Main Cast: George C. Scott, Sue Lyon, Michael Sarrazin, Harry Morgan, Jack Albertson
Release Year: 1967
Country: US
Run Time: 115 minutes
Plot
Michael Sarrazin plays Curley, a young man gone AWOL from the Army who soon makes the acquaintance of Mordechai (George C. Scott), a veteran confidence man. Mordecai takes a liking to Curley, and offers to show him the tricks of the trade as they drift through the American South, pulling one scam after another. But when Curley meets Bonnie Lee Packard (Sue Lyon), romance rears its head and Curley decides to go straight. Mordecai is not so easily convinced to leave his trade behind, however, and when a car theft goes spectacularly wrong and Mordecai ends up in jail, Curley has to pull a fast one to got his pal out of stir. The Flim Flam Man also features a host of notable character actors, including Slim Pickens, Alice Ghostley, and Strother Martin. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
An entertaining con man flick, The Flim-Flam Man is a good film, if not a classic. What sets it slightly apart is the commanding performance by George C. Scott in the title role. Scott, made up to appear two decades older than he was at the time, is a hoot in the role, clearly relishing the opportunity to cut loose and play in a wild comedy. It's the kind of role that requires a "take charge" actor, someone who will hold the screen whether indulging in an extravagant gesture or merely a sly wink, and Scott comes through like gangbusters. He also needs an avuncular quality, which Scott supplies, and an ease at switching into believable "folksiness," which he does equally well. He even manages to work up some necessary chemistry with Michael Sarrazin, quite an accomplishment considering how underwhelming the actor is here. Sarrazin's non-performance, as well as his lack of chemistry with Sue Lyon, damages things a bit; fortunately, an army of excellent supporting players, including Alice Ghostley, Jack Albertson, Strother Martin and Slim Pickens, are around to take up the slack. Especially noteworthy among the support is Harry Morgan, who even gives Scott a run for his money on occasion. Flim-Flam's screenplay wanders a bit too much, and it's never totally convincing; but Scott's turn more than makes up for that. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
The derivation of the term flim-flam man (con artist) is debated, but may come from the 1930s law firm of Flam & Flam, lawyers of less-than-sterling repute in the immigrant neighborhood of 165 East 121st St. in New York City.[citation needed]
Plot summary
Scott plays Mordecai C. Jones (self-styled "M.B.S., C.S., D.D. — Master of Back-Stabbing, Cork-Screwing and Dirty-Dealing!"), a drifting con artist who makes his living playing tricks on people in the South. One of his specialties is rigged punchboards. He befriends a young man named Curley (Michael Sarrazin), an AWOL veteran on the run from the United States Army, and the two become a team to make money and keep out of reach of the law.
The car chase scene was filmed in Lawrenceburg, KY and the courthouse scene at the Anderson County courthouse.
