Sudden Money

19391939
PassedPassed
1h 6m

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Marjorie Rambeau and Charles Ruggles in Sudden Money (1939)

Promises of happier times dawn for the financially distressed Patterson family when father Sweeney and brother-in-law Archibald "Doc" Finney win a $150,000 grand prize in the sweepstakes con... Read allPromises of happier times dawn for the financially distressed Patterson family when father Sweeney and brother-in-law Archibald "Doc" Finney win a $150,000 grand prize in the sweepstakes contest. With their windfall, each member of the family decides to pursue a dream. Drummer Sw... Read allPromises of happier times dawn for the financially distressed Patterson family when father Sweeney and brother-in-law Archibald "Doc" Finney win a $150,000 grand prize in the sweepstakes contest. With their windfall, each member of the family decides to pursue a dream. Drummer Sweeney reorganizes his old college ragtime band, while Doc bankrolls his own horse betting ... Read all

IMDb RATING

5.7/10

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Broderick Crawford, Marjorie Rambeau, and Charles Ruggles in Sudden Money (1939)

Evelyn Keyes and Charles Ruggles in Sudden Money (1939)

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Trivia
One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

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Featured review

7/10

An object lesson about sudden wealth that is actually very true!

Sweeney Patterson (Charlie Ruggles) is an ordinary boob who suddenly strikes it rich by winning a sweepstakes. And, like so many lottery winners, he and his family overspend like mad until all their good fortune is soon all used up.

This is actually a story close to the truth, as reportedly 70% of all the million dollar plus lottery winners eventually end up declaring bankruptcy. As such, it's a nice lesson on greed and sudden wealth.

So is the film any good? Yes, though I wouldn't call it a comedy...more an allegory or slice of life movie. The acting is fine and the problem a real one, as human nature is, quite often, really awful and stupid.

By the way, listen closely to the conversation between Sweeney and his daughter near the end of the film when he says: "When a girl gets to be as big as you are, spanking is a husband's privilege"!!! My, how times have changed!!

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