ReelCheese You can never recreate a classic, but that's no reason to dismiss BORN YESTERDAY.The lead trio of Melanie Griffith, John Goodman and Don Johnson are terrific as they update the classic play/film about a dizty blonde who unleashes her untapped brain power under the tutelage of a newspaper reporter. Goodman in particular is outstanding, drawing our hatred and sympathy with ease as the bribing workaholic fervently amassing a fortune when money is far from his main problem. It's impossible to recall him ever being this effective or adding so much to a film.All things considered, however, this is Griffith's film. True, she's no June Holliday, and this is certainly not the 1950 landmark picture. But our sexy star is not out of her league in bringing Billie Dawn to color, ably growing as her once-vacant head is filled with knowledge and free thought. Laugh-out-loud comedy is not necessarily her forte, but she can elicit a chuckle here or there when called upon. Her chemistry with tutor-turned-fiancé Johnson doesn't exactly set the screen on fire, yet the pair remain fun to watch.When it comes to BORN YESTERDAY, the best advice has already been given: stick with the original. That said, if you wind up catching this remake and judge it on its own merits, you'll be pleasantly entertained. It's a harmless, if unspectacular effort.

CMUltra I'm never against remakes. What is there to lose? If the remake is inferior it just reaffirms the rarity of and how difficult it is to produce a true classic. If the remake is superior, then we have a better movie! This movie stands on its own as fair and light entertainment. The performances are right in line with popcorn comedy and will produce a sufficient number of chuckles and laughs.The problem, of course, is this movie cannot stand on its own. If you remake a classic, you have to make the comparison. This version just doesn't measure up to the 1950 original on any level.Since many people have not seen the 1950 Born Yesterday, I think this movie will do them just fine. Sooner or later though, if they love movies, they're going to stumble across Judy Holliday's outstanding performance and then this remake may seem a bit weak.As with most attempts at remaking classics, the 1993 version of Born Yesterday falls far short of the original. It does, however, maintain a charm of its own and it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. However, I certainly, without reservation and whole-heartedly recommend the original as a "must-see"!

moonspinner55 Remake of the 1950 Judy Holliday/William Holden/Broderick Crawford hit farce, adapted from Garson Kanin's popular play, about millionaire businessman hiring a tutor for his dizzy girlfriend, which backfires when she becomes wise enough to know she's being played for a dupe. In the leads, Melanie Griffith, then-husband Don Johnson and John Goodman all have a propensity to lapse into shtick, but, for her part, Griffith is well-cast and very likable. The men have a harder time: Johnson is charmingly low-keyed in a dull role (the problems with it go back to the play) and Goodman works hard at being both vulgar and sympathetic. Not a complete success by any means, this update still hasn't figured out how to make the last act work (the plot mechanisms become congealed, the action becomes stagy and the finale is limp), but there are some nice laughs spread around and an occasionally witty flash of original thought. ** from ****

screenhound22 I'll expect a hailstorm of replies because of this. However--I've seen both film versions AND the play. Here's how they rank:#1 The Play#2 1993 version (and relatively close in caliber to the play)Last--The 1950 version.I love classics, some of them. But having seen the 1950 version, I can't understand what all the fuss was about.Griffith and Johnson both give respectable performances in this film and Paul Verall is not a prototypical Don Johnson role by any stretch of the imagination. SPOILERS ahead--maybe.This is a good update and the supporting cast, including Edward Hermann fill their roles pretty well. It is well-shot and a good '90s view of Washington for a first-timer. The script is okay (and the defenders of the 1950 version will claim--rightly so, that it had good base material to begin with--the play).I would never be so foolhardy as to claim that this version is Oscar-worthy or could ever hope to be Oscar-worthy. But get this--by all rights, the 1950 version doesn't fit in that category either in spite of its cast. The original Billie is pure froth and maybe she's supposed to be but that's not so spectacular or such an over-the-top spoof that it deserved an Oscar (Leslie Anne Warren's blonde mistress in Victor/Victoria comes to mind here). Also, some Oscar-winning roles and Oscar-nominated films (the Olivier Hamlet and the Olivier/Garson Pride and Prejudice; revered cinema from the '30s and '40s respectively) are total trash. The 1950 version of Born Yesterday doesn't fall into that category. I suppose it's just a cautionary tale. At any rate--see this movie. It's enjoyable and funny. Scenes to watch for include--Paul's coaching at the first dinner party and the Amendments song.