The film fan's tendency is to resist a remake of a classic. And indeed, the first 40 minutes of this one gives us every cause.

The old magic exercises its spell in the last hour, though, even in diluted form, so that we cheer once again for bimbo mistress Billie Dawn, as she 'gets learning' and turns the tables on her tycoon lover.

Melanie Griffith is ideally cast as the hapless showgirl taught the facts of American life by journalist Don Johnson, but the lighting is unflattering to her, so that she looks too old for the role.

Johnson is completely nebulous as the journalist/teacher originally played by William Holden, and John Goodman quite effective as the blustery blowhard immortalised by Broderick Crawford.

But all the plays on our emotions work because of writer Garson Kanin's original Broadway ideas and not this new treatment of his stage and film original.

Have a look, then wait for the Judy Holliday version to come round: this is the real class.