Twenty-five-year old Montgomery Brewster, after being orphaned at a young age, was taken under the wing of his elderly and extremely rich grandfather. So it’s not a total surprise to Monty that after receiving the news of his grandfather’s death, he finds himself richer to the tune of a million dollars. What is surprising, however, is a letter from attorneys Grant & Ripley with notification of a second and dramatically larger legacy, this time from an uncle he had completely forgotten about. Even more surprising is the condition attached: he’ll only receive this fortune if he can be absolutely penniless within the year.

Brewster’s Millions was George Barr McCutcheon’s second novel, but today it’s perhaps better known as the story behind many film and stage adaptions. The story of a rich young man vying for even greater riches is perhaps more aligned with the Gilded Age than the eras that followed, but the situations Monty finds himself in retain their inherent comedy.