THE FLIM FLAM MAN

US, 1967, 104 minutes, Colour.
George C. Scott, Michael Sarrazin, Sue Lyon, Harry Morgan.
Directed by Irvin Kershner.

The Flim Flam Man is an entertaining comedy with a very good role for George C. Scott as Mordecai Jones, a conman. Scott portrays the ageing hero of the film very well and comically as well as pathetically. The film also introduces Michael Sarrazin as his offsider and he has gone on to quite an outstanding career.

Direction is by Irvin Kirschner who had made such unusual comedies as A Fine Madness. In the 70s, Kirschner went on to make such films as Loving, Up the Sandbox, Spies, The Return of the Man Called Horse, Operation Thunderbolt. He was chosen to be the director of the second Star Wars film. This is a very entertaining piece of folksy Americana.

1. How appealing a comedy, how enjoyable? A particularly American comedy? Its universal appeal?

2. The importance of Panavision, colour, country and town locations? Whimsical musical score? The significance of the title and its application to Mordecai? His reputation?

3. A British interpretation was the alternate title, One Born Every Minute. The significance?

4. George C. Scott and his contribution to the character of Mordecai Jones? The style of his make-up, crotchety old character, his philosophy of life, people are there to be conned, whimsically? His cynical attitude towards the greedy? His way as a tutor? A likeable old rogue?

5. The film presenting him through his con tricks e.g. the cards, the gamblers, the cars, the whisky? The elements of comedy in these con tricks? The revelation of character, the admiration of Curly? The people who were tricked? The moral behind the tricks?
6. The contrast with the character of Curly? our first seeing him, the train, the helping of Mordecai? The bonds between the two? His background, military, going away from home? The importance of his stated principles? How did they change? His invitation by Mordecai to participate in the tricks? Share in Mordecai's view of life? How much did he participate, change his attitude?

7. The paralleling of the two men? The tutor and the tutored? Mordecai's expectations of the future, Curly's? The importance of conscience and the awareness of the effects of confidence tricks? The pursuit by authority? The importance of Curly's falling in love and the changing of his perspective?

8. The film was punctuated by comic chases. The comedy elements, the significance of these two on the run, victims, the pursuers and their attitudes?

9. Comment on the types who were tricked: the men tricked by the cards, greedy storekeepers etc.? Did they deserve to be tricked and cheated?

10. The compassionate housewife and her lending of the car? The confidence trick of the doctor? How well did Mordecai do it, persuading the mother, not the daughter? Curly's reaction and his change of attitude? The fact that it led to such a car chase with all the spectacular aspects of the chase, the smashes? The father watching his car being smashed? How much did the audience enjoy this, share Mordecai’s point of view, share Curly's puzzle and change of heart?

11. Comment on the portrait of the police, especially the sheriff and his assistant? Their participation in the chase, inefficiency, self-importance? Their determination in pursuing the bootleggers, the siege?

12. Mordecai's life as having to hide out so much? Curly sharing this and helping him? The importance of the truck on the rails?

13. Curly's change of heart, his falling in love, the response of the girl?

14. The inevitability of the arrest, prison? The effect of prison on each of them? Mordecai as desperate? The complacency of the sheriff?

15. The humour of Curly's turning against Mordecai and his confidence trick? The effect of turning Mordecai free and the loyalty of the pupil to the teacher?

16. The melodramatics of the siege? Curly's supreme confidence trick? The sentiment and pathos as Mordecai watched, escaped, the waiting for the telephone call? Curly, the girl, the family?

17. The irony of Mordecai going on? How enjoyable a character, how pathetic?

18. The contrast with Curly and his willingness to go to prison? Having something to believe in?

19. How apt the blend between the comic overtones and the serious undertones of the story?