Who’s Minding the Mint?

Harry Lucas works at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C. He avoids Verna Baxter's advances because he's not ready for anything serious. This double life explains why he isn't ready for romance and why he hides a taste for luxury.

He relies on free trials that let him live beyond his means, occupying luxury apartments and riding in chauffeured cars. This double existence keeps him emotionally distant and fuels the need to maintain appearances.

After dropping $50,000 in new currency into Verna's fudge, he leaves the mint with the bag and dumps the entire contents into his garbage disposal, destroying the money. Realizing his mistake, he fears Samson Link and an audit could come at any moment.

Desperate, Harry turns to Pop, a retired mint employee who now has little to live for. Pop agrees to help him sneak into the mint after hours and print replacement currency.

One by one, Harry offers partnerships to a safecracker named Dugan, Luther the pawnbroker, Ralph the public works employee who can navigate the sewer, an amusement park boat captain who can build a craft to fit down a manhole, and Willie the ice-cream truck driver who can distract a street lookout. The plan begins to take shape as each man joins with his own motives.

Pop reminds Harry that a professional cutter is needed to cut the printed sheets. Harry then asks Verna to help, and she agrees to participate in the scheme.

During rehearsals, the conspirators accept $2,000 apiece, but as rehearsals proceed they demand a million dollars apiece. They insist that Harry and Pop print them a vastly larger payoff before they proceed.

An unexpected change at the Mint forces the caper to move up and begin sooner than planned. The team must drop everything and improvise in the rush.

Despite the haste, things go wrong: Ralph brings along his Italian cousin Mario, and Inky the beagle goes into labor. The mishaps threaten to derail the entire plan.

Verna learns that far more than $50,000 is being printed. The size and stakes of the scheme become clear, raising the level of risk for everyone involved.

They manage to leave with over seven million dollars, but Mario mistakes the uniformed workers for police and allows the boxes to be hauled away onto a barge bound for the ocean. The heist is in jeopardy as the money heads toward a watery fate.

Pop arrives on the mint steps with $50,000 in extra bills that were printed to line the box Inky gave birth in. The extra notes allow Harry to replace the missing currency, and he gains a new appreciation for Verna.

In the aftermath, the rest of the gang, including Inky, are seen searching for the lost currency with scuba diving equipment. The adventure ends with the money still elusive and the crew chasing it through the waterways.