A Better Fiddle
Freddy Benson (Marlon Brando) has a great con going, spotting attractive women he plans to sleep with and then feeding them a line about his dear old grandmother and trying to find the house she grew up in, a line which along with his charm never fails in getting him into the bedroom. Lawrence Jameson (David Niven) is also a conman pretending to be a Prince in hiding who not only seduces the women he cons but also cons them of their valuable jewellery. When Freddy shows up in the French Riviera the two end up competing for the area as they decide there isn't room for two conmen.
I don't know how many times I have watched "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" loving it because the comedy of both Steve Martin and Michael Caine. Well having finally gotten around to watching "Bedtime Story", the movie which "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" is a remake of, I would never have imagined it would be so good. In fact whilst I love Steve Martin in the remake Marlon Brando's performance in "Bedtime Story" is magic, and I never realised Brando could be that funny.
Now for those who have never watched "Bedtime Story" or "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" the storyline is simple enough as we have a crude con artist in Freddy and then the suave con artist in Lawrence ending up rivals not only for the Riviera but also for the same woman. As such whilst we get some chalk n cheese comedy most of "Bedtime Story" revolves around the two conmen trying to outsmart each other after working together for a short while.
But to be honest whilst I could tell you more about the storyline and spoil it I won't. I could go on about David Niven giving it as suave and debonair as Lawrence Jameson but to be honest it is a side of Niven which you kind of expect. But it is for me Marlon Brando who makes the movie especially after having seen Steve Martin play the same character and now realise that Martin based his performance on some of what Brando had done in this. As I said, I never realised how funny Brando could be but he had a real talent for delivering the witty con artist which uses tricks to get his way.
What this all boils down to is that "Bedtime Story" is a lot of fun even if you have already watched the wonderful remake "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels". And to be honest it is Marlon Brando who makes the movie showing off a wonderful talent for comedy which I never realised he possessed.
