Relic Radio Thrillers: “Stephen, Monica and One Million Dollars” (The Chase, June 29, 1952)

Main Theme

This episode of The Chase follows the desperate flight of Stephen and Monica, a glamorous but toxic couple spiraling into crime. Driven by Monica’s insatiable hunger for luxury, Stephen, a bank officer on the edge, is compelled to steal over a million dollars, dragging them both into a suspenseful series of betrayals, murder, and ultimately, tragic irony. Through their frantic run from the law, the story explores themes of greed, love corrupted by money, and the fatal consequences of choices made under pressure.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. The Relationship’s Breaking Point (01:47–04:15)

• Monica announces she’s leaving Stephen, revealing her gold-digging motives:

  “Money means everything to me. If I can’t live like an heiress, I don’t want to live at all.”
  — Monica [02:21]

• Stephen protests, devastated, confessing he spent everything on her.
• Monica is cold and candid about her priorities.
• When Stephen offers anything to keep her, Monica makes her price explicit:

  “You can get yourself a million dollars. Even half a million might help.” [02:57]

• The couple hatches a plan—Stephen will rob his bank, emboldened by Monica’s approval.

2. The Bank Heist & Its Consequences (04:50–06:44)

• Stephen describes his meticulous plan—stealing when no one will notice.
• A wrench: the night watchman, Decker, appears unexpectedly, threatening to call the bank president.
• Stephen kills Decker to protect the plan, marking the shift from theft to murder.

3. The Getaway – With Money…and a Corpse (08:41–11:17)

• Stephen and Monica reconvene after the heist, fraught and breathless.
• Monica’s initial thrill turns to horror when Stephen reveals the truth:

  “What’s wrong? Everything’s wrong. I…I killed the night watchman, Monica. I had to do it.”
  — Stephen [09:21]

• The gravity of the crime finally rattles Monica, but Stephen locks her in:

  “There’ll be no more farewell scenes between you and me, Monica. We’re in this together now.”
  — Stephen [10:44]

• They transport both the money and the body in the trunk, planning to dispose of Decker later.

4. Narrow Escapes and Unraveling Nerves (11:29–19:05)

• Car troubles (a leaking tire) force a tense stop at a gas station; a radio bulletin describes their car, raising the stakes.
• An impostor police officer stops them, recognizing the car from the alert.
• The impostor is revealed as a blackmailer, not a cop:

  “We’ll split the dough two ways, mister.”
  — Impostor Officer [18:13]

• Stephen and Monica outwit him—Monica runs the impostor over with the car.

5. The Money Becomes Useless (20:05–21:19)

• Another radio bulletin lists stolen bill serial numbers, making laundering impossible.
• Monica despairs:

  “A million dollars. A million dollars. We can’t buy a sandwich.”
  — Monica [25:20]

• Their success turns to defeat; they have riches but can’t spend a cent.

6. Collapse in the Desert (22:03–28:39)

• Their car runs out of gas from a leak—they’re forced to cross the desert on foot, carrying the useless fortune.
• Hunger, thirst, and exhaustion overwhelm them.
• Monica collapses, Stephen tries to press on, but she succumbs—he drags himself to a roadside stand, only to die shortly after.
• The sheriff finds them and muses on the tragic irony:

  “A million in his hand, Chief. And you may think I’m crazy, but…in my opinion, he looks as if…he starved to death.”
  — Sheriff Scott [28:45–28:53]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Monica’s Heartless Honesty:

  “I’ve got a thousand dollar bill where my heart should be. I want enough money to do anything and everything I care to do. No kitchen scrubbing housewife, darling. And the man who wants to hold me has to pay for the privilege.”
  — Monica [03:04]

• Stephen’s Realization of Irrevocable Consequences:

  “They can only hang you once.”
  — Stephen [19:25]

• The Final, Bitter Irony:

  “A million dollars. A million dollars. We can’t buy a sandwich.”
  — Monica [25:20]

• The Sheriff’s Grim Observation (final lines):

  “A million in his hand, Chief. And you may think I’m crazy, but…in my opinion, he looks as if…he starved to death.”
  — Sheriff Scott [28:45–28:53]

Notable Timestamps

• [01:47] Monica leaves Stephen, triggering his criminal turn
• [06:44] Stephen kills the night watchman during the robbery
• [09:21] Stephen confesses to Monica about the murder
• [12:24] The police all-points bulletin is broadcast
• [17:21] Their car and heist are directly linked on the radio
• [18:13] The impostor officer attempts to blackmail Stephen and Monica
• [25:20] Monica’s desperate lament over their useless fortune
• [28:53] Sheriff reveals the ultimate futility: death by starvation, despite the fortunes

Tone and Language

The episode’s dialogue is sharp and cynical, dominated by Monica’s mercenary coldness and Stephen’s deteriorating resolve. The script is laced with dark humor, tension, and mounting desperation, echoing noir storytelling traditions of the era.

Summary

“Stephen, Monica and One Million Dollars” is a cautionary tale about the pursuit of wealth at any cost. The episode employs suspenseful plotting and biting dialogue to show the downfall of two people undone by their own greed. Their stolen fortune ends up as a heavy, useless burden—a dark mirror to their broken relationship and lost morals. Not only did the money fail to buy them happiness; it could not even save them from dying of hunger and thirst, their riches worthless in the end.