Born Yesterday (1993)

One of the biggest problems with remakes is often that they are extremely dated. Born Yesterday, the 1993 remake of the wonderful 50's comedy, starring the irrepressible Judy Holliday, and a gruff, teddy-bearish Brodrick Crawford--holds up beautifully. The basic story remains the same,(remember: "Do me a favor, Harry...drop dead!!!") but the details, the dress and the language are totally 90's. It's a delightful, and really--a touching story of a young woman (Melanie Griffith) who is brought to an appreciation of herself as something well beyond a gorgeous face. Her teacher is a kinder, gentler Don Johnson; and her Neanderthal-type husband, John Goodman is Harry, a nasty 'Fred Flintstone Goes To Washington' kind of guy! It all works till a bit of a let down near the end, but truly, there's a several minute rendition of the first 17 or so Ammendments to the Constitution sung (with energy) to the tune of the "12 Days of Christmas" that, alone, would be worth the price of admission!! Rent it, buy it; somehow, try it!!

What holds this movie together is Melanie Griffith, a deliberate and thoughtful actress. Add the handsome Don Johnson as the teacher/reporter and John Goodman, the hard-boiled, no nonsense businessman and you have a winner.

This movie is a study in so many things: self-respect, respect for others, integrity, dignity, and the beauty of brains. When Billie (Melanie) tells Paul (Don) that she can get anything she wants from Harry (John), she reveals her lack of understanding of self-worth: she wants a mink coat and gets it because she gives him what he wants. By movie's end she wants more and has earned the self-respect and determination to get it.

The whole education aspect ("smarten up" Billie so she won't be an embarrassment while Harry is in Washington, D.C.) serves as a wonderful example to viewers of the power of knowledge. Harry hires Paul, who sets Billie off on an educational journey that jump starts her unused brain. First, she reads a book that no one actually reads--Alexis de Toqueville. She increases her vocabulary. She acquires culture through the art in the National Gallery of Art, especially focusing on a Van Gogh painting that depicts the dignity of manual labor, a reminder of her father.

Billie questions later what she should do with this new, profound awareness. The status quo is easy to maintain; change is always difficult. In this case, with change come a new self-respect and self-confidence. The new Billie will marry Paul. If it seems she is trading one man for another, that is misleading because this particular man encourages her growth, in fact was the catalyst for it. Good things will come from this relationship.

What an uplifting, happy movie for everyone: the new couple, Harry, who now must learn the art of patience while he awaits re-acquisition of his holdings one property per year, and the viewer, privy to their story and two fantastic kisses!

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Melanie Griffith is one of my favorite Bombshells. I think she was made for this role & is a role model for being sexy! I rented the original film about 6 months ago. I found the character, that Judy Holliday played, didn't elicit any sympathy from me & I didn't really like her character as a person. One thing I did love discovering, when I watched the original, was that the uncouth but cute "Whaaaaaat?!!!!!!" screamed by Billie Dawn, was from the original movie. Melanie's Billie Dawn makes you want her to succeed & makes you feel for her plight of being uneducated amongst the DC circle. Plus I just love most of Bille Dawn's outfits in this film. I watch this movie when I'm feeling a little flustered, overwhelmed & stupid -I watch Billie struggle all over again & succeed all over again & it makes me feel like I can do what I set out to do. The movie even inspired me to get a copy of Democracy in America!

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Although I am a fan of Melanie Griffith, Don Johnson and John Goodman, I am not a fan of this version of Born Yesterday. If I had never seen the original or if the original was not one of my favorite movies, I may have rated it higher, because the story and the acting are good. But the original is a classic and, in my opinion, a movie should only be remade if the original can be improved on, and this one doesn't meet that standard. The best part of this movie is the ingenious song about some of the Amendments to the Constitution sung to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." If you really want to see this movie in its classic form, buy the original Judy Holliday, William Holden, Broderick Crawford version. Note to Hollywood: Classics don't need to be remade!

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John Goodman and Melanie Griffith played their parts suberbly.



This is about a millionaire scrap metal tycoon who turns real estate mogul (John Goodman) whose clueless girlfriend (Melanie Griffith) finds herself without a clue in the Washington-Merrie-Go-Round. So her boyfriend (Goodman) hires Paul Verrall (Don Hohnson) to help her with the special skills, small talk, etc.



A problem: boyfriend Goodman, like almost everyone else, as the story demonstrates, are not nearly as smart as they lead everyone else to believe, like the reporter for NPR who pretends to have read de Toqueville, but has not, as Griffith discovers. It is all an act, designed to impress others.



The script is so true to life, full of flakes and phonies, that it is almost laughable.



A great movie, and one you will probably remember for a long time. It shows how we all get bullied by the people with real power over us. Very entertaining, too.



Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and mainenance

and other books

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