When Dewey learned about the documentary Hardy had produced, he smashed everything in his room in a fit of rage.
He knew this was Hardy's revenge for Dewey's lawsuit against his casino.
But now, he was powerless against Hardy.
"If I still manage to become president, I'll make sure you know the consequences of crossing me. Hardy, just you wait!" Dewey roared in his wrecked room.
With the newspapers stoking the flames, even more people flocked to theaters to watch the documentary. Eventually, Mayer was amazed to tell Hardy that the box office revenue for the week had surpassed that of a typical film.
While it might not surpass "Once a Thief," it certainly had the potential to become the second highest grossing film of the year.
Hardy had created a profitable film with minimal expenditure, achieving both fame and fortune.