Easy Money – 1948 | 94 mins | Comedy, Drama | B&W

Plot Synopsis

Half-hearted moralistic portmanteau comedy-drama directed by Bernard Knowles and written by the then Gainsborough husband-and-wife team of Sydney and Muriel Box. In the era of post-war austerity, the film chronicles the fortunes of four very different football pools winners as they enjoy the luxuries afforded them by their new-found wealth.

There has been a jackpot on the football pools and the suburban Stafford family believe their daughter has forgotten to post their coupon – but it was the previous week’s coupon and they have won £12,000 from Imperial Pools! Henpecked clerk Herbert Atkins (Mervyn Johns) is also a winner but doesn’t wish any publicity despite his wife Agnes insistence to the contrary – but a tragic twist of fate intervenes. Soho nightclub singer Pat Parsons (Greta Gynt) seduces a pools checker (Dennis Price) into entering a fraudulent coupon but an investigator (Bill Owen) uncovers the truth. Double-bass player Teddy Ball (Edward Rigby) buys up his orchestra and maddens the conductor he hates by placing the double-basses in front of the violins.