Comedy

The Million Pound Note

The Rank Organisation

United Kingdom

Italiano

English

Gregory Peck

Ronald Squire

Joyce Grenfell

A.E. Matthews

Maurice Denham

Reginald Beckwith

Brian Oulton

John Slater

Hartley Power

George Devine

Bryan Forbes

Gudrun Ure

Hugh Wakefield

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Jane Griffiths

Ronald Adam

Hugh Griffith

Christopher Hewett

Ernest Thesiger

Larry Dann

Andrew Faulds

Willoughby Goddard

Harold Goodwin

May Hallatt

Joan Hickson

Hugh Latimer

Eliot Makeham

Percy Marmont

Gibb McLaughlin

Laurence Naismith

Hal Osmond

Mona Washbourne

Ian Wilson

Ronald Neame

George Blackler

Dario Simoni

Jill Craigie

Margaret Furse

Robert Asher

Joan Bridge

Muir Mathieson

E.M. Smedley-Aston

Biddy Chrystal

Clive Donner

Geoffrey Unsworth

Dudley Messenger

James Bawden

John Bryan

Gordon K. McCallum

William Alwyn

Arthur Alcott

John Box

Winston Ryder

Mark Twain

Jack Maxsted

Earl St. John

CinemaSerf

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.

The Million Pound Note (1954)

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The Million Pound Note

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Gregory Peck

Ronald Squire

Joyce Grenfell

A.E. Matthews

Maurice Denham

Reginald Beckwith

Brian Oulton

John Slater

Hartley Power

George Devine

Box office

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