Did you know?

[RickinNYC]

Joe and I DVR'ed a bunch of old movies from the 30's and 40's. It's a great way to say indoors on cold winter nights. We saved and recently watched "First a Girl" from 1935. The story was about a young actress, down on her luck, who meets an actor who makes his living as a female impersonator. Because they met in a rain storm, he gets a cold and can't go on that evening. In a flash of brilliance, he convinces his new friend that she can pretend to be a man, to be a woman...

Get the picture?

I had no flippin' idea that Victor Victoria was a remake.

And I just IMDB'ed this and found out that "First a Girl" was a remake of a German movie called... "Victor und Victoria."

 

[amyhughes]

Joe and I DVR'ed a bunch of old movies from the 30's and 40's. It's a great way to say indoors on cold winter nights. We saved and recently watched "First a Girl" from 1935. The story was about a young actress, down on her luck, who meets an actor who makes his living as a female impersonator. Because they met in a rain storm, he gets a cold and can't go on that evening. In a flash of brilliance, he convinces his new friend that she can pretend to be a man, to be a woman...

Get the picture?

I had no flippin' idea that Victor Victoria was a remake.

And I just IMDB'ed this and found out that "First a Girl" was a remake of a German movie called... "Victor und Victoria."

As soon as I read that premise I thought, "Is that Victor/Victoria?"

 

[Planogirl]

I suspect that we might be surprised at how many well-known movies are remakes.

I've been in an old movie mood myself lately. I watched Captain Blood the other day and it doesn't get much better than Errol Flynn playing a pirate.

 

[amyhughes]

Chicago, the Broadway musical before it became a film version, was also based on an old film. I think it starred Ginger Rogers.

 

[agnes!]

Chicago, the Broadway musical before it became a film version, was also based on an old film. I think it starred Ginger Rogers.

Which in turn was based on some real-life stories out of Chicago in the day, written by a 'Mary Sunshine' sob-sister newspaper columnist (or radio commentator).

Did some further investigating *and*
This is the chain of media incarnations, so far as I can figure them out, from most recent to original happenings...

Chicago(2002, the movie musical) starring Catherine Zeta-Jones et al
based on
Chicago(1996 Broadway version, new & improved musical starring Bebe Neuwirth, HUGE hit)
based on
Chicago(1975, original Broadway musical, starring Gwen Verdon, not a super hit)
based on
Roxie Hart(1942) Ginger Rogers movie
based on
Chicago(1927 silent film, produced by Cecil B. deMille, starring Phyllis Haver as Roxie)
based on
Chicago(1926 Broadway play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins)
based on
the real-life murder trials in the spring of 1924 of Beulah Annan & Belva Gaertner as accounted by Maurine Dallas Watkins, the columnist assigned to cover the trials by the Chicago Tribune newspaper

[Information from the Wikipedia article on "Chicago", imdb.com, Amazon.com & personal knowledge]
agnes!

 

[GeorgeG]

I did not know that. I guess that goes the same as with music, though. A lot of songs we hear today are remakes of songs from all through the 1900's. Good songs will find new life about every other generation. Seems the same goes with movies and even clothing styles.

 

[Hercules10]

Hmmmm think it's time for another remake?

You could call it Rick and Ricki?

 

[HunnyPots]

Having Turner Classic Movies has been an education for me. Besides the one you mentioned, I also learned that Adam Sandler's Mr. Deeds character was originally played by Gary Cooper and that You've Got Mail was based on the movie, The Shop Around the Corner starring Jimmy Stewart.

 

[RickinNYC]

Hmmmm think it's time for another remake?

You could call it Rick and Ricki?

Hells no. I'm 6'4" and have scruff. Can you imagine?

 

[Hercules10]

Hey! If Robin Williams can pull it off so can you!

 

[Missy1961]

Having Turner Classic Movies has been an education for me. Besides the one you mentioned, I also learned that Adam Sandler's Mr. Deeds character was originally played by Gary Cooper and that You've Got Mail was based on the movie, The Shop Around the Corner starring Jimmy Stewart.

And "In the Good Old Summertime" with Judy Garland was based on "The Shop Around the Corner".

 

[EpcotBeauty]

I watched a marathon of Vivien Leigh movies on TCM a few weeks ago. I was in old movie heaven! I am such a nerd when it comes to Vivien Leigh, I can name every movie she was ever in.

 

[diznygirl]

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - one of my husband favorite movies - is a remake of the 1964 movie Bedtime Story starring David Niven and Marlon Brando. A lot of the dialogue is the same.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I've come to the realization that everything in entertainment is regurgitated. Same songs, same movies and if it's something "new" here in the U.S., it's probably already been done overseas (like game shows).

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Yes. I knew that Victor/Victoria was a remake.
TCM is one of my fave channels as I'm an classic movie buff. I have over 2000 movies and more than half are from before 1970. Most from the 30's-50's.

Actually, I also DVR'ed "First a Girl". I now have it on tape to watch any time I want.