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List Price: $9.99 | | Label: Walt Disney Video
Salesrank: 22501
Released: March 4, 2003 |
| Our Price: $5.03 |
| Used Price: $7.48 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Academy Award(R)-nominee Melanie Griffith (Best Actress, 1989 -- WORKING GIRL) stars as Billie Dawn, a Las Vegas showgirl whose lack of sophistication embarrasses her Washington, D.C., millionaire boyfriend (John Goodman -- THE BABE). He, in turn, hires a handsome and well-educated journalist (Don Johnson -- GUILTY AS SIN) to help smarten her up. In no time at all, the millionaire gets much more than he bargains for! And as Billie blossoms into an independent thinker, sparks fly as she uses her learning to turn the nation's capital upside down! You're sure to love BORN YESTERDAY -- the hilariously delightful comedy hit that proves you should never underestimate the power of an underestimated woman!
Born Yesterday Reviews:
Better than I expected 
2009-06-29 - The first time I tried watching this movie I ended up turning it off about a forth of the way through, vastly disappointed with the 1993 remake of one of my favorite movies of all time. Don Johnson's haircut was so goofy that I had a hard time taking him seriously, and Melanie Griffith paled in comparison to Judy Holliday's oscar-winning portrayal of dumb ex-showgirl Billie Dawn in the 1950 version. I was ready to throw the DVD in the garbage and dismiss it as a sorry excuse for a remake.
However, I decided to give it another chance a couple days later and watched the whole thing through. Perhaps I had been a bit hasty. You know what? I'm glad I did.
Melanie Griffith, though no Judy Holliday, did a good job as Billie Dawn. She was very believable. Not quite as comedic as the older version, and a little more toned-down (screaming "WHAAAAAT?" through the house was sadly lacking). Don Johnson played a great Paul Verrel, despite the fact that he is not Bill Holden (sorry, I'm biased), and had a doofy 90's hairdo (I have this thing against grown men with bowl-cuts). John Goodman played the part of Billie's brutish thug boyfriend excellently.
One thing that always bugs me is a remake that is modernized to such an extreme that I cannot tell it is a remake. Modernization often takes away important elements and themes that are central to the original version of the movie. I assumed it would be this way with the 1993 version of Born Yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case! While the costumes and slang were definitely of the 90's, the storyline and underlying themes were very much the same. I love how they kept an (slightly watered-down) aspect of American patriotism in the movie, and reminded us that intellectualism is often a facade for basic ignorance, and that each person has the power, the capacity and the opportunity to learn and grow if they are willing to make an effort. It's a great story.
All of that said, my advice to the prospective buyer is don't purchase the newer version first. Purchase the original version. Then, if you enjoy it as much as I think you will, buy the 1993 version and compare. :)
GOOD ACTING BUT IT'S NOT THE ORIGINAL......
2009-01-09 - 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!
Born Yesterday 
2008-05-05 - Really cute. Thought that it was a nice message for young women. Don't let others define you.
Love this Remake of Born Yesterday 
2008-01-21 - I purchased this DVD to replace the VCR tape I have of this show. I have always enjoyed movies with Melanie Griffith, if you liked the movie "Milk Money", you will like this show.
The movie is a great romantic comedy that says a lot about how a little knowledge can go a long way. Maybe if more people saw it, they could see the value of an education a little more. Also how a teacher can make learning something fun, almost like a game. One of my favorite parts of the entire movie is the scene where she is at a dinner party and the conversation turns to politics and something regarding the Amendments to the Constitution. Billie (Melanie) corrects the person and tells them that the amendment was a different number than the one they said. Then her explaination of how she remembers the amendments to the tune of "The 12 Days of Christmas" is great. She is using one of the great tools of learning something that you need to remember. Teachers could make learning more fun using these kinds of tricks.
Movies like this can give education a better name and make it seem more worthwhile, it can change a person's view of themselves, especially women, to help them develop confidence, self respect, and the realization of their self worth and help them see that it could be part of the answer to helping them get out of abusive relationships.
Loved the rest of the cast...John Goodman plays the part of the abusive, domineering male with gusto and of course Don Johnson is a perfect contrast to Goodman. At the time this movie was made...Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith were married. They made a great looking couple on and off screen.
The beauty of brains
2007-12-31 - 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!
