The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo" is a popular British music hall
song of the 19th century, written in 1892 by Fred Gilbert. Gilbert confirmed that his inspiration was the gambler and confidence trickster Charles Wells
, who won over a million francs at the Monte Carlo
casino, using the profits from previous fraud, although others, including Joseph Jagger
, have sometimes been suggested as the model. Wells died penniless in 1926.
The song was popularised by singer and comedian Charles Coborn
, and quickly became a staple of his act, performed on tour in different languages throughout the world. The song remained popular from the 1890s until the late 1940s, and is still referenced in popular culture today. Financier George Soros
was called "The Man Who Broke the Bank of England
" in 1992, following the infamous Black Wednesday
which saw Britain's exit from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.
Charles Coborn (then aged 82) performs the song in both English and French in the 1934 British film Say It With Flowers
.
The song title inspired the 1935 US romantic comedy The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
. Although the song appears in the film, the narrative bears little relation to either the song or to the story of Charles Wells.
The song appears in Booth Tarkington
's 1918 novel The Magnificent Ambersons
, as well as in Orson Welles
' 1942 film adaptation
. In the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia
, Lawrence sings the tune while riding across the desert to the camp of Prince Feisel.
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
song of the 19th century, written in 1892 by Fred Gilbert. Gilbert confirmed that his inspiration was the gambler and confidence trickster Charles Wells
Charles Wells (gambler)
Charles Deville Wells , gambler and confidence trickster, is one of the men who broke the bank at Monte Carlo, made famous by the song...
, who won over a million francs at the Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
casino, using the profits from previous fraud, although others, including Joseph Jagger
Joseph Jagger
Joseph Hobson Jagger was a British engineer, widely known as The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, though he is not the only person to have done so. His name is sometimes reported as Jaggers, but the International Genealogical Index indicates that Jagger is more likely...
, have sometimes been suggested as the model. Wells died penniless in 1926.
The song was popularised by singer and comedian Charles Coborn
Charles Coborn
Charles Coborn was a British music hall singer and comedian born in Stepney, east London.He was born Charles Whitton McCallum, and adopted his stage name from Coborn Road, near Mile End...
, and quickly became a staple of his act, performed on tour in different languages throughout the world. The song remained popular from the 1890s until the late 1940s, and is still referenced in popular culture today. Financier George Soros
George Soros
George Soros is a Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, philosopher, and philanthropist. He is the chairman of Soros Fund Management. Soros supports progressive-liberal causes...
was called "The Man Who Broke the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
" in 1992, following the infamous Black Wednesday
Black Wednesday
In politics and economics, Black Wednesday refers to the events of 16 September 1992 when the British Conservative government was forced to withdraw the pound sterling from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism after they were unable to keep it above its agreed lower limit...
which saw Britain's exit from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.
Charles Coborn (then aged 82) performs the song in both English and French in the 1934 British film Say It With Flowers
Say It With Flowers
Say It With Flowers is a 1934 British musical film directed by John Baxter and starring Mary Clare, Ben Field and George Carney. In London a group of shopkeepers hold a benefit concert in a local pub to raise money for a woman to visit the seaside for her health...
.
The song title inspired the 1935 US romantic comedy The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo is a 1935 American romantic comedy film made by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Stephen Roberts, and starred Ronald Colman, Joan Bennett, and Colin Clive. The screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson and Howard Smith, based on play by Ilya Surguchev...
. Although the song appears in the film, the narrative bears little relation to either the song or to the story of Charles Wells.
The song appears in Booth Tarkington
Booth Tarkington
Booth Tarkington was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novels The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams...
's 1918 novel The Magnificent Ambersons
The Magnificent Ambersons
The Magnificent Ambersons is a 1918 novel by Booth Tarkington which won the 1919 Pulitzer Prize for novel. It was the second novel in his Growth trilogy, which included The Turmoil and The Midlander . In 1925 the novel was first adapted for film under the title Pampered Youth...
, as well as in Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
' 1942 film adaptation
The Magnificent Ambersons (film)
The Magnificent Ambersons is a 1942 American drama film written and directed by Orson Welles. His second feature film, it is based on the 1918 novel of the same name by Booth Tarkington and stars Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt, Agnes Moorehead and Ray Collins...
. In the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia (film)
Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 British film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegel through his British company, Horizon Pictures, with the screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. The film stars Peter O'Toole in the title role. It is widely...
, Lawrence sings the tune while riding across the desert to the camp of Prince Feisel.
Lyrics
I've just got here, through Paris, from the sunny southern shore;
I to Monte Carlo went, just to raise my winter's rent.
Dame Fortune smiled upon me as she'd never done before,
And I've now such lots of money, I'm a gent.
Yes, I've now such lots of money, I'm a gent.
As I walk along the Bois BoolongBois de BoulogneThe Bois de Boulogne is a park located along the western edge of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt and Neuilly-sur-Seine...
With an independent air
You can hear the girls declare
"He must be a Millionaire."
You can hear them sigh and wish to die,
You can see them wink the other eye
At the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo.
I stay indoors till after lunch, and then my daily walk
To the great Triumphal Arch is one grand triumphal march,
Observed by each observer with the keenness of a hawk,
I'm a mass of money, linen, silk and starch -
I'm a mass of money, linen, silk and starch.
Chorus
I patronised the tables at the Monte Carlo hell
Till they hadn't got a sou for a Christian or a Jew;
So I quickly went to Paris for the charms of mad'moiselle,
Who's the loadstone of my heart - what can I do,
When with twenty tongues she swears that she'll be true?
Chorus