You have to wonder just what kind of dirt was done to Robert Preston or maybe to Mark Twain in real life as Samuel Langhorne Clemens for him to set up such a joke as a test of human nature on the good citizens of Hadleyburg. Twain's thesis is that if one is never really tempted it's real easy to be virtuous and to be smug about it.
Preston sends 19 letters to different prominent citizens of Hadleyburg saying that their kindness to him plus a gift of $20.00 at a time he needed it with some advice turned his life around and in gratitude he was bestowing a sack containing $40,000.00 on some lucky citizen. Of course no one knows about the others and letters come to the Reverend Fred Gwynne as per instruction where he will open the bag and see if that piece of wisdom is written inside a note with the money.
Of course the lure of $40,000.00 in turn of the last century monetary value is too much, that would be maybe $200,000.00 today. Temptation brings out the worst in people, no need to go into details.
Nicely produced work of a beloved Mark Twain classic.
Preston sends 19 letters to different prominent citizens of Hadleyburg saying that their kindness to him plus a gift of $20.00 at a time he needed it with some advice turned his life around and in gratitude he was bestowing a sack containing $40,000.00 on some lucky citizen. Of course no one knows about the others and letters come to the Reverend Fred Gwynne as per instruction where he will open the bag and see if that piece of wisdom is written inside a note with the money.
Of course the lure of $40,000.00 in turn of the last century monetary value is too much, that would be maybe $200,000.00 today. Temptation brings out the worst in people, no need to go into details.
Nicely produced work of a beloved Mark Twain classic.