An awesome eighties film, Brewster’s Millions, 1985, starring Richard Pryor as minor league baseball player, Monty Brewster. Who learns that he has been left $300 million from his Great Uncle and to inherit his money he must spend $30 million in thirty days, with many rules attached, one being to keep his challenge secret. John Candy stars as Monty’s best friend, Spike, and Lonette McKee plays Angela Drake, hired by the law firm to keep track of Monty’s spending.
Its a timeless film, equally as entertaining now as it was then. But did you know these ten incredible facts about Brewster’s Millions?!
1) Monty tries many things to spend his $30 million, some good, some not so good. One of his ideas being running in the election of being the Mayor of New York City.
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With Monty running for being the Mayor of New York, the dialogue from the lawyers get it wrong! They say Monty is running for all fifty two USA states. When there are fifty USA states!
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2) Another of Monty’s bright ideas to spend his money was to buy a rare postage stamp then put the stamp on a postcard and send it to himself. Thinking gl it would take all of the value out of the stamp, and spend his money at the same time.
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However in the eyes of the law, as Monty was using the stamp for its original intended purpose this would not go against the terms of the will! So the film got it wrong!
However in his eyes he was spending more of the $30 million!
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3) Eighties legend John Candy who starred as Spike Nolen, invited Eddie Murphy to come visit and hang out on the set of Brewster’s Millions.
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Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor got to hang out, talk and bond. They got on extremely well. Rumour has it that John Candy was super jealous of Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor’s instant friendship. He was not pleased at all.
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4) John Candy was making a name for himself back in 1985, and rightly so, what a uniquely talented, original man he was.
He had heard about the part of Spike for Brewster’s Millions and he was considering to do the role, though it was not a lead role. But when he heard Richard Pryor was onboard, John Candy agreed to take part. But without Richard Pryor being involved, it’s safe to say Candy wouldn’t of been either.
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5) Whilst Brewster’s Millions was being filmed back in the eighties, who should be in town? Yes, HRH Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. She just happened to be in Los Angeles, California.
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So she visited the filming on location. Apparently she was really excited to meet the legend, John Candy, who was of course a Canadian citizen born and breed.
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6) Lonette McKee was just perfect for the role of Angela Drake, the account hired to keep her eye on and work with all the money issues with Monty Brewster.
But Lonette was not the first choice for the role of Angela. The film company wanted Flashdance star, Jennifer Beale. But in the end the went to Lonette.
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7) Monty of course is trying to loose as much money as possible as quickly as possible! He knows that $300 million is in the horizon! He wants to win his mission.
Little filming error, when Spike makes a $10 million profit and Monty asks to be alone, they leave, we hear the door close, but in the next frame we hear the door close, again.
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8) The director of the film was Walter Hill. Who you think would of just jumped at the chance to work with the legends which were Richard Pryor and John Candy.
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But no, the reasons for him getting involved with the project was to top up his bank account. He realised he could make good money with this film, and he did.
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9) Yes Brewster’s Millions was one hit film. Fans of Richard Pryor and John Candy flocked to the big screen to see this flick!
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The film company made the film on a budget of $20 million. At the box office it made over $42 million. Fans just loved this film.
10) The film was based on the novel by George Barr McCutcheon. Which was first published in 1902.
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By 1985 the novel had been adapted into a play or film twelve times. It was hugely popular all around the world.