Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Two Grifters Off to See the World: Watch the Scam Car, Please

The other night, I watched Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, that 1989 classic comedy about two grifters who charm heiresses out of their fortunes.  Although I'd (somehow) never seen it, the casino and train scenes seemed familiar.  But it wasn't until Michael Caine led his wealthy, would-be wife to meet Steve Martin masquerading as his two-fries-short-of-a-Happy Meal brother that I realized it was almost exactly the same as 2019's The Hustle with Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson.  It was weird to stumble upon the original of a movie that I didn't even know was a remake.  Even stranger, I'd watched The Hustle last spring, around the beginning of the quarantine.  And that made me wonder: why was the universe sending me its funhouse mirror image three hundred and sixty-five days later?  To tell me that 1) the secret to life is scamming people, 2) Michael Caine is more than Batman's butler, or 3) Steve Martin and Rebel Wilson are just a wig away from being the same person?

Or, the more things change, the more they stay the same?

Yeah, it's probably that one.

Another thing that won't change this spring (or ever) is my disdain, not for trains, but tram cars.  It all goes back to the time I was six and was abandoned on a tram with a mime.  No, that's not true.  But this is the second consecutive post in which I've mentioned mimes.  I just don't like them (tram cars, not mimes.  Wait, no, it's tram cars and mimes).  It haunts/amuses me that trams are probably still running all over the East Coast and beyond, their tinny warning ("Watch the tram car, please!"  "Watch the tram car, please!") as unwelcome as a parole officer at a pig roast.  

That said, this pic of regular cars on a regular road instead of a tram car parting a sea of sunburned suckers on the boardwalk will have to do.     

Because diamonds to doughnuts, if it's a scam -- I mean tram -- car, then it's got its share of scoundrels onboard.  And I don't want to be tricked into a game of eat or be eaten; I want to live and let live.  Like in The Lion King.  

But while we're on the subject of eating -- and doughnuts -- I wouldn't say no to a glazed Krispy Kreme.

8 comments:

Ivy's Closet said...

Oh, such a wonderful review. Of course, I would watch Steve and Rebel in anything.

ellie said...

Thanks for the smile. Wonderfully written. I have not seen the Rebel one, but now I do. Oh..I could go for a Krispy Kreme too. Speaking of which someone asked if Dunkin was still open. Granted, it really isn't much of a bakery anymore since trucks send in the donuts.

Caitlin'nMegan said...

Oh this is so fun! Now I have to see if I can find these two movies to watch. Great post!

Tanza Erlambang said...

love tram...one of cheap transports when I was a teenager...

love doughnut too ....😊👍😊

Samantha said...

What a beautiful photo of the blossom tree!! It's funny when you find a movie you never realized was a remake - or like a song you didn't realize was a cover. I totally thought you were serious when you said you were abandoned on a tram with a mime - I was like, whoa, that's something you don't hear everyday! 😄 Aaand, now I'm craving Krispy Kreme!

The Exclusive Beauty Diary said...

That photo of blossom tree is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

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windowtothebeauty said...

Really pretty 🤩🤩

Jewel Divas Style said...

Yeah, Anne and Rebel did a remake "female" version of it. Which is something that's annoying the hell out of me. Remakes made with females just because they can. Not everything need to be remade.