MovieChat Forums > Bedtime Story (1964) Discussion > Dirty Rotten Bedtime Story...

Dirty Rotten Bedtime Story...


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 for Freddy in the original is much more satisfying... :D

Now, if only i could own both on a high quality DVD/BluRay in Widescreen...

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Well...to be fair Steve Martin is a little more than 10 years younger than Michael Caine...and it really isn't his fault he went grey early...

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However you find their ages to read, Steve martin was and is about 12 years younger than Michael Caine. The age difference worked just fine for me.

I really enjoyed the male leads in both BEDTIME STORY and DRS, but the best Freddy Benson I've seen is Norbert Leo Butz, in the stage musical; complete and utter brilliance. (I saw him in it twice, in the 1st natl. tour, in which he performed the first few weeks only. Went back and saw his replacement, who had impressed me highly in another show, and the whole show suffered so much; not that Timothy Gulan--the replacement--did a bad job at all, but the show really needed what Norbert brought to it.)

I rather like both endings, but slightly prefer that of the remake (which the stage musical also uses). Somehow, I just don't want those guys to split up by then, plus, it's a nice twist, and more interesting for the lead woman's character.

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He is younger. It’s not his fault he went gray early. I like both movies the same. I like the ending of DRS more.

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I believe it was never mentioned as a remake, perhaps this original bombed, due to the confusing title. If they never mentioned Ruprect I would not have linked them
I like the original ending better, sucker for a romantic ending and Shirley Jones is much prettier. If there was someway to combine both endings, it would be gold
Yes that grey hair makes it hard to corectly age Steve Martin and I have always struggled with his age versus his costar (ie roxanne). He has played someone in their thirties for 40 years (until Shopgirl)

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I like the remake ending better because she outsmarted them ;)

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the age gap between Caine and martin is 11 years, only three years less than the age gap between Niven and Brando. I personally prefer the ending of Diety Rotten Scoundrels.

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the age gap between Caine and martin is 12 years, only two years less than the age gap between Niven and Brando. I personally prefer the ending of Diety Rotten Scoundrels.

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