The Million Pound Note

This is one hilariously funny movie! It opened with two English wealthy brothers making a bet. One bet that a person could live on a million pound note without spending anything. The other brother disagreed. So the two brothers soon found an American with a zero bank account who got into England by accident to put this bet into practice. As soon as they had given the million pound note to this unwitting American, who was named Henry Adams, they went abroad. They planned to return a month later. And then, they would decide on the winner.

And so Henry Adam's life was completely changed. Every time, he whipped out the million pound note, people literally fell at his feet. They were so eager to please, and let him have anything he wanted without accepting payment that soon Henry was living a luxurious lifestyle where he didn't have to pay for anything.

However, he had more trouble than it was worth as well. Henry used the note's reputation to speculate on the stock market. Then, a rumor, initiated by a jealous Englishman who had never forgiven Henry for taking away his suite, began to spread that Henry didn't actually pocess the million pound note after all. When his creditors demanded that he produce the note as an act of faith, Henry is unable to do so, because the jealous Englishman had employed a maid to hide it. But after all the turmoil, the Englishman was tired of all that, and confessed to hiding it. So, in the end, when the two wealthy brothers returned, the million pound note was still unspent.

Characteristics

Well, I have to say, it is really hard trying to find the American characteristics here. I mean, the movie took place in England, didn't it? The only American I saw was the main character, Henry Adams. But then Industrial revolution began in England (in the middle of the 18th century), didn't it? So any way, here are some things I noticed.

Gold Mining was definitely one of the new inventions of the industry. People were investing in them with a great deal of enthusiasm.

Social status was everthing. Let's take Henry Adams. At first glance, people thought he was a nobody, dressed in rags and all. They sniffed down their noses and acted as though they couldn't wait for him to get out of their sight. But then as soon as he flashed the million pound note under their noses, their attitudes changed faster than blinking. They did everthing short of literally licking his boots. See, Henry, once assumed a millionaire, got the chance to live in a extravagant suite without any charge.

One million pounds was regarded as a huge sum of money at that period of time. About as much value as $ 100 million in these days. Anyone who pocessed one million pounds was treated as though he were a king.

Artifacts

Things I noticed in this movie that could identify the industrial age were: gold mines, sewing machines, weird-looking telephones, and engines.

Result

So how did everyday life change because of industrial revolution? Well obviously, machine replaced labor. During this revoultion, we begin to see factories, and machinery, plants, and gold mines. While things were getting advanced, we could look at it as a good sign. But also, it was the starting point of all the problems nowadays. Consider air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution. These are all results of those new inventions in the Industrial age.