Brewster's Millions

Brewster's Millions. 1985 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Richard Pryor, John Candy, Lonette McKee, Stephen Collins, David White, Rick Moranis, Jerry Orbach
Director: Walter Hill
Available at Amazon.

This is the seventh film adaptation of George Barr McCutcheon's novel of the same name, and it turned out to be the most successful one.

Monty Brewster (Pryor) is a baseball pitcher in the twilight of his career, playing on the Hackensack Bulls, a minor league team so minor that games are regularly delayed by trains (the field is built near an industrial district, and there's a branch line bisecting the outfield). His best friend is catcher Spike Nolan (Candy). Both players are released following their arrest for involvement in a bar fight, only to be bailed out by a cameraman who Monty is convinced is a scout for the New York Mets. In actuality, the man was hired to find Brewster (Nolan's along for the ride) and bring him to a Manhattan law office. Once there, Monty learns (via a videotaped "living will") that his recently deceased long-lost great-uncle was an eccentric multimillionaire who was his only living relative. The deceased uncle has included Monty in his will, and he is challenged to spend $30 million in 30 days to inherit the full $300 million inheritance, albeit with many conditions and rules that won't make it easy.

Monty can either accept that challenge, or settle for the one million dollar "wimp challenge", which Nolan urges him to take. After thinking about it, Brewster accepts the challenge.

The question is, can Monty meet the challenge, or will he lose everything?

Recommended film.