Conference bookie::movies

    This is yet another in the amazingly large (or so it seems to me)
    number of remakes released in the last year or so; the original "Born
    Yesterday" (from the '40s?) starred Judy Holliday, I believe. (I
    haven't seen it myself; several friends raved about it, though, either
    in its entirety or for the sake of Holliday's performance.)
    
    The previews for the current release thoroughly turned me off, but
    then I've never had the hots for either Griffith or Johnson, and seeing
    them together does nothing for me. ;-)
    
    -b

    I went to see this yesterday with my 73-year old mother and 6-year old
    daughter. We all thoroughly enjoyed it.
    
    My mom said that Melanie Griffith was perfect for the role, and handled
    it just like Judy Holliday did in the original. The original bad guy
    was Broderick Crawford. We also saw previews for Dennis the Menace and
    decided that Walter Matthau, although a little old, would also have
    been a good choice for the John Goodman part.
    
    All in all, a very entertaining film.
    
    Catherine
    

    I have such mixed feelings about the prospect of seeing this movie!
    
    I love Melanie Griffith, but can't stand John Goodman.  I don't know
    which feeling will win out.
    
    Lorna
    

From the title I can't tell if this is meant to be a discussion of the 
original or the remake. I haven't seen the remake but I will since I do
like all three stars. I can't imagine that it will be as good as the 
original though. That is a wonderful film. Broderick Crawford gives a
good performance and William Holden a competant one. Billy Wilder's 
direction and writing are as usual among the best. But the real attraction
of the film is Judy Holliday's tremendous, Oscar winning performance.
Judy was born to play this role, it's one of the best comic performances
in film. I have to admire Melanie Griffith for having the courage to
attempt this role considering the inevitable comparisions. 


Randy

    Well, I never saw the original, so I can't compare Judy Holliday to
    Griffith, but Griffith was great.  She has a presence onscreen that
    even kept my eyes off Don Johnson!  :-)
    
    Best scene behind the spoiler:
    
    When "Billie" (Griffith) teaches a bunch of stuffy Washington
    socialites at a party to remember the amendments to the constitution
    (which she has just learned) by singing them to the tune of "12 Days of
    Christmas."  By the time the song was done, EVERYONE learned something!

    Re: .5
    
    ....including the audience!
    
    

    George Cukor, not Billy Wilder, directed the 1950 version of
    "Born Yesterday."  The original film was based on a Broadway play by
    Garson Kaninwhich originally starred Jean Arthur, who bowed out of the
    production, and Judy Holliday took over the role. Holliday did win an
    Oscar for her performance, beating both Bette Davis (for her (aguably)
    greatest performance in "All About Eve" and Gloria Swanson for "Sunset
    Boulevard"), so that's an indication of how good she is.
    
    I have mixed feelings about the remake.  Granted, since plays
    are revived, why not remake movies that have good screenplays?
    I can see why Griffith, Goodman and Johson were attracted to the
    roles, and I hope they do well by them.  I just can't
    imagine a better line reading by Griffith, though, of Holliday's
    
    "I have two words for you, Harry: drop dead."
    
    Richard

Why was I thinking it was a Wilder film? It's really not cynical enough to
be the usual type of film that Wilder excelled at.

One of my favorite scenes in the original was the card game between Holliday
and Crawford. Absolutly hilarious.


Randy

    Maybe because it came out in 1950 and starred William Holden
    (as did "Sunset Boulevard")  ;-)
    
    Richard

    I saw this over the weekend and thought it was....okay.  It was just
    fluff, IMO, and mildly entertaining, although I thought it was
    unrealistic in many ways.  If the stars - Melanie Griffith and Don
    Johnson - had been less appealing, it could have been really bad.  In
    fact, the only thing that really saved it for me is that I do find
    Melanie Griffith very appealing on screen.
    
    Lorna
    

    Was talking with someone the other day about Melanie's early movies,
    and could only go back as far as Fear City.
    
    I searched this Notesfile using "Melanie" as a keyword, and found no
    filmography.  I'm sure someone has access to one...
    
    							Don

    
    	Yeah, I do, but I can't get in right now.
    
    	http://www.msstate.edu/Movies
    
    	Was "Fear City" before "Body Double"?
    

    
                              Melanie Griffith

Melanie Griffith's biographical information.

Actress
    
       1. Lolita (1996) .... Mother
       2. Two Much (1996)
       3. "Buffalo Girls" (1995) (mini) .... Dora DuFran
       4. Mulholland Falls (1995)
       5. Now and Then (1995) .... Tina
          ... aka Gaslight Addition (1995)
       6. Milk Money (1994) .... V
       7. Nobody's Fool (1994) .... Toby Roebuck
       8. Born Yesterday (1993) .... Billie Dawn
       9. Shining Through (1992) .... Linda Voss
      10. Stranger Among Us, A (1992) .... Emily Eden
          ... aka Close to Eden (1992)
      11. Paradise (1991) .... Lily Reed
      12. Bonfire of the Vanities, The (1990) .... Maria Ruskin
      13. In the Spirit (1990)
      14. Pacific Heights (1990) .... Patty Palmer
      15. Women and Men: Stories of Seduction (1990) (TV) .... Hadley

      16. Milagro Beanfield War, The (1988) .... Flossie Devine
      17. Stormy Monday (1988) .... Kace
      18. Working Girl (1988) (AAN) (C:GG) .... Tess McGill
      19. Cherry 2000 (1987) .... E Johnson
      20. Something Wild (1986) (C:GGN) .... Audrey 'Lulu' Hankel
          ... aka Dangereuse sous tous rapports (1986)
      21. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985) (TV) .... Girl
      22. Body Double (1984) (S:GGN) .... Holly
      23. Fear City (1984) .... Loretta
          ... aka Ripper (1984)
      24. Golden Gate (1981) (TV)
      25. Roar (1981) .... Melanie
      26. She's in the Army Now (1981) (TV) .... Sylvie Knoll
      27. Star Maker, The (1981) (TV)
      28. Underground Aces (1980)

      29. Daddy, I Don't Like It Like This (1978) (TV)
      30. Steel Cowboy (1978) (TV)
      31. "Carter Country" (1977) .... Tracy Quinn (1978-1979)
      32. Joyride (1977) .... Susie
      33. One on One (1977) .... The Hitchhiker
      34. "Once an Eagle" (1976) (mini) .... Jinny Massengale
      35. Drowning Pool, The (1975) .... Schuyler
      36. Night Moves (1975) .... Delly Grastner
      37. Smile (1975) .... Karen Love
      38. Harrad Experiment, The (1973) .... Extra (uncredited)

Note: the titles that start with a quote (") are TV series

    Body Double was the one we were talking about.  Now that I see the list,
    it makes sense I couldn't recall her in anything older than Fear City.
    I don't think I saw any of the older shows/movies.
    
    Thanks.
    
    							Don