# Movies with the same plot. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839 "2010-08-20T05:16:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/81 "2010-08-27T15:20:56Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Can’t believe no one has yet mentioned (if they did, sorry I overlooked it, but I did look) the enormous “kid becomes a grownup/grownup becomes a kid” genre, which includes the sub-genre “kid and grownup switch bodies”. A few such films: > > **Freaky Friday > Big > 17 Again > 13 Going On 30 > Vice Versa > Peggy Sue Got Married > Like Father Like Son** I am far too lazy to look them up but also the sex change/swap movies and the race change/swap movies. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/82 "2010-08-27T22:17:12Z")
Small town lawyer (with an elderly alcoholic mentor) takes a case defending a man who blew away the scum that attacked his family. Even though the case is open-and-shut, the crusader for justice squares off against a hard-ass prosecutor in an emotional, no-holds-barred courtroom drama. _A Time to Kill_, and the vastly superior _Anatomy of a Murder_. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/83 "2010-08-28T01:06:35Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > Small town lawyer (with an elderly alcoholic mentor) takes a case defending a man who blew away the scum that attacked his family. Even though the case is open-and-shut, the crusader for justice squares off against a hard-ass prosecutor in an emotional, no-holds-barred courtroom drama. > > _A Time to Kill_, and the vastly superior _Anatomy of a Murder_. With one big difference between the two. In _A Time to Kill_, the facts of who did what are not in dispute, it’s a question of justification. In _Anatomy of a Murder_, the whole trial revolves around the question of whether the defendant’s wife really was raped or whether she was cheating on her husband. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/84 "2010-08-28T03:47:08Z")
The owner of a bar in a quasi-neutral city is reluctantly involved with the resistance to a powerful fascist government when an ex-lover shows up. _Casablanca_ & _Barb Wire_ (although technically the second was a comic book character first). ---
**Author:** ![alfonzos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alfonzos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alfonzos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/85 "2010-08-29T22:16:42Z")
Entertainers are mistaken for heroes who are supposed to rescue the populace from the villians. **The Three Amigos** and **A Bug’s Life** Urban hipster learns to love the hick town he originally loathed. **Doc Hollywood** and **Cars** ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/86 "2010-08-29T22:47:56Z")
> [@alfonzos](#): > > Entertainers are mistaken for heroes who are supposed to rescue the populace from the villians. **The Three Amigos** and **A Bug’s Life** … And **Galaxy Quest**. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/87 "2010-08-30T09:53:40Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Nuclear-armed bombers start an unauthorized attack against the Soviet Union, threatening nuclear armageddon. The very measures put into place to ensure a successful nuclear strike defeat efforts to stop the attack, and so the absurdity of planning to destroy the world is shown: **Dr. Strangelove** (done as a black comedy) and **Failsafe** (done as a thriller/tragedy). While the nuclear part only crops up at the end, the “safety measures become the trap” aspect is used in Salt ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/88 "2010-08-30T09:56:10Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > > [@jayjay](#): > > > > A pair of musicians/singers witness a mob killing and go on the run, finding musical employment disguised as the opposite sex/pretending to be disguised as the opposite sex. > > > > **Some Like It Hot** and **Connie and Carla**. > > Or simply disguised as a nun: **Sister Act** What were the names of the ones where the escaping woman managed to fall in with a bunch of librarians (in the first version) and a bunch of musicians (in the musical remake)? A lot of the actors repeated roles, even. No imdb access at work. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/89 "2010-08-30T11:40:02Z")
To respond to **Enright 3** point by point: > [@](#): > > I don’t remember Audrey Hepburn singing the theme song which becomes a huge international hit. If anything Never On Sunday is closer to Pygmalion “Moon River” ring any bells? It was composed by Mancini with Audrey’s limited vocal range in mind, although Andy Williams sang the hit single. > [@](#): > > Wow. What a stretch. Starfighter is about a video game that is used as a tool to find the next star fighter. War games is about a kid who hacks into NORAD and uses the computer against itself to stop nuclear destruction. That’s a pretty vague statement to say the story has the same plot. I’ll give you this one, only because I haven’t seen either of these movies since their respective first runs. > [@](#): > > Unless there is a version of My Life as a Dog that’s about doggy style sex in the movies, these aren’t the same plot. Kid can’t get along with his parents, gets kicked out of the house, winds up living with a surrogate family of eccentrics, where he discovers his true self. More thematic than plot similarities, but the plot similarities are there. > [@](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever seen Evolution. Anyone want to jump in on this one? It’s a scene-for-scene remake of **Ghostbusters** , with rapidly evolving aliens instead of ghosts and Julianne Moore instead of Dan Aykroyd. Both, incidentally, were directed by Ivan Reitman. > [@](#): > > Not. Even. Close. Think of Jack Black as Robert Preston and Joan Cusack as Shirley Jones. > [@](#): > > I didn’t know there was a sleazy rock star in Ted Hamilton. Okay, substitute “sleazy male celebrity” for “sleazy rock star.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/90 "2010-08-30T12:02:32Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Thunderball** and **Never Say Never Again** have the same plot, and many of the same names, but that really is pretty much a remake. I think for legal purposes, _NSNA_ is based on the original treatment written by Fleming, McClory and Whittingham, rather than a remake of _Thunderball._ Hence, the movies come from the same source material, rather than one being a remake of the other. Millions of dollars ride on hair-splits like these. Anyway, I remember thinking while watching _Secretary_ that though the movie’s action was unconventional (what with the bondage and spanking and all), the plot was fairly standard romcom fare. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/91 "2010-08-30T12:14:05Z")
> [@](#): > > I think for legal purposes, NSNA is based on the original treatment written by Fleming, McClory and Whittingham, rather than a remake of Thunderball. Hence, the movies come from the same source material, rather than one being a remake of the other. > Millions of dollars ride on hair-splits like these. _Twice_ in one thread someone feels compelled to explain this. I think most Dopers know about this. There’s no need to bring it up. God knows I didn;'t feel I had to explain it when I wrote the original post, even though I knew all about it. And, even though **Never Say Never Again** was, I agree, based on the same basic material, it can’t _help_ being a remake – everyone involved was aware of the original film (and thw writers even got writing credit on both films), and couldn’t help being influenced by it. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/92 "2010-08-30T12:24:06Z")
How about eXistenz and Inception? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/93 "2010-08-30T12:27:46Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > I think for legal purposes, NSNA is based on the original treatment written by Fleming, McClory and Whittingham, rather than a remake of Thunderball. Hence, the movies come from the same source material, rather than one being a remake of the other. > > Millions of dollars ride on hair-splits like these. > > _Twice_ in one thread someone feels compelled to explain this. Well, we only have no life twice. You’re using “remake” differently than I would, but no matter. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/94 "2010-08-30T14:27:16Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > > [@CalMeacham](#): > > > > _Twice_ in one thread someone feels compelled to explain this. > > Well, we only have no life twice. ¡LOL! ---
**Author:** ![Ninja\_Lauren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@Ninja\_Lauren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninja_Lauren)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/95 "2010-08-30T15:08:41Z")
Team America World Police and G.I. Joe. Same plot (Team of crack fighters defending America and freedom, who have to blow up half of the known world to get those terrorists and save the day!) Except G.I. Joe was supposed to be serious. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/96 "2010-08-30T15:24:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Except G.I. Joe was supposed to be serious. The title of the movie was _G.I. Joe_. How serious could it have been? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/97 "2010-08-30T16:03:01Z")
More than one reviewer mentioned that G.I. Joe was practically a live-action version of Team America World Police. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/98 "2010-08-30T16:08:10Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > More than one reviewer mentioned that G.I. Joe was practically a live-action version of Team America World Police. Did _G. I. Joe_ have the lead marionettes knock boots? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/99 "2010-08-30T20:35:35Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > > [@kunilou](#): > > > > Or simply disguised as a nun: **Sister Act** > > What were the names of the ones where the escaping woman managed to fall in with a bunch of librarians (in the first version) and a bunch of musicians (in the musical remake)? A lot of the actors repeated roles, even. No imdb access at work. Found them: **Ball of Fire** and its musical remake **A Song is Born** ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839/100 "2010-08-31T00:18:04Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > _Taylor of Panama_ is _Our Man in Havana_ > _Made of Honor_ is _My Best Friend’s Wedding_ > > Of course there are the countless Akira Kurosawa knock-offs which are too numerous to list… Yeah, that bastard Shakespeare _totally_ ripped off _The Seven Samurai_ and _Throne Of Blood_ to write _King Lear_ and _Macbeth_. Lazy fuck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-same-plot/550839.md?page=6)