BORN YESTERDAY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Date Released: 3/26/93 Running Length: 1:40 Rated: PG (Language, mature themes)
Starring: Melanie Griffith, John Goodman, Don Johnson, Edward Hermann Director: Luis Mandoki Producer: D. Constantine Conte Screenplay: Douglas McGrath Music: George Fenton Released by Hollywood Pictures
Powerful, multi-millionaire business man Harry Brock (John Goodman) has come to Washington to bribe a few senators to keep one of his business ventures afloat. Along with him is his airhead mistress Billie Dawn (Melanie Griffith). After Billie has embarrassed Harry at one-too-many social functions, he hires Paul Verrall (Don Johnson), a respected journalist, to "smarten her up". But, as Paul sets to work on Billie, Harry comes to realize that he's getting more than he bargained for.
The original 1950 BORN YESTERDAY, directed by George Cukor and starring June Holliday, William Holden, and Broderick Crawford, is an occasionally amusing, but mostly-flat film, and certainly not deserving of this kind of straightforward remaking. If anything, BORN YESTERDAY was in need of a major reworking - something that writer Douglas McGrath was, for whatever reason, unwilling to do.
Silly, contrived plots like this rely on strong, likable characters to carry a film. When such characters are not present, like in BORN YESTERDAY, the whole project sinks like a stone. The blatantly ridiculous elements of the story become highlighted, the most obvious of which is the movie's central concept that, in a matter of weeks (or is it only days?), an admitted bimbo can be changed into a clever, insightful woman by reading a few books and talking to a charming man. I didn't buy the transformation.
There are a few funny moments which save the movie from becoming terminally tedious. However, one scene that is supposed to be cute and entertaining - a rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" with the amendments of the Constitution replacing the days - is embarrassingly bad. Also, for a movie that's supposed to be lighthearted, there's a depiction of a disturbingly real instance of abuse.
John Goodman is the only member of the cast who gives a reasonable performance. Like many good actors given unredeemably bad guys to play, Goodman has a tendency to go a little too far but, even as he chews on the scenery, he's enjoyable to watch. The same can't be said of either of his co-stars, both of whom continually cause winces.
Melanie Griffith is at least better here than in SHINING THROUGH or A STRANGER AMONG US, but not by much. Admittedly, Billie isn't much of a role, but there are countless other actresses who could have given a better performance. Ms. Griffith appears incapable of doing any real acting, whether the medium is comedy or drama. She was good in SOMETHING WILD, merely competent in WORKING GIRL and PARADISE, and downright awful in everything else. At least in this film, she hasn't been saddled with a role of substance.
Don Johnson is a stiff as a board throughout. At times, he's uncomfortable to watch. Since he's married to Ms. Griffith, one would expect some sort of spark to come across between them, but there's no chemistry evident. I only hope they have a better time together off-screen than they have before the cameras of BORN YESTERDAY.
There's nothing to recommend this movie. It's another lame duck to add to Hollywood Picture's ever-growing collection. With each new film, it's becoming increasingly difficult to remember anything good that they've been responsible for. At any rate, with a combination of Melanie Griffith and a decidedly-weak script, the quality of BORN YESTERDAY - or lack thereof - should be obvious.
Rating: 4.8 (D, *1/2)
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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