The 2017 film All the Money in the World is directed by Ridley Scott and the screenplay is by David Scarpa. It stars Christopher Plummer as John Paul Getty Sr., Andrew Buchan as John Paul Getty Jr., Charlie Plummer as John Paul Getty III, Michelle Williams as Gail Harris, Romain Duris as Cinquanta and Fletcher Chase as Mark Wahlberg. The film is based on the real life kidnapping of John Paul Getty III in 1973.
The film begins with a depiction of the family life of John Paul Getty Jr. and his wife Gail and their four young children. But the family is broke and Gail advises her husband to write to his father Getty Sr. requesting for a job. Getty Sr. is a filthy rich oil businessman who gives his son a job in Rome and the entire family moves to Italy. Getty Jr. becomes addicted to drugs and leads a dissipated life which causes Gail to divorce him and get custody of their four children.
John Paul Getty III is 16 years old when he is kidnapped in Rome and the kidnappers demand a ransom of $17 million. Gail tells the kidnappers that she does not have the money and they tell her to ask her former father-in-law Getty Sr. but Getty Sr. refuses to pay the ransom telling reporters that he has 14 grandchildren and paying a ransom would encourage kidnappers to abduct his other grandchildren.
Getty Sr. is very stingy and mean and you doubt his honesty regarding this statement and his financial dealings. He purchases a painting of questionable authenticity for a more than a million dollars while his grandson is being tortured by the kidnappers.
Getty Sr. reminds you a bit of Ebenezer Scrooge but Scrooge changes his ways and repents for his sins and makes amends for his wrongdoings and his soul is redeemed by Jesus Christ, whereas Getty Sr. is very evil and beyond redemption.
Later Getty Sr. grudgingly agrees to pay a part of the ransom that is tax deductible but only on condition that his drug addicted son gets custody of the four children which makes it evident that he does not have the childrens’ best interests in mind.
Getty Sr. tells his negotiator Fletcher Chase to track down his grandson’s kidnappers, and Chase who is furious with Getty Sr.’s unreasonable conditions tells him off in strong language which cannot be repeated here and resigns from the job. The movie tells the story of a very evil, unscrupulous, ruthless businessman and Christopher Plummer gives a compelling performance as Getty Sr. who sells his soul to the devil for money.