Different Ways for Filmmakers to Approach the Idea of Winning a Fortune

There are many ways of approaching any given subject, with each filmmaker taking their own path towards telling a story. If we look at the case of characters who win or gain a fortune, looking at some of the most interesting movies in this genre lets us see they all work differently.

The Screwball Comedy Approach – Brewster’s Millions (1985)

The Original Trailer for Brewster’s Millions (1985)

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This comedy was directed by Walter Hill and stars Richard Pryor as Montgomery Brewster, a minor league baseball pitcher who inherits $300 million. There’s a catch, though, as he has to spend $30 million in just 30 days to claim the inheritance. It was Hill’s only comedy, and he was quite happy with its “wistful quality” despite critics being slightly confused by the lack of screwball comedy action that was expected from Pryor and John Candy in a supporting role. This Empire review suggests that Pryor’s energy is just about enough to make it a success.

This movie attempts to use comedy to get across some serious messages about wealth. We see how Brewster becomes disillusioned with the trappings of wealth, but the balance between comedy and serious analysis never seems to be quite right. This is one of several versions of the same story, and perhaps the time is right for someone to make a new version.

The True Story – It Could Happen to You (1994)

The Original Trailer for It Could Happen to You (1994)

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Of course, people win big prizes in real life, and that makes for a fascinating story that can be turned into a movie. It Could Happen to You stars Nicolas Cage as a police officer who offers to share his lottery winnings with a waitress played by Bridget Fonda, if his numbers come up. His ticket wins $4 million, which he shares with her and they use the cash to help others. This sort of true story tends to capture the imagination of viewers, as it allows them to imagine what they would do if they had a windfall like this. As well as lottery wins, players can now also attempt to win online slot jackpots like those in the Wowpot games. Titles include Wheel of Wishes and Book of Atem, with various themes used including Egyptian mythology and  Sherlock Holmes. The top prizes are progressive jackpots that build up every time someone spins the reels but doesn’t win.

The Dark Comedy – Waking Ned Devine (1998)

The Official Trailer for Waking Ned Devine (1998)

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The idea of someone’s life being changed by winning money also has some dark comedy potential. This is explored in this 1998 independent movie by Kirk Jones. A resident of a small village in Ireland wins the lottery but dies before he can claim the cash, so the entire village decides to work together to each get a share of his winnings. It takes a few dark turns and this review from the Washington Post calls it a delight despite the plot being rather slight. This theme seems certain to carry on inspiring filmmakers, partly because of the number of different ways in which they can approach it to add fresh insights and interesting situations.

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