Bedtime Story is a 1964 American caper comedy film directed by Ralph Levy, best known now for being remade into Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Hustle.
Lawrence Jameson (David Niven) is a debonair con artist living in Beaumont-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, where he pretends to be the deposed prince of an enslaved people to swindle rich women out of their money and jewelry. Freddy Benson (Marlon Brando) is a US Army corporal stationed in Germany, where he runs his own con of seducing women with sob stories about his sick German grandmother. After the two meet on a train, Freddy follows Lawrence to his home so Lawrence can teach him how to get rich conning people. When their partnership doesn't work out, the two make a bet: the first person who can con $25,000 out of American heiress Janet Walker (Shirley Jones) gets to stay, while the other must leave Beaumont-sur-Mer forever.
Bedtime Story contains examples of:
- All Psychology Is Freudian: Lawrence speculates that Freddy's misogynistic views come from a negative experience with his mother, possibly involving his potty training.
- Binocular Shot: Lawrence watches through binoculars as Freddy and one of his marks drive through Beaumont-sur-Mer.
- Blackmail: Freddy stops his general from disciplining him by reminding that if he does, his inability to curb Freddy's rampant misbehavior will be exposed. He says, ""Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word, sir. Couldn't we use the word 'persuasion'?"
- Bridal Carry: Freddy drives a riding lawnmower to the beach. Afterwards, Leon carries him back while he complains about how weak and helpless he is.
- Dirty Cop: Lawrence's friend Andre, a police inspector who helps him con women and offers several times to help dispose of Freddy.
- Dramatic Sit-Down: Andre wakes up Lawrence to tell him that Freddy had sex with Janet. He says, "You would be wise to hear the news lying down."
- Florence Nightingale Effect: Freddy thinks Janet is in love with him, but Lawrence informs him that her feelings are nothing more than pity.Janet: A person like Freddy just naturally attracts kindness, and gentleness, and affection.
- Groupie Brigade: Freddy boards the train Lawrence is on, pursued by a crowd of women he seduced.
- Just Like Robin Hood: Lawrence cons people in order to fund starving artists in his town, like a silversmith who takes four months to complete a piece to his satisfaction and has been outcompeted by factories, a man who wants to invent a new kind of violin, and a dance studio that would have gone under otherwise, because he believes in the importance of art and culture.
- Obfuscating Disability: Freddy pretends to be a soldier rendered psychosomatically paraplegic by the trauma of his girlfriend leaving him for a dancer. He will need $25,000 of Janet's money to be treated by the celebrated psychiatrist Dr. Emile Schauffhausen. When Lawrence learns of Freddy's plan, he pretends to be Dr. Schauffhausen, and tells Janet that giving Freddy any money will undermine his therapy.
- Obfuscating Insanity: Lawrence has Freddy pose as his mentally challenged brother Ruprecht, who insists on calling the latest mark "mother," needs to be spoon fed, sometimes flies into violent rages, and will require constant care, in order to prevent a woman from marrying him after he's taken her money.Lawrence: Thank heavens this will only happen to one out of every three of our children!
- Once Upon a Time: The opening narration.Once upon a time, in a castle by the sea, there lived a handsome prince. Well, it wasn't really a castle. It was a chateau on the French Riviera. And he wasn't really a prince, although people thought he was, especially his victims.… Although his victims gave up priceless treasures, there was none but felt that it was a poor price to pay for such a glorious adventure. Meanwhile, in a forest surrounding a little German village, there was a wolf. He prowled the countryside in search of victims. Like the prince, he preyed only upon women.
- Roadside Wave: As Freddy drives onto Lawrence's property, he makes sure to drive through a puddle, drenching a gardener in a riding lawnmower.
- Sand Necktie: Lawrence subjects Freddy to the warm sand treatment, which involves being buried up to his neck in sand for several hours while being harassed by seagulls.
- Storybook Opening: The movie opens with a popup book showing some of the movie's locations, with Freddy represented by a wolf spying on a woman from behind a tree.
