"Bedtime Story" is a very funny film, but it might leave some with an off taste in their mouth. That's in the subtlety and delivery of some of the comedy. Since its remake in 1988, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," it's only natural to compare the two films. I don't know if there's any hard data, but Hollywood has a mixed record of successes and failures in movie remakes. My guess is that three out of four don't pan out, or certainly don't exceed the original film. Some that have been highly successful have had two or more remakes. In this case, though, the remake, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" of 1988 far surpasses this original. And, this original is quite good. The difference is in a few things. The first is the jettison in the remake of some of the extraneous material that takes quite some time in the original. The fact of Lawrence Jameson (David Niven) supporting some of the arts as a heroic charity for cultural posterity seems to be to build his character up in the eyes of the 1964 audience as somewhat justifiable for what he does. That minor subplot detracts from the main plot and the humor. The early scenes of Freddy Benson (Marlon Brando) in the Army, running illegal activities on his Army camp in Germany, and seducing German frauleins probably was intended to paint him as the less honorable of the two scoundrels in this film. But those scenes aren't that funny and are a further detraction from the main plot and humor. Another difference is more subtle. Marlon Brando's Freddy comes close to being a misogynist. He disdains women except to conquer them in bed. His persona seems to have a little meanness about him. Steve Martin's Freddy is out to take the women for their money, and he is attracted to them otherwise. Then, there's the difference in both leads in both films, and their delivery and humor. Brando was a great actor, but only so-so as a comedian. He is too self-assured in his composure and glances in this film. Steve Martin is a good actor and a great comedian. His persona, comedy delivery and character are naturally more funny. David Niven was a very good actor, and he could do comedy well as the straight man and con man (think "Pink Panther"). Michael Caine is a great actor and he's superb at comedy. Then, there's the overall dialog of Brando's Freddy. It's very dated with the use of slang that the remake has eliminated. He talks to Jameson and repeatedly says, "Oh, dad." When Jameson tells him the name of Sir Walter Raleigh, he says, "That's the goof." He says to Jameson, "Let me put some new colors in your paint box." And later, he says, "Have some gigs." When he outs Jameson on his con operation, he says, "Up my octane, big daddy." Even Jameson gets in the act on the train when he says they have arrived at "Deadsville."I appreciate the background that screenwriter Dale Launer gives in his review of "Bedtime Story." He collaborated with the original writer, Stanley Shapiro, on the 1988 remake. Shapiro told him this movie "didn't do all that well in its original run." He said it fell flat in the south, possibly because of Brando's civil rights efforts. I think there may have been more than that about the film's mild reception. Most notably, among American servicemen from Germany, and their families and people who were paying attention to the news in Europe. I'm quite familiar with that period because I was stationed in the U.S. Army in (West) Germany from early 1962 to late 1964. After the Berlin Wall went up in 1961, the U.S. began building up its forces in Germany. Since the end of the occupation forces in May 1955, the American forces (part of NATO) had dwindled to little more than a paper tiger. Studies and news of the time reported that fact. Along with the American forces buildup, German-American relations had been on the decline. A 1961 movie touches on this somewhat – "A Town Without Pity." The subject of that movie – rape of a German girl by American GIs, was not an isolated instance. In 1963, a brutal rape and murder happened near where I was stationed, and it involved a GI from my base. "Overseas Weekly" newspaper (we called it "Oversexed Weekly" for obvious reasons) reported regularly on scandals and local crimes involving American servicemen. I would bet that "Bedtime Story" didn't go over well in West Germany. So, this movie is about – and should focus on the two scoundrels and their differences, joining of forces, parting of ways and final competition to see who will be king of the mountain. The extraneous stuff before and in between should be minimal, and only used when it adds to the plot and the humor. The remake – also written by Stanley Shapiro (with Dale Launer), cuts the calories and fat from the original and gives us a hearty, wonderful cut of a film that viewers can really enjoy for its non-stop humor. And, while the ending in this film was okay – even good for its day, the surprise ending in the remake is over the top hilarious and brilliant. Here are some funny lines from the film. Check the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page for more humorous dialog.Lawrence Jameson, "You do have a sort of brutish appeal to women. You're certainly unprincipled. Lying and cheating come naturally to you. You're completely without moral qualms." Freddy Benson, "There, you see. Everybody's got a good side if you look for it."Freddy, "Look, daddy, you wanna play 'Robin Hood,' okay. But don't shoot my arrows. There's one thing the archaeologists aren't gonna dig up and that's Freddy's money, 'cause I'm spending it right now. So, hand it over, tax-free."

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...

Having enjoyed Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the 1980s comedy with Michael Caine and Steve Martin, i was intrigued to learn it was a remake of a 1964 film, Bedtime Story. The story is mostly the same: an elegant English conman on the Riviera is annoyed to find his pitch invaded by an uncouth American huckster. They briefly become partners, then rivals.In the original, the leads are taken by David Niven and Marlon Brando, of all people. But it's a comedy masterclass - in how not to do comedy. Just about every scene in the remake milks the full comic potential far better.In DRS, there's a scene where Freddie the Yank conman is thrown into a French jail. Steve Martin has a loud check shirt, a big white Panama hat and big shades, he's the epitome of the loud American abroad and out of his depth as, leaning against the bars,he goes all self- pitying and pleading to the unimpressed French inspector. Watching the original we find that Martin filched the entire performance from Brando, with one crucial difference - Martin is funny. Brando - he just ain't funny...At one point, Freddie is asked if he has a reliable local character witness. Martin goes through a minute of exasperated tip-of-his-tongue recall, jumping up and down, banging his head until he gets it at last. Brando just gives him the name. Brando seems to be enjoying himself, but Martin has the comic's gleeful sadism/masochism towards his character's plight.Later you may recall Caine is required to impersonate a German psychotherapist. He has a cold sadistic tone that works well against Martin's horrified incredulity. Niven, who plays the same role, is called upon to impersonate a Swiss doctor. And just plays him as Niven, with the same voice and everything. Critics say Caine is always the same, but Niven though urbane really is shown to be a one-note actor in this.The comic scenes are generally leaden, though to be fair Martin borrowed Rupret's hulking suspicious demeanor from Brando, except again he's funny and Brando is not. Worst of all, the film ditches the surprise twist of DRS, ending with a real cop out.They could have cast it with Jerry Lewis as Freddie and maybe Dean Martin as the smooth one, or even as a Hope and Crosby vehicle. But bland Niven and unfunny Brando sink it.

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.