The Wheeler Dealers (1963)
Based in Midland, Texas, Henry Tyroon, with a highly analytical mind, is a wealthy and knowledgeable proverbial wheeler dealer who over the past several years has focused on oil speculation. He likes to play up that good ol' boy Texas stereotype arguably to take advantage of potential business associates underestimating him, although three of those true elderly Texas good ol' boys, Ray J., Jay R., and J.R., will do whatever to buy into whatever Henry's latest venture in knowing his winning streak. When Henry's latest oil wells come up dry, he is forced to head to the financial center of New York City to raise $1.2 million in capital from possible investors, investments and other financial deals. Knowing that he can only raise part of that money from his regular investors, he heads to the brokerage firm of Bear, Osgood and Whitby to look into a partnership concerning tax shelters. Uninterested in such, partner Bullard Bear instead assigns his only female security analyst Molly Thatcher to be Henry's broker, she one of the few female analysts working on Wall Street and who Bear has also assigned to head one of their long held and forgotten securities, Universal Widget. In reality unknown to Molly, Bear and Whitby have assigned her this file in knowing that Universal Widget is a proverbial dog in it long not having manufactured anything let alone useless widgets despite the company still being incorporated in Massachusetts. They need to fire one analyst, and despite she more competent than most of her male counterparts, Bear wants an excuse to fire her as the token woman whose firing would minimize internal talk. Bear even hopes that Molly may be able to unload their investment in the company to unwitting Henry. But Henry being Henry, he finds a way to make money off the endeavor when he and Molly discover the reason why Universal Widget is still incorporated despite not actively doing anything besides existing. This move by Henry and by association Molly only complicates matters, especially as they slowly move their relationship from purely professional to personal, something Henry had wanted upon first setting eyes on her, the reason he went along with Bear's proposal despite knowing full well its general uselessness to him professionally.
He really wasn't out to make $1,000,000. He already had that!
Henry Tyroon: You don't go wheelin' 'n' dealin' for money. You do it for fun. Money's just the way you keep score.
TWA Terminal, JFK International Airport, Jamaica, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
(Henry arrives in New York City)
Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
(establishing exteriors)
44 Wall Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
(exterior establishing shot at corner with William St.)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
(Studio)
40 Foley Square, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
(establishing shot of the federal courthouse)
The car Henry and Molly drive back in from Massachusetts is a 1963 Imperial Crown convertible built by Chrysler Corporation. Only 531 were made that model year. Base price was about $6,000 in 1963 (about $60,650 in 2024). An example in excellent condition in 2024 could be worth $150,000 or more.
The building shown as the "Cotton Mather Inn" is actually on MGM's lot, known as the "Girl's School", probably because it served that purpose for the films Forty Little Mothers (1940) and Three Daring Daughters (1948). The structure was notably used in Tea and Sympathy (1956) and The Cobweb (1955), where it was a psychiatric clinic.
Film debut of Alan Sues.
Final film of Selmer Jackson.
Released on November 14, 1963, by MGM. It was the last movie released by a major studio before the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
Continuity
When Henry and Molly are driving back from Massachusetts, they pass the same scenery over and over again, that scenery stock rear projection.
Factual errors
The car Henry and Molly take to Massachusetts is shown with not one, but two radio telephones. However, the car does not have any large external antennas, which would have been required at the time - well before cellular and satellite phones. Also note that the review mirror and sun visors that would be normally attached to the windshield frame have been removed.
Revealing mistakes
When the Texas oilmen find out that Henry is in New York, they tell the pilot to head to New York. The plane turns and banks and the flag in the plane leans to the right (pointing towards the ground. BUT the flag should have continued to hang straight down toward the floor as centrifugal force would fling the flag outward instead of downward.
Crew or equipment visible
(at around 5 mins) When the old lady, who steals the cab from Henry, closes the door, a cameraman, camera, tripod, and microphone are all reflected clearly.