Scott LeBrun "Who's Minding the Mint?" is a hysterical comedy-"heist" movie in the classic tradition, as U.S. Mint worker Harry Lucas (Jim Hutton) accidentally destroys $50,000, and endeavours to sneak back into the place and reprint the money so the books will balance. Things start to snowball when he gets his old friend "Pop" (a delightful Walter Brennan) to help out, and more and more individuals get involved in the complicated scheme. Naturally, they want to get something out of this, so the amount of bills to be printed escalates in number.... Harry also gets the co-worker (Dorothy Provine) who is sweet on him to do the job of cutting the bills.Sadly neglected at the time of its release, "Who's Minding the Mint?" is quite an engaging comedy over 50 years later, benefitting a lot from the efforts of a large cast: Milton Berle, Joey Bishop, Bob Denver, Jamie Farr, David J. Stewart, Jackie Joseph, Mickey Deems, etc. Hutton is wonderful as he mostly does "straight" acting, reacting with increasing weariness to the avarice and bungling of his compatriots. But the ones who tend to steal the show are Jack Gilford as the veteran safe cracker who happens to be hard-of-hearing, and a hilarious Victor Buono as the pompous ex-skipper who's drafted to build the participants a boat. (They need a boat, of course, to navigate the sewers.) There are some truly priceless farcical moments, all brought breathlessly to life by these fine performers and the director, Howard Morris, himself a comic character actor whom you may recognize from his work with Mel Brooks.It's gratifying to see that the movie does have its admirers, which has presented it from being totally forgotten. It's extremely well paced, pushes some buttons in an endearing manner (Pop actually brings along his female pet beagle, who's about to give birth), and leads to a classic manic finale.We root for our unlikely heroes all the way, even though we expect, and chortle at, those moments when it seems that everything is going to go up in smoke.Paul Winfield has an uncredited bit near the end as a garbage man.Eight out of 10.

wes-connors Enterprising United States Mint worker Jim Hutton (as Harry Lucas) accidentally shreds $50,000 of freshly minted cash down his sink's garbage disposal, thinking it's the awful homemade fudge given to him by pretty co-worker Dorothy Provine (as Verna Baxter). Big oops! With restless and retired Walter Brennan (as "Pop" Gillis) itching to print money again, Mr. Hutton decides to sneak into the U.S. Mint, and round up $50,000 to replace the missing money… They enlist help from deaf safe-cracker Jack Gifford (as Avery Dugan), pawn shop owner Milton Berle (as Luther Burton), gambling sewer worker Joey Bishop (as Ralph Randazzo), portly boatman Victor Buono (as "The Captain"), and ice cream truck salesman Bob Denver (as Willie Owens). Mr. Denver is fresh off "Gilligan's Island". An expert at cutting sheets of bills, Ms. Provine agrees to help Hutton, who is the man she loves. Things get greedy and out-of-hand... On the night of the heist, talky Mr. Bishop arrives with his non-English speaking cousin Jamie Farr (as Mario), a long way from "M*A*S*H" and needing a job; and, Mr. Brennan must take along his expectant dog "Inky", who is about to deliver her pups. Director Howard Morris gives the comedy some good suspense, and lets his comedians peddle their wares. It's a slow-starter, but builds nicely. Yet, nothing approaches the comedy crescendo anticipated. ****** Who's Minding the Mint? (9/26/67) Howard Morris ~ Jim Hutton, Dorothy Provine, Walter Brennan, Milton Berle

bkoganbing Who's Minding The Mint as a film proves that while money may not grow on trees, access to the presses can give you an unlimited supply. Director Howard Morris assembled a really bright group of scene stealing players that pretty much overwhelm the leads of Jim Hutton and Dorothy Provine.Hutton and Provine work at the US Mint in Washington, DC which with its many national monuments provides an interesting backdrop for the caper that unfolds. Some fudge that Provine brought to work gets spilled on $50,000.00 of new bills. That's a loss Hutton is going to find hard to make up on his salary. What to do?When Walter Brennan a former printer at the Mint asks Hutton to intercede on his behalf to get his job back, Hutton hits on the brilliant idea to break in the Mint after hours and print up the loss. But the task proves daunting and Hutton has to put more and more members on his team and of course after the first $50,000.00 they can print some additionals for their own use. This is not a team you can keep up with in scene stealing. The rest of the members of the gang consist of Milton Berle, Victor Buono, Bob Denver, Joey Bishop, Jamie Farr, and Jack Gilford. What chance did Hutton and Provine have against this whole group and Walter Brennan although they do get some innings in with the comedy.There is one constant sight gag throughout the caper. Due to some security changes the gang has the caper moved up a day as Hutton tells his team they have to drop all plans and work that night. They all show up in these ridiculous costumes with Denver in his ice cream man uniform, Buono decked out like the captain of the HMS Pinafore, Berle as George Washington, and Joey Bishop as a Boy Scout troop leader. And the idea was to be inconspicuous.It's all bright and amusing and if you want to know what the ending is, let's just say there's a possibility it might work out all around.

Ephraim Gadsby A fast-paced heist comedy, so innocent that nothing is even "stolen". When Jim Hutton, harrassed employee of the Bureau of Engraving, already on the outs with his boss, inadvertently takes 50,000 dollars and shreds them in his garbage disposal, he breaks back in to reprint the money. However, one thing leads to another and he eventually ends up with a gang of misfits, each of whom needs something and jumps at the opportunity to print their own money. Jack Gilford and Victor Buono grab their roles by the throat and they provide a great balance, each singlehandedly preventing the other from stealing the movie altogether out from under the others' noses. Everyone does a good job. The script is solid and plot-driven. Some of the laughs are diluted by appearing in so many other places in movies or tv in the last three decades, but the movie still remains fresh and funny, and makes a good diversion for a dull afternoon. It's too bad movies like this aren't made any more.