''Too Many Millions'' is a

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

1918 American silent

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

James Cruze James Cruze (born James Cruze Bosen; March 27, 1884 – August 3, 1942) was a silent film actor and film director. Early years Cruze's middle name came from the battle of Vera Cruz. He was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

and written by Gardner Hunting based upon the novel by Porter Emerson Browne. The film stars Wallace Reid,

Ora Carew Ora Carew (born Ora Whytock; April 19, 1891 – October 26, 1955), was an American silent film actress. She starred in several films between 1915 and 1925. She was known as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties. Early life Ora Whytock was born i ...

Tully Marshall Tully Marshall (born William Phillips; April 10, 1864 – March 10, 1943) was an American character actor. He had nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience before his debut film appearance in 1914 which led to a film career spanning alm ...

, Charles Ogle, James Neill, and

Winifred Greenwood Winifred Greenwood (January 1, 1885 – November 23, 1961) was an American silent film actress. Born in 1885 in Geneseo, New York, Greenwood studied to be a teacher but left New York Normal School to perform in vaudeville in the United St ...

. The film was released on December 8, 1918, by Paramount Pictures.

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, the Bass brothers (Beery and Williams) are unscrupulous misers while Artemus Wilkins (Marshall) is their confidential bookkeeper. The brothers are afraid that young Walsingham Van Doren (Reid), their nephew, will squander their ill-gotten gains, and on the day they propose to execute a will that will cut him off without a cent, they are both killed in an accident. Van Doren, who previously sold books door-to-door for a living, proceeds to have a good time with the $40 million left by his uncles. At an expensive New York hotel he takes a suite of rooms where he wines and dines to his hearts content, the only annoyance being having to sign for the foreclosing of mortgages that the faithful Wilkins brings. Finally Van Doren gives Wilkins a

power of attorney A power of attorney (POA) or letter of attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another's behalf in private affairs (which may be financial or regarding health and welfare), business, or some other legal matter. The person auth ...

to sign everything and the next thing he knows is that Wilkins has turned everything into cash and skipped town. He learns of his plight as Desiree Lane (Carew), whose home he has acquired as a result of foreclosing a mortgage, is demanding the return of securities belonging to her father. The two start in search of Wilkins. They are driven from a New England cottage one night by a fire and then decide to get married. They settle in the little town and are happy when Wilkins bursts in on them to return the stolen money. The film ends with an intertitle asking "Mr. Audience, what would you do?"

Cast

* Wallace Reid as Walsingham Van Doren *

as Desiree Lane *

as Artemus Wilkins * Charles Ogle as Garage Keeper * James Neill as Mr. Lane *

as Waitress *

Noah Beery, Sr. Noah Nicholas Beery (January 17, 1882 – April 1, 1946) was an American actor who appeared in films from 1913 until his death in 1946. He was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor Wallace Beery as well as the father of prominen ...

as R.A. Bass *

Percy G. Williams Percy Garnett Williams (May 4, 1857 – July 21, 1923) was an American actor who became a travelling medicine salesman, real estate investor, amusement park operator and vaudeville theater owner and manager. He ran the Greater New York Circuit ...

as B.A. Bass *

Ernest Pasque Ernest is a given name derived from Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious". Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People *Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor *Ernest, M ...

as Beverwyck *

Richard Wayne Dr. Richard Wayne (April 4, 1804 – June 27, 1858) served as mayor of Savannah, Georgia for four terms: 1844 - 1845, 1848–1851, 1852–1853 and 1857 - 1858. He died while in offic Wayne was the first mayor of Savannah elected by its citizen ...

as Second Friend

References

External links

* * *Browne, Porter Emerson (1917),
Someone and Somebody
', Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill and Company, on the Internet Archive 1918 films 1910s English-language films Silent American comedy films 1918 comedy films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by James Cruze American black-and-white films American silent feature films Lost American films 1918 lost films Lost comedy films 1910s American films English-language comedy films {{1910s-comedy-film-stub