Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Frank Oz

Writers (WGA):

Dale Launer (written by) and
Stanley Shapiro (written by) ...

Release Date:

14 December 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Nice guys finish last. Meet the winners.

Plot:

Lawrence and Freddie are con-men; big-time and small time respectively. They unsuccessfully attempt...

Plot Keywords:

Soiling Pants | Con Artist | Corrupt Police | Sailor | Wheelchair

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win

Cast

Steve Martin	...	Freddy Benson
Michael Caine	...	Lawrence Jamieson
Glenne Headly	...	Janet Colgate
Anton Rodgers	...	Inspector Andre
Barbara Harris	...	Fanny Eubanks
Ian McDiarmid	...	Arthur
Dana Ivey	...	Mrs. Reed
Meagen Fay	...	Lady from Oklahoma
Frances Conroy	...	Lady from Palm Beach
Nicole Calfan	...	Lady in Dining Car
Aïna Walle	...	Miss Krista Knudsen
Cheryl Pay	...	Lady with Pearls
Nathalie Auffret	...	Marion
Lolly Susi	...	Lady in Rolls Royce
Rupert Holliday-Evans	...	English Sailor #1 (as Rupert Holliday Evans)

Runtime:

110 min | Turkey:104 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | New Zealand:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:S | Norway:5 (1989) | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The scene in the trailer, with Bensen and Jameison walking along the water where Benson pushes the pedestrian over the edge and in to the water, does not appear in the movie.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Freddy passes himself off as a paralyzed naval officer but is wearing the blue dress uniform of a US Army enlisted man.

Quotes:

Freddy Benson: [telling a phony story to sucker Janet into giving him money] I was engaged to a girl back in the States. And we loved to dance... we wanted to be professionals, isn't that silly? And we got an opportunity to compete on television, on Dance USA. So we agreed that if we won, we'd get married. So we went on, and we danced, and we won!
Janet Colgate: That's great!
Freddy Benson: And in the excitement, we got separated. So I went back to the studio, and there they were. Naked, dancing... and then they stopped, and they made love right there on the dance floor!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in It's a Good Day: The Making of 'Around the Bend' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

We're in the Money

In A Word: Hilarious!

I really don't watch this movie often enough. The few times I've seen it over the years provide superior entertainment, but it's a film I seem to forget about. That shouldn't be the case: it's a terrific movie.

I've never met anyone who did NOT like this movie. It seems to appeal to a lot of people, young and old. The three leads - Steve Martin, Michael Caine and Glenn Headley - were all in top form, on top of their "game," so to speak.

Martin's facial expressions and physical humor are terrific and Caine played his part magnificently, too. I enjoy Caine much more in here than Martin (and in most films) but Steve seems to have the funniest moments in this movie. At any rate, both are superb as antagonists "Lawrence Jamison" (Caine) and "Freddie Benson" (Martin). The two men have the talent to pull off slapstick as well as subtle comedy. Headley, as "Janet Colgate," meanwhile, is a joy to watch and to listen to, with that sweet voice of hers. I can't say more about her without giving away too much but she is not only the objection of attention in the movie, but the key character. These three combine for almost a laugh-a-minute.

This also is a good example of how to make a modern-day comedy without all the sleaze and profanity. There is some in here, but not much. Why most comedies do not follow this lead is a sad question. It's still an adult movie about con men, not a film teens and below would enjoy. Frank Oz, who directed other pretty clean-and-funny movies, directed this one.

Highly recommended.