Born Yesterday (1993)

Directed by: Luis Mandoki | 100 minutes | comedy, romance | Actors: Melanie Griffith, John Goodman, Don Johnson, Edward Herrmann, Max Perlich, Michael Ensign, Benjamin C. Bradlee, Sally Quinn

With ‘Born Yesterday’, Mandoki (‘White Palace’, ‘Message in a Bottle’) ventures into a remake of George Cukor’s 1950 comedy of the same name. In the original, William Holden figures as Paul Verrall, in Mandoki’s version Johnson plays this role. His love interest is played by Griffith, a role previously played by Judy Holliday, who received an Oscar for this. Unlike the original, the remake did not receive critical acclaim. Fairly or unfairly?

In any case, Goodman plays his role of Harry Brock with gusto. As a hyperactive rooster, he thunders across the screen and brings Paul and Billie into contact with each other. According to him, his soap-addict wife is smart enough for Vegas, but not for Washington. It’s up to Paul to make her smarter. He accepts this assignment with some reluctance. And he throws himself at Billie. Griffith portrays this mega-bimbo completely believable. With her big blue eyes and her childlike voice, she stands out from the posh, fake women she meets on the drinks circuit. Her stupidity is so shocking that it is endearing. In Washington, for example, she wants to pay a visit to the Kennedys’ home. Or anyone know where Graceland is? Her transformation into a smart woman is a lot less convincing.

Although she suddenly wears looser clothes, glasses adorn her nose and she is brimming with political knowledge, Billie – read: Griffith – simply cannot be made a Nobel Prize winner. Still, it’s fun to watch her.

Laughing, screeching, roaring is not among them. And that’s a shame for a comedy. Between the funny one-liners, the film mainly deals with dull humor. The absolute low point is the scene in which a company led by Billie recite articles from the constitution. This scene goes on forever and is indescribably boring. The latter also applies to Paul. He cannot be caught on charisma. It’s hard to imagine that Bilie falls for this Little Cock Rosewater. The chemistry between the two is hard to find. And that while they have been married twice offscreen

‘Born Yesterday’ did not succeed as a romantic film. The film also fails as a comedy. It is actually neither meat nor fish. It is right that the film will not go down in history as a classic. The main reason to watch this remake is Griffith’s portrayal of Billie. Her performance is not Oscar-worthy, but her performance is catchy.