Million Dollar Mystery

Million Dollar Mystery

Industry	Film production
Founded	1987
Products	Motion picture

Million Dollar Mystery, also known under the title Money Mania, is a 1987 American motion picture produced in conjunction with a promotional campaign for Glad-Lock bags. This film marked the final directorial effort of Richard Fleischer and featured cinematography by Jack Cardiff.

The movie assembled a cast of rising comedic actors such as Eddie Deezen, Rick Overton, Rich Hall, Pam Matteson, Peter Pitofsky, Greg Travis, Mack Dryden, Jamie Alcroft, and Kevin Pollak. Its concept drew inspiration from Stanley Kramer's 1963 screwball comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Tragically, during filming, stuntman Dar Robinson lost his life while attempting a motorcycle stunt.

Plot

Sidney Preston, a disgruntled aide at the White House, absconds with $4 million of government money. While on the run, he stops at a diner in Arizona where he discloses the whereabouts of the first million dollars before succumbing to a fatal heart attack. Present at the diner are several parties: the Briggs Family; newlyweds Rollie and Lollie; amateur singer Crush accompanied by his dancers; cook Tugger and his sister Dotty; as well as government agents Fred and Bob.

After confirming Sidney’s claim through a news report revealing his birthplace as El Puente, Arizona, the group embarks on a treasure hunt. Their first discovery is the initial million beneath El Puente’s iconic bridge; however, it slips away into a canyon. Further efforts lead them to Sidney’s houseboat where the second million is accidentally shredded. The third stash eludes capture when an aeronaut loses hold of it. Eventually, the search is abandoned. During the closing credits, Bob addresses viewers to reveal that one million dollars remains concealed somewhere in the United States and urges audiences to follow clues found on specially marked Glad-Lock bags for an opportunity to win $1 million.

Production

Filming took place partially at Glen Canyon in Utah. On November 21, 1986, stuntman Dar Robinson died while executing what was considered a routine stunt.

Marketing contest

Producer Dino De Laurentiis developed Million Dollar Mystery after observing large crowds queuing for lottery tickets, inspiring a sweepstakes linked to the film. Sponsored by Glad Bags, this contest invited participants to guess the location of the hidden million dollars using clues provided within the movie. De Laurentiis targeted not only younger audiences aged 12 to 24 but also occasional moviegoers and consumers of Glad products.

Despite ambitious projections, the film failed to achieve commercial success. The contest winner was 14-year-old Alesia Lenae Jones from Bakersfield, California, who correctly identified that the money was concealed in the nose bridge of the Statue of Liberty. Although thousands submitted this answer, her entry was chosen at random.

Reception

Million Dollar Mystery did not perform well financially, earning $989,033 against its $10 million production budget. It received predominantly negative reviews from critics and holds a 0% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on six critiques.

Home media

In 1987, HBO Video released the film on both VHS and Laserdisc, excluding details about the contest. Later in 2007, Anchor Bay Entertainment issued it on DVD with the original theatrical ending reinstated. A subsequent DVD and Blu-ray edition was released by Kino Lorber in 2021.

Award Recognitions

Golden Raspberry Awards

• Nominee: Worst Original Song, Barry Mann & John Lewis Parker (1988)
• Nominee: Worst Supporting Actor, Tom Bosley (1988)
• Nominee: Worst Supporting Actor, Jamie Alcroft (1988)
• Nominee: Worst Supporting Actor, Mack Dryden (1988)