The Remake: Walter Hill's classic 1985 comedy about a Minor League baseball player (Richard Pryor) who must spend $30 million in 30 days in order to inherit $300 million, without telling anyone about the deal. Though reviews have been mixed since release, the film endures much stronger with audiences than critics as a classic Pryor comedy vehicle. The Original: Believe it or not, the 1985 movie was the seventh film based on George Barr McCutcheon's 1902 novel, and to date there are nine remakes of the first movie, which was released in 1914 and is now considered lost. The most famous of the previous adaptations is the 1945 movie, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Music, and in rather timely fashion depicted the protagonist as a soldier returning from war (he was in fact a stockbroker in the original novel). Though nowhere near as well-known as the Pryor movie, it's certainly more acclaimed in the circles of those who bothered to watch it, and is considered by some to be the best of the ten adaptations. Somewhat ironically, producer Edward Small remade his own 1945 version with 1961's Three on a Spree, the final remake before the 1985 version. Which One Is Better?: The 1945 one, no question. Though it didn't capture the public's imagination in quite the same way, it's a classier effort and has that all-important WWII context. Which other movies out there are surprising remakes? Did any entries on this list surprise you? When do you think they'll remake Brewster's Millions next? Shout it out in the comments!
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
