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To some degree this continues the train of thoughts on the remakes vs. the originals. Here we have one of the more benign cases, but an interesting case nonetheless.
The original "Scent of a Woman" (Profumo di Donna) movie was made in 1974 and features an INCREDIBLE cast. Start with the main character played by none other than the Italy's most imposing actor of Italy's most imposing actors - why, Vittorio Gassman himself! I was extremely sorry to hear about his death.
Every role by Gassman is a must see, and this one is no exception. He is magnificent. He is simply tons of fun to watch!!!
Playing his young companion is Alessandro Momo - and what a mature young man this one is! His grace, posture and poise are icredible in an actor this young. Why, oh why, did he stop acting after this soft and riveting performance? I am sorry to see him completely disappear.
Can an actress be EVEN more beautiful than young Jacqueline Bisset? If you answered NO, you are not far from truth, but wait till you see Agostina Belli... She is bound to change your paradigm. Apparently her career too fizzled after this movie. Too bad.
What about the movie itself? VERY Italian. VERY debonair. Full of class. And fun.
How does it compare to the remake? Well, first, both leading men are strong, but between the two performances, there is no question - Gassmann is more natural and graceful. Al's character is just too much overdone in a typical Hollywood fashion, he is on a verge of losing all human qualities and becoming just another cat-out. Still good (he IS a good actor after all), just misdirected.
Both young guys are quite good, and I loved Chris O'Donnell quite a bit, but in terms of the sheer pleasure to watch (like one would watch the steps of the best ball room dancer) the young Italian is more interesting.
On with two young beauties... First of all, their roles are completely different - which is to say that that part of the story itself was substantially rewritten and perhaps made to fit the production press mold. But make your pick here - both are pleasure to watch. Ms Anvar's character doesn't have ANY depth at all, and Agostina actually has to do some acting - not too well, but at a passing level. She is not there to act, after all, she is there to grace the place, to make you want to see more. And THAT she does quite well.
Both moves have not too much in common with our daily lives, but here again the Italian original is more believable. Why?
Look at the scene in the remake that perhaps defines Hollywood's approach to attention grabbing. Something it just can't do without, for it believes that without garbage like that people, the "normal" people, will not part with their money. I am talking, of course, about the blind Ferrari race. That one trully sets the standard for bad taste. It is up there with the Rain Man counting the matches... yep, same cheap, no, make it super-cheap attention getters... sorry they had to do it...
That scene alone could destroy the movie, ANY movie, fortunately the fun element of other parts overweighs it and the net result is OK, but just so, and certainly NOT at the level of the original.
If you liked the general idea behind the Scent of a Woman, then you owe to yourself to look at the original and I can assure you - you will not be disappointed. There is enough good acting, style and beauty in it to make it a worthwhile evening.
Please take a look.

Films/DVD Asylum

"Scent of a Woman" - the REAL thing