~posted by Frank B.
When you think of movies about money, you’re likely to think of two images – Gordon Gekko in Wall Street and Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street. Both films depict the ruthlessness of greed (or glorify it, depending on your point of view). While money (and related issues, like class and the pursuit of the American Dream) are heavy subjects, there are a few comedies that have made light of our fascinating and infuriating relationship with the almighty dollar.
There’s no better word to summarize It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) than “madcap.” The premise is simple – a group of people embark on a cross-country trip to find buried treasure – but the gags are a mile-a-minute, and you get to watch a veritable who’s-who from the golden age of Hollywood (Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, and more) having the time of their lives.
Trading Places (1983) is one of the funniest satires from the 80s. Millionaire brothers Randolph and Mortimer Duke (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) bet that they can turn street hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) into a respectable businessman by giving him the job held by Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd), who they cast aside in a callous social experiment. The film is a sophisticated observation about greed and ambition, as well as a showcase for top-notch comedic talent (including Jamie Lee Curtis in an unforgettable turn as a hooker).
The Money Pit (1986) stars Tom Hanks and Shelley Long as a Manhattan couple who move to the suburbs and buy the house of their dreams: only to find it’s a nightmare of epic proportions as the house falls apart and they’re taken advantage of by dishonest contractors. While it’s considered one of Hanks’ weaker films and it pales in comparison to its inspiration, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, it’s still a charmer with engaging (and acrobatic) performances from the two leads.
Director Nicole Holofcener is a master of the dramedy, and Friends with Money (2006) is no exception. Jennifer Aniston stars as Olivia, a teacher-turned-maid searching for answers. Complicating her life are her three closest friends (Frances McDormand, Catherine Keener and Joan Cusack), all of whom have money but have problems of their own – which doesn’t stop them from reminding Olivia of her tenuous financial situation. Insightful and occasionally uncomfortable, the film is a reflection on how money affects relationships with those closest to us.
Finally, there’s a new black comedy (perhaps the blackest of black comedies, based on the trailer) that I’m anxious to see called Cheap Thrills (2014). Pat Healy stars as Craig, a struggling husband and father who lost his job and is about to be evicted. He finds himself at a bar where an obnoxiously wealthy couple (David Koechner and Sara Paxton) offer him ever greater sums of money for ever greater stunts and dares. Not for the squeamish.
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