The Flim-Flam Man

An aging con artist teams up with an Army deserter to begin fleecing the locals of their hard earned cash. The flim flam man knows all the cons and he and his sidekick run several smooth operations; doing well until they have a run-in with the local constable. Their problems are a direct result of something that the older con man no longer believes in, but is still alive and well in the human heart. Good comedy even though it is dated.

One of those movies that's fun to watch over and over. An all around excellent cast headed up George C. Scott as the traveling con-man . Support by Harry Morgan, Slim Pickens, Strother Martin, Jack Albertson, Michael Sarrazin, Sue Lyon. Woodrow Parfrey and Alice Ghostley make this comedy/light drama film a classic. The con games played on Martin, Pickens and Parfrey are truly great as well as the car and truck chases. You can't help but like this picture.

George C. Scott pulls out the player's whole bag of tricks to play the title role in The Flim Flam Man. This film is one rollicking good time from beginning to end as Scott is always thinking and fast on his feet even when in the clutches of the law.

When we first meet Scott he's at a rural general store showing the locals the fine art of three card monte. At that time he picks up young Michael Sarrazin who Scott takes under his wing, teaches him the tricks of the trade. But Sarrazin is a liability as he's an army deserter. That means he'll have military police forever on his trail.

Sarrazin also gets some romantic notions about the farmer's daughter, in this case Sue Lyon. She wants him to settle down.

The film is one laugh riot from beginning to end. In the supporting cast I have to single out Harry Morgan as the Wile E. Coyote type sheriff and Slim Pickens who gets taken good by his own greed.

My own advice to Sarrazin is turn yourself in and do your time in military prison before you embark on being a conman. Don't need those guys forever on your case. Or get into Canada and do your thing there.

The Flim Flam Man most definitely is George C. Scott's best role in one of his few attempts at comedy.

It's nice to see such an intense great actor like Mr. Scott delve into this type of lazy-style comedy. He's simply marvelous in a W.C. fields type role. Michael Sarrazin is decent and Sue Lyon very fetching. Albert Salmi is great as a deputy. Great cinematography. A 6 out of 10.

1967 was a great year for films and this was not at the top of the heap, but a pure pleasure dramady. Strother Martin shines in a bit role (one of our better characters who died too young). The mediocrity of the rural policeman is a joy to watch. Nicely-paced. George C. Scott should have done a few more like this! The poster is excellent and a fun script. Scott's unkempt dowdiness makes him all the more charming!

George C. Scott was/is a fine actor, he never had to flim-flam in performance, not even in the title role on this one. Watching the dailies, as the Casting Director I knew for sure we had the right leading man. As himself George could not put up with the flim-flam & hype of showbiz. That led to his refusing the hyped & exploited presentation of the awards the industry gave him. He's a true Actor for eternity now.