Artistic note: 
(3.5/5)
Synopsis
Two con artists, Freddy Benson, and Lawrence Jamieson, a high-flying scam artist who feels that Benson is hurting his reputation. Lawrence therefore decides to help Freddy develop his “talents”. But very quickly, the two crooks will realize that the Riviera is not big enough for them…
- Original Title: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
- Media tested: Blu-ray
- Genre: comedy
- Year: 1988
- Director: Frank Oz
- Cast: Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Glenne Headly, Anton Rodgers, Barbara Harris, Ian McDiarmid, Dana Ivey, Meagen Fay
- Duration: 1 h 50 min 23
- Video format: 16:9
- Cine format: 1.85/1
- Subtitles: French
- Soundtracks: LPCM 5.1 English – LPCM 2.0 French
- Bonus: presentation of the film by journalist Stéphane Moïssaki (2023, 25 min 30)
- Publisher: BQHL Editions
Art commentary
According to screenwriter Dale Launer (cf. American blu-ray bonus), The more scammer of the two was first a project for Mick Jagger and David Bowie, seduced by the success of Is there someone to kill my wife? (1986) that he had written. The idea was to make a remake of the film The Seducers (Bedtime Story, 1964), but it will ultimately be Steve Martin and Michael Caine who will end up becoming the protagonists of the comedy. It will be directed by Frank Oz, who started his career as a puppeteer and lent his voice to Miss Piggy and Yoda while acting for John Landis. Passed to the realization in 1980 with dark-crystalco-directed with Jim Henson, he is best known for directing the musical The Little Shop of Horrors (1986) with Steve Martin (cult sequence of the dentist) which precedes this comedy. The cast of The more scammer of the two. brings together an unlikely but very fit trio: the lovely Glenne Headly (Jane Colgate), the hilarious Steve Martin (Freddy Benson) and the dashing Michael Caine (Lawrence Jameson). The two men take over the roles of Marlon Brando and David Niven (in homage Michael Caine has slicked back hair and a mustache). In indescribable secondary roles, Anton Rodgers plays the inspector, Ian McDiarmid the butler Arthur, Barbara Harris and Meagen Fay two rich heiresses. When he accepts this role, the British Michael Caine, Hollywood star par excellence, rubs shoulders with lighter and humorous jobs, not afraid of self-mockery: as an elegant and stylish trickster, he is perfect in his role as a high-flying capable of showing off the casual Freddy, jubilantly played (scene of the simian brother Ruprecht) by Steve Martin. The latter, straight out of Saturday Night Live, uses his physique and his facial expressions to improvise a number of hilarious scenes (learning by Lawrence, prison scene): a total contrast to Michael Caine which works wonderfully. Faced with this ineffable duo, Glenne Headly skillfully uses her sexy grace and her sense of timing. Like in the original movie, The more scammer of the two takes place in magnificent and luxurious realistic settings of Beaulieu-sur-Mer and the Côte d’Azur where the film was shot. For this plot, which is based on the classic principle of pretense and manipulation, the slaughter of the actors and actresses is absolutely irresistible. It must be believed that this story pleased the general public since it will be transposed into a musical in 2004 and once again adapted to the cinema in 2019 with The hit of the century, a disappointing feminist version with Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. This Blu-ray reissue offers a beautiful bright and colorful copy: we just regret the absence of the trailer with its unpublished sequence…
Technical Comment
Picture : HD copy, excellent definition and constant sharpness on the details, fine film texture (35 mm filming with Arriflex camera, new 2019 Master Format 2K), clean and very bright image with excellent contrast with deep blacks, realistic color grading, colorimetry warm shimmering with vivid and nuanced hues
Her : English 5.1 mix (remix: Dolby SR at the cinema), clear and centered dialogues, excellent dynamics on the atmospheres (transport, hotel, beach) and the cheerful score of Mile Goodamn, spatialization limited to a few surround effects (sea, traffic, train ) which mainly benefits the music, very punctual but effective LFE; VF 2.0 clear and dynamic, neat dubbing
Our opinion
Picture : (4.5/5)
Sound mixes: 
(4/5)
Bonuses: (2.5/5)
Packaging: (3/5)
IMDb : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095031/
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