It Could Happen to You

It Could Happen to You is a sweet and warm-hearted comedy about the police officer Charlie, who wins $4 million in New York's big official lottery. To his wife's loud indignation he gives half the money to the waitress Yvonne, for the day before the draw he promised to share the winnings with her because he was unable to give her a tip. What should have been happiness for Charlie and Muriel became the beginning of a divorce, for while Charlie is content to be a cop, Muriel has plans to climb to the top of the social ladder. They drift apart, but Charlie and Yvonne find each other instead when Muriel throws Charlie out on the street. Muriel immediately exploits the affair to drag her husband and Yvonne to court, demanding all four million. She wins at first, but the good and the bad do get their just deserts.

It Could Happen to You is somewhat reminiscent of a fairy tale in style, not least in the sharp division between the good and the bad. Whereas the bad are amusing caricatures, the goodness of the good is a little too sickly and utterly unconvincing.