The Million Dollar Duck
Encyclopedia
The Million Dollar Duck (also titled as The $1,000,000 Duck) is a 1971 Disney comedy film
that was directed by Vincent McEveety
, and stars Dean Jones
, Sandy Duncan
and Joe Flynn
.
) who struggles to pay the bills. His wife, Katie (Sandy Duncan
) gets a recipe for applesauce
wrong and gives it to her husband to take to work for lunch, hoping it will help cut down on the budget. In a humorous chain reaction
, the duck Albert is testing steals the applesauce after Albert has thrown it away in the trash, and then wanders into a radiation lab and becomes irradiated
. Albert is ordered to get rid of the duck, so he figures he can give it to his son, Jimmy (Lee Montgomery
) who has been wanting a pet, only to discover it now lays golden eggs
.
In a Pavlovian manner, the duck, named "Charlie" (despite being female), lays an egg when prompted by the barking of a dog. At first, the only ones who know of Charlie's golden yolks are Albert, Katie, Jimmy and Albert's friend, Fred, but as they sell the yolks of gold, they gain the attention of a suspicious neighbor, a government bureaucrat
named Mr. Hooper (Joe Flynn
), who starts spying on them (with typical Disney slapstick results such as falling off a tree branch when) his wife gets angry, and ultimately convinces his boss, Rutledge (James Gregory
), to get the duck after worldwide phone calls spread the rumor and Rutledge gets a phone call from President Richard Nixon
to "get that duck!". Albert is overcome by greed and no longer cares for his son, which saddens Jimmy. The FBI soon arrives at the house and orders them to turn over the duck. Jimmy, watching from upstairs, climbs out the window with Charlie, and then rides off with a couple of teenage boys and their hot rod
as the FBI try to capture the duck to prevent it from laying gold.
In the film's climax, Jimmy is suspended on a ladder between two parking garages, and Albert attempts to convince his son to grab his hand before the ladder falls. Jimmy tells his dad to "go away", believing he only wants to save Charlie, but when the ladder begins to break, he grows fearful and grabs his father's hand. They then leave the parking garage, but Albert is promptly arrested by the FBI. The film ends with the family in court, and the judge breaks an egg into a glass after Mr. Hooper barks at the duck to prompt the laying of the egg, which surprisingly turns out to be an ordinary egg yolk
, as a result of Mr. Hooper barking at it in the wrong tone. The judge dismisses the charges
on account of no proof of a duck laying golden eggs, and Albert tells the family the golden duck was nice while it lasted, but at least they can keep the duck for their pet, now realizing that his family is more important than wealth. The judge then advises Jimmy, "One word of caution, son. If it ever lays another gold egg, bury it, quick!" Albert then puts Jimmy on his shoulders and exits the courthouse into a crowd of cheering onlookers.
walked out on during his professional career, the other two being the 1980 horror film Maniac
and the 1996 comedy film Black Sheep.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
that was directed by Vincent McEveety
Vincent McEveety
Vincent Michael McEveety is an American director and producer.- Career :TelevisionVince McEveety has directed numerous Emmy Award winning television series, including The Untouchables, Gunsmoke, six Star Trek , Magnum, P.I., How the...
, and stars Dean Jones
Dean Jones (actor)
Dean Carroll Jones is an American actor. Jones is best known for his light-hearted leading roles in several Walt Disney movies between 1965 and 1977, most notably The Love Bug.-Early years:...
, Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor...
and Joe Flynn
Joe Flynn (US actor)
Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
.
Plot
The film centers on the family of a scientist named Albert Dooley (Dean JonesDean Jones (actor)
Dean Carroll Jones is an American actor. Jones is best known for his light-hearted leading roles in several Walt Disney movies between 1965 and 1977, most notably The Love Bug.-Early years:...
) who struggles to pay the bills. His wife, Katie (Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor...
) gets a recipe for applesauce
Applesauce
Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and a variety of spices . Fruit flavorings or sweeteners such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or sucralose are also commonly added...
wrong and gives it to her husband to take to work for lunch, hoping it will help cut down on the budget. In a humorous chain reaction
Chain reaction
A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events....
, the duck Albert is testing steals the applesauce after Albert has thrown it away in the trash, and then wanders into a radiation lab and becomes irradiated
Irradiation
Irradiation is the process by which an object is exposed to radiation. The exposure can originate from various sources, including natural sources. Most frequently the term refers to ionizing radiation, and to a level of radiation that will serve a specific purpose, rather than radiation exposure to...
. Albert is ordered to get rid of the duck, so he figures he can give it to his son, Jimmy (Lee Montgomery
Lee Montgomery
Lee Montgomery was a child actor in the 1970s, best known for his role as a lonely little boy who befriends a pack of killer rats in the film, Ben .-Hollywood:...
) who has been wanting a pet, only to discover it now lays golden eggs
The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
Killing The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs is among the best known of Aesop's Fables and use of the phrase has become idiomatic of an unprofitable action motivated by greed.-The story and its moral:...
.
In a Pavlovian manner, the duck, named "Charlie" (despite being female), lays an egg when prompted by the barking of a dog. At first, the only ones who know of Charlie's golden yolks are Albert, Katie, Jimmy and Albert's friend, Fred, but as they sell the yolks of gold, they gain the attention of a suspicious neighbor, a government bureaucrat
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
named Mr. Hooper (Joe Flynn
Joe Flynn (US actor)
Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
), who starts spying on them (with typical Disney slapstick results such as falling off a tree branch when) his wife gets angry, and ultimately convinces his boss, Rutledge (James Gregory
James Gregory (actor)
James Gregory was an American character actor noted for his deep, gravelly voice and playing brash roles such as McCarthy-like Senator John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate , the audacious General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and loudmouthed Inspector Luger in Barney Miller...
), to get the duck after worldwide phone calls spread the rumor and Rutledge gets a phone call from President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
to "get that duck!". Albert is overcome by greed and no longer cares for his son, which saddens Jimmy. The FBI soon arrives at the house and orders them to turn over the duck. Jimmy, watching from upstairs, climbs out the window with Charlie, and then rides off with a couple of teenage boys and their hot rod
Hot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
as the FBI try to capture the duck to prevent it from laying gold.
In the film's climax, Jimmy is suspended on a ladder between two parking garages, and Albert attempts to convince his son to grab his hand before the ladder falls. Jimmy tells his dad to "go away", believing he only wants to save Charlie, but when the ladder begins to break, he grows fearful and grabs his father's hand. They then leave the parking garage, but Albert is promptly arrested by the FBI. The film ends with the family in court, and the judge breaks an egg into a glass after Mr. Hooper barks at the duck to prompt the laying of the egg, which surprisingly turns out to be an ordinary egg yolk
Egg yolk
An egg yolk is a part of an egg which feeds the developing embryo. The egg yolk is suspended in the egg white by one or two spiral bands of tissue called the chalazae...
, as a result of Mr. Hooper barking at it in the wrong tone. The judge dismisses the charges
Acquittal
In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
on account of no proof of a duck laying golden eggs, and Albert tells the family the golden duck was nice while it lasted, but at least they can keep the duck for their pet, now realizing that his family is more important than wealth. The judge then advises Jimmy, "One word of caution, son. If it ever lays another gold egg, bury it, quick!" Albert then puts Jimmy on his shoulders and exits the courthouse into a crowd of cheering onlookers.
Reception
The Million Dollar Duck is famous for being one of three movies that film critic Gene SiskelGene Siskel
Eugene Kal "Gene" Siskel was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted the popular review show Siskel & Ebert At the Movies from 1975 until his death....
walked out on during his professional career, the other two being the 1980 horror film Maniac
Maniac (1980 film)
Maniac is a 1980 American slasher film , about a disturbed and traumatized serial killer who scalps his victims. It was directed by William Lustig and written by Joe Spinell and C. A. Rosenberg...
and the 1996 comedy film Black Sheep.