Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

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Directed by Frank Oz.

Starring Michael Caine, Barbara Harris, Glenne Headly, Anton Rodgers, Steve Martin.

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a remake of the 1964 film farce Bedtime Story. Steve Martin and Michael Caine take over the roles originally played by Marlon Brando and David Niven: two international con artists, plying their trade on gullible wealthy women up and down the Riviera. Martin and Caine vie over the honor of fleecing ingenuous heiress Glenne Headly (in a role originated by Shirley Jones). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
by JimBell in JimBell Blog

liked it.

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"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) is a hoot. A consumate con artist (Michael Caine, in fine form) runs into a spot of trouble when a brash young American con artist (Steve Martin, youthfully kinetic) invades his territory. So they wager: The first one to get $50,000 from the young American soap queen who has just stumbled up the steps gets to stay and the other has to leave town. I liked the natural, almost leisurely pace. I also thought that the woman who was on a trip because she won a laundry detergent contest (Glenne Headly) held her own with the two big name guys. Incidentally, Glenne was later in Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) and Breakfast of Champions (1999). Lately this MENSA lady has been a regular on the TV series “Monk.” This movie is a delightful piece of entertainment.Jim Bell " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

liked it.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels harks back to the era of suave 1950s and '60s caper films -- specifically, the 1963 David Niven/Marlon Brando vehicle Bedtime Story, on which Scoundrels's script is based. Michael Caine plays the slicker member of the anti-hero duo with perfect English ease, and Steve Martin is inspired as his gauche American counterpart. Scoundrels features an involved and complicated plot, with as many twists and turns as a decent mystery; the film unfolds like a broad, comic version of the The Sting. Director Frank Oz's only previous adult-oriented film was 1986's Little Shop of Horrors, and with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels he firmly established the fine comic form that he would perfect with In & Out (1997) and Bowfinger (1999). The lush French Riviera environs are adroitly shot by Michael Ballhaus. ~ Matthew Doberman, All Movie Guide

Tags: SNLAlum , wager , comedy , double-cross , gambling
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