veryape How about that... I never knew that Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a remake. I enjoyed the remake but was always, ALWAYS disappointed that Steve Martin was supposed to be the 'younger' guy...what a joke. Now, seeing the original i realize my instinct was right on. Casting Michael Caine for David Niven was a good choice... Casting Steve Martin for Marlon Brando??!? While Steve Martin did a good enough job, i can only imagine how much more interesting/funny it would be with someone else doing Freddy. When Steve Martin says towards the middle of the film that he's younger than Michael Caine, all i could think was...by 2 years?! Something that i almost NEVER do, is like the remake as much as the original. In this case, i almost like both equally. The original is still slightly better, mostly because of the quality of actors. The original ending is slightly better as well. While i like the ending of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the ending in the original is much more satisfying... :D Now, if only i could own both on a high quality DVD/BluRay in Widescreen...

MARIO GAUCI Before tackling the film proper, I'd like to point out some fascinating trivia first: originally, this was planned with Cary Grant and Rock Hudson in mind who were to compete for Doris Day and, allegedly, it was almost revived as a starring vehicle for (brace yourselves) David Bowie and Mick Jagger (!!)…before saner minds prevailed and we got DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (1988) – with Michael Caine and Steve Martin replacing David Niven and Marlon Brando respectively – instead. Anyway, the premise was quite original at the time – rival con-men decide to collaborate but clash over fleecing a woman who turns out to be poor – and the film itself was actually better than I was expecting: in any case, "The most vulgar and embarrassing film of the year" – as The Daily Express had deemed the film on its release – it certainly wasn't!Given that BEDTIME STORY was one of Brando's efforts from his lean period (and, uncharacteristically, a comedy at that), I didn't have high hopes for it initially – especially since some of the other "comedies" I had seen Brando in had been pretty desperate attempts: A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG (1967) and CANDY (1968; see above). Still, that the Method actor was capable of handling lighter material than the brooding dramas he was best-known for, was already evident early on in his career with GUYS AND DOLLS (1955) and THE TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON (1956), but this is perhaps his most engaging performance in this field; that said, it's rather disquieting to see him mugging like a Jerry Lewis wannabe (when posing as Niven's half-wit brother)! His co-star isn't particularly taxed by his role – having often played the roué, it's one he could have done in his sleep – but he's always good value in this type of light entertainment; ditto Shirley Jones, who plays it more or less straight.The delightful opening, lending fairy-tale connotations to the narrative (hence the title) and the various schemes by which the two male stars attempt to outwit one another in order to obtain Jones' favors (and, in the process, her money) constitute the film's highlights; these include the famous scene in which Brando poses as a paraplegic – recalling his celebrated debut performance in Fred Zinnemann's powerful social drama THE MEN (1950) – as a result of which Jones arranges for him to be "cured" by renowned shrink Niven! I watched the film via the R2 DVD from Orbit Media, presenting the Universal film in a full-screen format; I haven't been able to ascertain what the original aspect ratio was, but I didn't find the compositions overly compromised; for the record, BEDTIME STORY is still unavailable on R1 DVD and one wonders what held it from being included in Universal's four-film 2-Disc Set of "The Marlon Brando Franchise Collection"...

theowinthrop This film has a history of name confusion to rival Hitchcock's SECRET AGENT, SABOTAGE, and SABOTEUR, or HERE COMES MR. JORDAN, HEAVEN CAN WAIT, and HEAVEN CAN WAIT. There is a 1941 comedy with Loretta Young and Frederic March called BEDTIME STORY about Broadway theater people. Then this film was created in 1964, and marked the only time David Niven and Marlon Brando co-starred in a comedy. Then the 1964 comedy was remade in 1988 with Michael Caine and Steve Martin in the Niven and Brando film, but was now called DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. That is the title that shall always be recalled with this story, especially since it has been turned into a successful musical show in London and New York City. Truth be told, I favor the 1988 version, because the two male leads manage to squeeze more reality out of their characters than Niven and Brando did. Brando had too much intelligence for playing the slovenly conman Freddy Benson, while Steve Martin showed his intellectual limitations far better. Niven got carried away showing Jamieson's intellectual philanthropy (from the proceeds of his swindles), while Caine took the same material and showed it for what it really was - an emotional hobby. That said the 1964 film was good within it's own limits (not notable for nearly a quarter century). The only other alteration was a final surprise which makes the remake much superior.Lawrence Jamieson has set himself up in a mansion on the gold coast of the Riviera, and attracts wealthy women (with the assistance of the local police chief - who is in his pay). He convinces wealthy women (pretending he is doing it in a noble cause) to give him thousands of dollars for the purpose of freeing his country from the tyrants (it is obvious he is supposed to be a deposed Balkan monarch, fighting the Communists). The con is perfect, and the machinery is well oiled. But along comes Freddy Benson, an American conman, who threatens to ruin the con Jamieson sets up. They try to work together for awhile, but Jamieson sees Freddy as an apprentice (at best a junior partner) and that irks Freddy. So they set up a bet - winner takes over the local Riviera town as his preserve. They will both go after a new target, and whoever gets $10,000.00 from her first wins. Soon, a young American woman (Shirley Jones) shows up as "the American Soap Queen". Freddy pretends that he is a soldier suffering from some psychological shock that has left him crippled (he is actually spoofing, in part, his serious performance in his first movie THE MEN where he was a crippled war hero). Jamieson pretends he is a famous Vienese psychologist who Freddie claims he has tried to contact. And the film gets into a series of feints and pretenses that both men play on each other (to get them out of the way while they work out their wiles on Jones). Jones is a perfectly decent type, who gradually is very attracted to Brando. SPOILERS COMING UP.It turns out that Jones is the winner of a big contest from the American Soap Company, and she is not a millionaire. Niven learns this first and then Brando. But Brando has slowly gotten to like Jones too, so he ends up returning to America with her as her husband. Niven accepts that he must struggle on as a bachelor to the end - and heads back to the glittering life of the Riviera.That is not how the remake ended. Jones' character turned out to be a very successful female con-artist, who beats Caine and Martin. Caine, of course, fully appreciates the artistry of the woman (Martin's just angry), but she returns, as she sees both men can be useful partners to her schemes (especially the smarter Caine). So the three of them go after their rich prey with glee at the end.The remake had the better ending...hand's down! It kept the surprises coming up to the conclusion of the film. But the original had some nice moments. Brando playing the silent assistant to Niven as his apprentice has to play a half-wit brother Prince to Niven's exiled King (Prince Rupprecht), who wears "Napoleon" suits. He also, towards the end, does a nice brief imitation of Niven as the art and culture lover, admiring a "Stradavarius violin". The Chief of Police helping Niven also has an interesting plan to get rid of Brando with a gun whose fingerprints will lead to a weird historical dead end (you have to hear the plan to understand it). So I would recommend the film as a worthy comedy, but one that eventually was far improved upon.

Jack Dallas A young trim Brando as Freddie Benson, shows his comedic talent and versatility in this movie classic. David Niven plays the suave sophisticate role better than Michael Cane. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a good comedy, Bedtime Story (the original) was even better. BTS was so good someone thought they could do better. It's a shame that the many people I have talked to who love DRS didn't even know it was a remake of this excellent film. Brando's scheme at the beginning of the movie to seduce the beautiful peasant girl by aging a Poloroid picture of her farmhouse claiming it was the home his grandmother lived in gives some insight to his character. The fact that Brando is just in it for the sex and Niven is doing it for big money sets the plot for the rest of the movie. Niven sees this interloper as a threat and we are off to the races for the rest of the plot. Both Michael Cane and Steve Martin did a good job in the remake but the Brando/Niven combination is unforgettable. Too bad it is not available on DVD for the US market. A British PAL version was released in 2004. I hope the US-DVD is not far behind.