Milk Money (film)

Milk Money
Promotional poster
Directed by	Richard Benjamin
Produced by	Kathleen Kennedy Frank Marshall Michael Finnell
Written by	John Mattson
Starring	Melanie Griffith Ed Harris Malcolm McDowell Anne Heche
Music by	Michael Convertino
Cinematography	David Watkin
Studio	The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	August 31, 1994
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Box office	$18,137,661 (USA)

Milk Money is a 1994 romantic comedy film about three suburban 11-year-old boys who find themselves behind in "the battle of the sexes," believing they would regain the upper hand if they could just see a real, live naked lady. The movie stars Melanie Griffith and Ed Harris.

The film was shot in Pennsylvania, Cincinnati and Lebanon. The story is set in a fictitious suburb named "Middleton," outside an unnamed city. The city Middletown exists as a suburb of Cincinnati. The screenplay sold to Paramount Pictures in 1992 for 1.1 million dollars, then a record for a romantic comedy spec script.^[1]

Future Boston Red Sox All Star first and third baseman Kevin Youkilis appears in the film as a 14-year-old extra, and even has a line in the film.^[2]

Plot

The boys — Brad, Frank and Kevin — go from their bedroom suburb of Middletown to the city, with money (all coins, about $100.00) with hopes to see a naked woman. They find a bemused hooker named "Vee" that accepts showing her breasts for the amount. However when they head back home, their bikes have been stolen. They're now broke, and stuck in the city.

Back in her apartment Vee speaks with a male friend Cash and fellow hooker Betty. Bag-man Cash has been skimming money that he sends to his mob boss Waltzer who in turn steals from his own boss, Jerry. After the conversation Cash leaves the apartment and Vee notices the boys across the street cowering from the rain and takes Cash's car to give them a ride home.

After arriving at Frank's house the car breaks down. With no other option, Vee accepts his offer to stay in his tree house. Tom, his father, is a little surprised to find her there, but offers to repair her car in a few days when he is more free from his science classes at school. Frank tells Tom that she is a math tutor and that she's giving lessons to his friend Brad. He doesn't realize she is staying in the tree house. Frank does his best to accommodate her and begins to romanticize her, hoping to get widowed Tom to become attracted to her. In conversations with her, he tells her Tom is accepting of her 'job', meaning the false tutoring cover-up, but she thinks he means her prostitution. This innocent deception leads to several misconceptions by both Tom and Vee.

Vee learns through the TV that Cash has been murdered by his mob boss Waltzer, and phones Betty only to discover that Waltzer is now looking for her - Cash told him that she stole the money from him. She realizes that he is overhearing the conversation and hangs up. With the car still broken down, she gets Tom's old bike from the garage and rushes to find him so that he can repair it. He is on a field trip to the town's wetlands, a piece of undeveloped natural land that he is attempting to save from development. He is unable to repair the car any sooner but Vee realizes that she is probably safer there in Middletown, since Waltzer doesn't know where she is.

Meanwhile at school, Frank flunks a biology test about sex education, and must give the class an oral presentation. He decides to use Vee as a mannequin, and through a ruse manages to distract his teacher long enough to draw a relatively accurate female reproductive system on her skin-colored suit. This leads to much comic gossip among the adults, and soon enough, Tom and Vee find out the truth about her vocation. Tom is angry, confused, and hurt and turns to a box of memorabilia that was his wife's before she died.

As both go through the things inside the box they start to heal their relationship and Vee reveals that her real name is Eve, it was too biblical for her conscience so she simply removed the “e”’s. Meanwhile, Kevin's father learns the truth about her as well, and in an attempt to purchase her 'services', unwittingly calls her phone number. Waltzer learns from Betty about the trip to Middletown, thus finding out where Vee is in hiding.

Tom and Vee begin a relationship, attending a school dance and enjoying a night on the town. Waltzer shows up to spoil their fun, and a chase scene ensues, with him finally being eliminated. Anxious about her status, and afraid to return to her old job, Vee goes to his boss and relates how he has been cheating him, and asks to be 'forgotten' by them - the older crime boss succumbs to her charms and tells her he'll take care of things, and she doesn't need to be afraid any more.

Tom and Vee find the stolen money in Cash's car, (packed in the muffler, it was the reason for the breakdown), use it to save the wetlands, and everybody lives happily ever after.

Main cast

Actor	Role
Melanie Griffith	Vee
Ed Harris	Tom Wheeler
Michael Patrick Carter	Frank Wheeler
Malcolm McDowell	Waltzer
Anne Heche	Betty
Philip Bosco	Jerry the Pope
Casey Siemaszko	Cash
Brian Christopher	Kevin Clean
Adam LaVorgna	Brad
Margaret Nagle	Mrs. Fetch
Kevin Scannell	Mr. Clean
Katie Powell	Mrs. Clean

Reception

Siskel & Ebert gave Milk Money a "thumbs down" and speculated that the film may have been made by Hollywood executives with an affinity for hookers and their desire to make films about them, for lack of knowing women in any other profession.^[3] In writing, Roger Ebert opted not for a conventional negative review, but to portray the film as the result of a fictional conversation between a couple of studio executives.^[4]

Release

Milk Money was released on DVD on September 9, 2003. The film was presented in anamorphic widescreen in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

• Features:
  • Features Not Specified

• Video:
  • Widescreen 1.85:1 Color (Anamorphic)

• Subtitles:
  • English

• Audio:
  • ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC]
  • ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Surround [CC]

References

1. ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=657546
2. ^ McDonald, Joe (2009-01-17). "Youkilis’ deal epitomizes Red Sox’ philosophy of nurturing homegrown talent". Providence Journal. http://www.projo.com/redsox/content/sp_bb_boston_redsox17_01-17-09_V3D0E61_v17.3f1147f.html. Retrieved 6/2/09. 
3. ^ Siskel & Ebert's 1994 Milk Money Review
4. ^ Roger Ebert Milk Money review

External links

• Milk Money at the Internet Movie Database
• Milk Money at Rotten Tomatoes