RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Born Yesterday
Born Yesterday

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Born Yesterday (1950)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
95 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:20

Fresh:19

Rotten:1

Average Rating:8.1/10

Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins

Genre: Comedies

US Box Office: $0

Synopsis: Judy Holliday reprises her Broadway role in this fresh and entertaining comedy based on Garson Kanin's play, directed by George Cukor. Although reputedly not the first choice for the film role,... Judy Holliday reprises her Broadway role in this fresh and entertaining comedy based on Garson Kanin's play, directed by George Cukor. Although reputedly not the first choice for the film role, Holliday won an Academy Award for her priceless portrayal of a "dumb but savvy" blonde who outsmarts the man who attempts to control her. Junk tycoon Harry Crock (Broderick Crawford) uses his ignorant and naive mistress, ex-chorus girl Billy Dawn (Holliday), as a front for his shady deals but finds himself embarrassed to travel in Washington society with his illiterate paramour. Crock hires a journalist (William Holden) who agrees to educate Billy. Holliday is delightful in her transformation to a woman of intellect and culture; the Pygmalion-like story is filled with laughs and sexual innuendo. Billy is an apt pupil and the brutish Crock is the loser in the love game in this appealing, deft film. [More]

Starring: Judy Holliday, William Holden, Frank Otto, Broderick Crawford

Starring: Judy Holliday, William Holden, Frank Otto, Broderick Crawford, Howard St. John, Larry Oliver, Grandon Rhodes, Barbara Brown, Claire Carleton, Charles Cane, Helen Eby-Rock, Mike Mahoney

Director: George Cukor

Director: George Cukor
Composer: Frederick Hollander

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Born Yesterday

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Lively political comedy.

Full Review Source: Classic Film and Television | comment Comment
08/08/08
Michael E. Grost
Michael E. Grost
Classic Film and Television

George Cukor directed, a little impersonally for him.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
01/11/08
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

Judy Holliday steals the show as the dumb blonde whose gangster boyfriend wants her to acquire some culture, so he hires her a tutor.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/11/08
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

The highlight of this lively Garson Kanin Broadway comedy is the most delightful 'dumb blonde' to ever grace the screen...

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
01/11/08
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

By the timer Kanin's play was made into a film, the work has lost some of its political bite, and the last reel is too preachy for a comedy, but make no mistake, as the dumb blonde Judy Holliday is brilliant.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
04/10/07
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Magic.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Its attack on the political system being corrupted is too mild for today's even more expanded corrupt times.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/03/06
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It's full of great ideas about the wonder of the common man.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Brad Laidman
Brad Laidman
Film Threat

No review available.

comment Comment
05/12/05
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

Fun and funny, with some fabulous verbal sparring.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/15/05
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Speaking in a ditsy, shrill lilt that hints at concealed wisdom, Holliday slyly turns the dumb-blonde stereotype inside out.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
12/03/04
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

No review available.

comment Comment
09/10/04
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
05/14/04
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
05/06/04
Frank Swietek
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

Forget the re-make. This is the original!

comment Comment
04/15/04
Susan Granger
Susan Granger
www.susangranger.com

The real chemistry on screen is between [Judy] Holliday and [Michael] Crawford who deftly and wittily explore every nuance of their relationship.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/24/03
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

More firm in its social implications than ever it was on the stage and blessed with a priceless performance by rocketing Judy Holliday, this beautifully integrated compound of character study and farce made a resounding entry at the Victoria yesterday.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Classic translation of the play that would have been even better with Paul Douglas.

comment Comment
12/29/02
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

No review available.

comment Comment
08/02/02
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

— Sherlock Holmes 26/12
39% 39% The Lovely Bones 26/12
100% 100% The French Kissers 26/12
83% 83% Bright Star 26/12
— Nowhere Boy 26/12
— Alvin and the Chipmunk… 26/12
— Did You Hear About the… 26/12
05% 05% Old Dogs 26/12

What’s Hot On RT

Avatar

Avatar

Watch six new clips from the sci-fi epic

20 Must-See Films

20 Must-See Films

Your essential Summer Movie Guide

Sam Worthington

Sam Worthington

We talk with Avatar's action star

Hot Nine Clips

Hot Nine Clips

New videos from the upcoming all-star musical

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • New Iron Man 2 Clue Posted Source: Screen Rant
8
  • Gibson and DiCaprio are Going Norse Source: HitFix
24
  • Lord of the Rings Coming to Blu-ray April 6 Source: Hollywood Reporter
5
  • Tobey Maguire Rumored for The Hobbit Source: Latino Review
12
  • Mila Kunis Talks Aronofsky's Black Swan Source: Collider.com
12
  • Visiting the Set of The Sorcerer's Apprentice Source: ComingSoon.net
7
  • Weekly Ketchup: James Cameron Plans a Fantastic Voyage
93
  • James Cameron Talks Avatar Sequels Source: Collider.com
8
  • Natalie Portman Will Battle Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Source: Variety
36
  • Marvel Begins Iron Man 2 Viral Campaign Source: Superhero Hype
12
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Avatar Live Up To The Hype?
235
  • Total Recall: Keith David's Best Movies
82
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Girlpower Rules Again with Princess at #1
68
  • Awards Tour 2009: Inglourious Basterds Lead Critics Choice Noms
42
  • The Gimmicks That Changed Cinema: Part 1
37
  • The 10 Best Trailers of the Decade?
36
  • Weekly Ketchup: James Cameron Plans a Fantastic Voyage
31
  • The Effects of Where the Wild Things Are
29
  • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
29
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Born Yesterday at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones
Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones External Link

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs External Link

We're giving away a bunch of stuff from the upcoming Squeakquel.

Win Inglourious Basterds DVDs
Win Inglourious Basterds DVDs External Link

We're giving away five copies of Tarantino's hit, with thanks to Universal. That's a bingo.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.