Finders Keepers 1984

In 1973, Georgiana Latimer [Pamela Stephenson] schemes with her lover, Josef Sirola [Ed Lauter], to steal five million dollars in cash from her father’s safe. Pretending to be a widow in mourning, Georgiana and Sirola stash the loot in a coffin and hatch a plan to move it by train to New York.

Across the country, Michael Rangeloff [Michael O’Keefe], who runs a women’s roller-derby team, finds himself dodging an irate squad while trying to stay one step ahead. He escapes by donning a U.S. Army uniform at the Oakland train station, where two military officials mistake him for someone escorting the coffin. Georgiana and Sirola soon spot Michael and begin to tail him, weaving a tense cat-and-mouse dynamic through the carriages.

On board, Michael forms an uneasy bond with Standish Logan [Beverly D’Angelo], a scatterbrained actress who adds a touch of chaos to the journey. It isn’t long before Michael discovers the coffin truly does contain millions, turning the trip into a high-stakes chase. During a Reno stop, Michael phones Century Milestone [Louis Gossett Jr.], a seasoned con artist who will later board the train disguised as a minister, bringing an extra layer of scheming into the mix.

A detour arrives when the conductor makes an unplanned stop in High River, Nebraska, to deliver a fallen hero to his hometown. Michael and Century step off with the coffin, accompanied by Standish, who pretends to be Biddlecoff’s widow for the ruse. After a quick funeral, they rob the grave of its treasure, unearthing the windfall in broad daylight.

Sirola, who had been forced off the train earlier, learns of the burial on television and heads to High River to retrieve the money. Georgiana also arrives, but FBI agent Ormond [Jack Riley] arrests her before she can reassert control over the situation. With the money in their hands, Michael and Century press on, only to discover that Sirola has kidnapped Standish and dragged her to an empty farmhouse.

That dwelling, however, is a prefabricated house that is slated to be moved the next day. Undeterred, Michael and Century catch up with the moving house, seize the reins from the driver, and confront Sirola. In the ensuing confrontation, Standish is rescued, and the trio—Standish, Michael, and Century—make a clean getaway with the five million dollars as Sirola is arrested and the fickle plot threads begin to untangle.