Easy Money Review

• 21st Jun 2011

Easy Money is a strange Gainsborough produced portmanteau film about the possible dark side of gambling. The opening monologue of the film explains that the UK was in the grip of gambling fever in the late 40’s with the advent of the football pools and the popularity of greyhound racing. The big moral question of the day became is Mrs Jenkins putting two bob down on a dog a bit of harmless fun or a gateway to hell? Or at least something like that. Thankfully Gainsborough is here to help out those confused about this via this satirical comedy.

Containing four different stories the narrative goes from moral comedy to some rather darker and more bizarre stuff, especially in the second story. The first story deals with a family who begin to fall apart once they discover their big win. The daughter reveals that she forgot to post the coupon forcing them to confront the reality of the stupid decision they had made since hearing the news. Luckily the daughter was incorrect and they are in fact rich but have learned their lesson.

The fourth part is another silly comedy with an orchestra member getting rich then buying out the theatre and forcing the conductor he hated to put his double bass section at the front of the stage. The third story has a little more bite in the shape of a straight up story of a pair of sleaze-balls attempting to swindle the pools company. The delightful Dennis Price lights up the story playing his usual well to do scum-bag character that he would later use to great effect in Kind Hearts and Coronets.

Finally there is the rather insane second story which features an elderly couple who finally have the luck of winning. The husband is told by the wife to finish working at his office and hand in his notice. He actually finds this very difficult as he feels intimidated by his superiors and doesn’t want to confront them. Ultimately he decides to pretend to have a heart attack and have a friend arrive as a fake doctor. Not surprisingly the stress of the situation actually causes a real heart attack and we leave the story assuming he’s actually dead. What on earth we are supposed to gleam from this story is somewhat beyond me; other than if you win big money leave your job immediately.

Easy Money is a ponderous affair indeed but as I don’t gamble the moral and satirical points are somewhat lost on me. The interesting aspect for me is the portmanteau narrative that would later be used in British horror to amazing affect. Studios such as Hammer and Amicus used this narrative device better and more effectively than anyone had previously or has since managed.

Easy Money should be seen only for the epic-ness of Dennis Price who once again is magnetic as the good sort of chap that is actually a near serial killer. The rest of it is mostly forgettable on the whole and held little interest for myself. Perhaps the meaning of the film can be found when you consider such characters as lottery millionaire Michael Carroll (the self styled king of chavs) you realize that Gainsborough where years ahead on this one.

Aled Jones