Million Dollar Mystery (1987) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Sidney Preston was a disgruntled White House aide who decided to take the money for himself. While the exact reason for his discontent isn't fully detailed in the film, his decision to steal $4 million appears to be driven by personal grievance and a desire for a dramatic escape from his government job.

• sidney preston
• white house aide
• money theft
• motive
• disgruntled employee

Sidney Preston suffered a fatal heart attack while at the roadside diner in Arizona. He died shortly after asking the waitress Dotty for a kiss, with his final act being to reveal the location of the first million dollars before passing away.

• sidney preston
• death
• heart attack
• diner
• dotty

Before dying, Sidney Preston whispered that the first million was hidden in "the city of the bridge." This cryptic clue led the group of searchers to eventually discover the money was hidden inside the famous bridge in El Puente, Arizona.

• first million
• clue
• city of the bridge
• el puente
• treasure hunt

El Puente is a city in Arizona and is revealed to be Sidney Preston's birthplace. The news broadcast after his death confirms he was born in El Puente, which is why the clue "city of the bridge" pointed the searchers there, they found the bridge in this town.

• el puente
• arizona
• sidney preston
• birthplace
• bridge

The group successfully located the first million hidden inside El Puente's famous bridge. However, while attempting to retrieve it, the eccentric ranger Slaughter Buzzárd accidentally dislodged the money, causing it to slide down into a canyon below. The cash was lost before anyone could grab it, forcing the group to continue chasing the remaining clues.

• first million
• canyon
• slaughter buzzard
• lost money
• bridge

After following another clue, the searchers found the second million on Sidney Preston's houseboat. However, the money was destroyed when it was fed into Sidney's massive, table-sized paper shredder. The comedic disaster left them staring at a pile of confetti instead of cash.

• second million
• houseboat
• paper shredder
• destroyed
• money

The third million was discovered near a greedy aeronaut who appeared to be guarding it. As the group closed in on the money, it slipped from his hands and fell away, eluding capture. This loss marked the final straw that led the exhausted searchers to give up the chase.

• third million
• aeronaut
• lost money
• greedy
• final stash

After losing three million dollars, whether to the canyon, the paper shredder, or the greedy aeronaut, the exhausted and frustrated group decided to abandon the search. With each attempt resulting in either loss or destruction of the money, and only one million remaining unaccounted for, they felt the chase was no longer worth the effort.

• give up
• searchers
• treasure hunt
• abandoned
• frustrated

During the closing credits, character Bob breaks the fourth wall to address the audience directly. He reveals that one million dollars remains hidden somewhere in the United States and invites viewers to look for clues tucked inside specially marked Glad-Lock bags for a chance to win the prize, turning the film into a real-life scavenger hunt.

• glad-lock
• bag promotion
• contest
• fourth wall
• audience

Fred and Bob were the two clumsy government spies assigned to track down Sidney Preston and recover the stolen $4 million. Their pursuit adds a farcical element to the film, as their bumbling attempts to catch Sidney and later the treasure-hunting crowd often comically interfere with their own mission.

• fred
• bob
• spies
• government
• comedy