The Great Bank Hoax on AllMovie

Shortly before the bank examiner is due to arrive, higher-ups at a small-town bank discover that a beloved long-term employee has embezzled $100,000. The embezzler (Paul Sand), says he did it just to point out a flaw in the bank's bookkeeping practices. Bank officers Jack and Emanuel (Burgess Meredith and Richard Basehart) cook up a scheme to cover up the theft, which, incidentally, will net them an additional hundred grand. The supposedly secret embezzlement and bank examiner visit becomes known throughout the tight-knit community. Some pillars of the community see it as an opportunity for gain and others want to help save reputations, but everyone gets involved.