original Name : Ronald Squire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Duchess of Cromarty

Original Name : Joyce Grenfell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Duke of Frognal

Original Name : A.E. Matthews

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jonathan Reid

Original Name : Maurice Denham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rock

Original Name : Reginald Beckwith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lloyd

Original Name : Brian Oulton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Parsons

Original Name : John Slater

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lloyd Hastings

Original Name : Hartley Power

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chop House Proprietor

Original Name : George Devine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Todd

Original Name : Bryan Forbes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Renie

Original Name : Gudrun Ure

Gender : Female

Character Name : Duke of Cromarty

Original Name : Hugh Wakefield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Roderick Montpelier

Original Name : Wilfrid Hyde-White

Gender : Male

Character Name : Portia Lansdowne

Original Name : Jane Griffiths

Gender : Female

Character Name : Samuel Clements

Original Name : Ronald Adam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Potter

Original Name : Hugh Griffith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irate Investor

Original Name : Christopher Hewett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Garrett, Bank Director

Original Name : Ernest Thesiger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy

Original Name : Larry Dann

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chief Assistant at Tailor Shop

Original Name : Andrew Faulds

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stockbroker

Original Name : Willoughby Goddard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Horace

Original Name : Harold Goodwin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hysterical Woman at Bumbles Hotel

Original Name : May Hallatt

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maggie

Original Name : Joan Hickson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bumbles Hotel Receptionist

Original Name : Hugh Latimer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Consulate Official

Original Name : Eliot Makeham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord Hurlingham

Original Name : Percy Marmont

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sir William Collinge

Original Name : Gibb McLaughlin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Walter Craddock

Original Name : Laurence Naismith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arthur

Original Name : Hal Osmond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mum with Pram

Original Name : Mona Washbourne

Gender : Female

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : Ian Wilson

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-12-29

When two wealthy old buzzards - Ronald Squire and Wilfrid Hyde-White espy the poverty stricken American "Adams" (Gregory Peck) they invite him into their home and give him an envelope. He is promised it contains money and so he promptly sits down to a much needed meal. When payment is duly demanded, he reveals the contents of the letter. A £1,000,000 pound note. It's real, but nobody can cash it. Nobody has the change. Indeed, quite quickly he discovers that the very sight of the thing is sufficient to open doors of credit at just about everywhere in London. A swanky hotel, fine tailoring and dining all beckon. High society welcomes him with open arms and that might even provide him with an opportunity to court the otherwise inaccessible "Portia" (Jane Griffiths), thd daughter of the haughty "Duchess of Cromarty" (Joyce Grenfell). His deal with his two sponsors, so to speak, is that he must keep the note intact for one month and if he does, well there's a real glittering prize awaiting him. It's all going really rather well but he's overlooked one small thing. The previous owner of his hotel suite - the "Duke of Frognal" (AE Matthews) was none to pleased about being relegated to lesser accommodations, and so enlists the help of an housemaid to purloin said banknote. When "Adams" and his loyal, mute, retainer cannot present it to their creditors, well let's just say all the goodwill evaporates and things all start to look distinctly dodgy! This is quite a cheery and enjoyable adaptation of the Mark Twain story that sees Peck on jovial form amidst a fine cast of British character actors. The narrative takes an unswerving, but light-hearted, swipe at the hypocrisy and venality of society - at all levels as well as at the double standards that prevail across the board when those who have money (or are perceived to) don't really need it and those who are desperate for the stuff can't get near enough to it to buy basic essentials. The shallowness of many of these characters is writ large and entertainingly and though I did find the denouement a bit rushed, I did rather enjoy the irony of the conclusion. Peck looks like he enjoyed making this, as did the permanently sozzled Matthews and the on-form Grenfell and I did quite enjoy watching it.