This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

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...

This was director Ralph Levy's first feature film - he made only one more, Do Not Disturb - and if he seems assured at directing light comedy it's because he spent several years directing the likes of Burns and Allen, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball etc on TV. Co-writer Stanley Shapiro and Paul Henning had written between them several Doris Day-Rock Hudson-Cary Grant movies so everything was in place for highly polished, classy, sophisticated goings-on with a very welcome - especially today - slice of non-PC. If you've only seen the insipid remake, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, relax, you're in for a treat, so settle down and see how the Big Boys do it. On paper Niven and Brando shouldn't work representing as they do diametrically opposed styles but on screen and against the odds it works splendidly and Shirley Jones has just the right volume of 'niceness' to make the perfect foil. A barrel of laffs whichever way you slice it.

Between this and Guys and Dolls and the Godfather parody w/ Mathew Broderick, Marlon showed that he could be very funny. Sort of like Errol Flynn, I wish he had been given more opportunities.I have looked in vain for this on DVD it was supposed to have been released a couple of years ago, I'm not sure what happened.As noted many will be familiar with the remake (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), though I prefer the original. There is a priceless scene where Marlon (as Freddy)is caught with his pants off after seducing the burgomeister's daughter in a German town. He explains that he is part of the new Exercise instruction program and he begins doing calisthenics as he makes his exit.I also liked when David Niven and Brando first meet and realize that they are competing in the same line of work albeit at different levels.Highly recommended.'shoes

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.