Brewster's Millions    

BY CHRISTOPHER NULL / November 25, 1985

Montgomery Brewster's billionaire great-grandfather has died and left him $300 million.  But there's a catch:  to qualify for the $300 million, Monty has to spend the first $30 million in thirty days--and have absolutely no assets to show at the end of the month.  It seems the old man wants to teach Monty a lesson about wealth, and cause him to grow so thoroughly sick of money that he'll never be tempted by excess again.  To make things even more complicated, as a condition of the will, Monty can't just give the money away, and he can't tell anyone why he's squandering his inheritance or he'll lose the remainder.

Brewster's predicament is an excellent illustration of the economic concept of opportunity costs, and the idea that there's no such thing as a free lunch.  Monty's decision to give up a sure thing and risk losing it all against the possibility of a greater gain in the future is an apt metaphor for every capitalist entrepreneur.

Brewster's choices even affect those around him:  while his best friend, Spike Nolan, remains faithful and supportive, the money brings out the worst in other friends and relatives, particularly the bankers in charge of the will.  Accountant Angela Drake also proves to be an exception to the rule; she is unimpressed with Brewster's money and outraged by the sudden change of personality in her yuppie boyfriend when Monty hires him at an outrageous fee to redecorate his hotel suite.

As for Brewster himself, the money just makes him hysterical.  A relief pitcher for a minor-league team, Monty's one real passion is baseball. He and Spike are veterans of the Hackensack Bulls, a third-rate team with a railroad track running through its outfield, and one of the ways Brewster contrives to spend money is to realize his lifelong dream of playing the New York Yankees.