Million Dollar Mystery: Blu-Ray Review

Richard Fleischer directed some very influential films throughout his career. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Fantastic Voyage, and Soylent Green are just a few of them. Sadly, his final feature film would be the painfully unfunny, Million Dollar Mystery. The only reason I remembered the 1987 film is because of the marketing gimmick that was used to promote it. You see, Glad garbage bags sponsored a sweepstakes in which people had to guess where the last million dollars was hidden, based on clues from the film. The opening credits are pretty much a poorly executed Glad bag advertisement. Needless-to-say, Million Dollar Mystery was a critical and financial flop.

There isn’t much to the narrative, a group of strangers taking a break at a diner, are informed by a dying man that he has hidden a million at four different locations in a bridge. Instead of calling the police or paramedics, they all decide to seek out the money, which happens to be stolen. There is not a single intelligently written character here and not a single laugh to be had either. At least a film like Mac & Me, which is essentially McDonald’s E.T. rip off had some unintentionally hilarious moments. Million Dollar Mystery does not. Ironically, the film couldn’t even pull in a million dollars at the box office.

Now, as much as I despise Million Dollar Mystery, I know it has its’ fans. If you are one of them, this the films first ever Blu-ray release.

Blu-ray Extras:

• NEW Audio Commentary by Entertainment Journalist and Author Bryan Reesman
• Theatrical Trailer
• Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
• Optional English Subtitles

By: Marc Ferman