MovieChat Forums > Charade (1963) Discussion > 250k

250k

posted 13 years ago by willcwhite
15 replies | jump to latest

Doesn't a quarter of a million dollars, split either three, four, or five ways seem like a measly sum to go to all this trouble over? Even by 1963 standards -- or by 1944 standards, for that matter...

[–] Locomotiva1 13 years ago

well, during the war a complete DC-3/C-47 costed "in a range of $ 82.000 to 110.000" according to google - so, a quarter of a million divided wasn't <i>that</i> bad.
And no taxes on it.

In 1962, cars costs between 1.500 and 5000 (a jaguar)http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/60scars.html
So division in three or four can change dramatically, but evet 62.000$ could be quite useful. Of course 75.000$ would be better.

Add that this was the 'hidden treasure' the bad boys dreamed for years, so it was not just value of money.
There are expectations, frustations, revenge, a lot of 'personal issues' in that money, too.

[–] HoneyBakedHam 13 years ago

Add to that people wanting the whole loot, or at least trying to split it 2 ways. There is motivation enough right there heh.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] joegerardi-1 13 years ago

According to The Inflation Calculator, 250K in 1963 dollars is now $1760772.73.

1.7 million is nothing to sneeze at.

..Joe

[–] Razzbar 12 years ago

That figure seems low to me. It depends a lot on what you spend the money on. Gold was less than $100 an oz, but you couldn't legally own gold bullion in the US at the time, I don't think these guys would have been too worried about that.

Figure at that time, a gallon of gas cost about a quarter. What is a million gallons of gasoline worth today?

OTOH, you couldn't buy much of a computer for that money.

[–] zaphod1957 12 years ago

The average cost of an American house was $12,700 in 1960 and was only $15,000 by the end of the decade. You couldn't even get a decent new car for that today, so a quarter of a million would have been quite a chunk of change to live on. Equivalent to almost 20 houses.

Also the average U.S. income in 1960 for males was just above $4,000. So even if you split the money 4 ways (almost $63,000) you would get almost 20 years worth of income out of it.

[–] doug7347 12 years ago

You meant to ask, isn't it terrible what our government has done to our money, which used to be worth a lot more.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] guy_in_west_houston 11 years ago

And Matthau (as Bertholemew) said the "government" wants the money back. That would pay off less than six seconds of today's debt - thanks Obama.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] megArnold 10 years ago

You surely mean "thanks Reagan, Bush sr., Clinton, Bush jr., AND Obama"?

Research your facts. This isn't FOX News...

--
No, Schmuck! You are only entitled to your INFORMED opinion!!
-- Harlan Ellison

[–] Phillip Marlowe 10 years ago

And Matthau (as Bertholemew) said the "government" wants the money back. That would pay off less than six seconds of today's debt - thanks Obama.

You do realize that Clinton left the US in surplus--a surplus that was promptly squandered by Bush in tax cuts to the wealthy and costs of a useless war. The deficit run up by Bush has been more than cut in half under Obama. Oh wait, why am I bothering. You're undoubtedly a Republican so facts are in contradiction of your religious beliefs and you are undoubtedly working on a law to protect your religious right to be misinformed as I write.

[–] MrDeltoid77 10 years ago

You might want to read this... just to be fair and balanced

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-clinton-myth-surplus.html

[–] information_police 9 years ago

It's roughly equivalent to $2 million today.
But remember, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was all over $100,000.

"Smokey, this is not 'Nam, this is bowling. There are rules. "
-Walter Sobchak

[–] movieghoul 9 years ago

At the time, the top prize in the Irish Sweepstakes was about $140,000 which most people assumed they'd never have to work again if they won.