The Big Money

Not really a hic-hic hooray here.

Out of Pinewood Studios, The Big Money is directed by John Paddy Carstairs and written by John Baines. It stats Ian Carmichael, Belinda Lee, Robert Helpmann, James Hayter, Kathleen, Harrison and George Coulouris. Music is by Van Phillips and cinematography by Jack Cox. It is a VistaVision/Technicolor production.

When bumbling thief Willie Frith (Carmichael) steals a suitcase from a clergyman, he gets far more than he bargained for. Disowned by star and creators, and left on the shelf for years by the studio, it's safe to say that The Big Money at best is an awkward comedy. It's not bad exactly, in fact there's enough comedy here for those familiar with - and entertained by - British comedy slapstick p...

Ian Carmichael "Willie", is the pretty hapless son in a family of petty thieves. One evening he turns up at their daily reckoning with a suitcase that he pinched from a vicar at the railway station. Turns out it contains a small fortune in £1 notes. Snag is, they all have the same serial numbers. Prudent dad (James Hayter) tells him to burn the lot, but he refuses and armed with his loot, he sets off to make a living on his own. Meantime, Robert Helpmann is trying to find out who stole his cash - and is soon on his trail. Carmichael tries quite hard here, but the joke runs out of steam very quickly and the comedy becomes more thinly stretched as he tries to impress barmaid "Gloria" (Brenda Lee). Kathleen Harrison hams up nicely as his emoti...