Trading Places (1983)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Timothy Harris (written by)
Herschel Weingrod (written by)

Release Date:

8 June 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

They're not just getting rich... They're getting even.

Plot:

A snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.

Plot Keywords:

Bet | Broker | Commodities | Wager | Beggar

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 5

6:30 AM

TBS

Cast

Denholm Elliott	...	Coleman
Dan Aykroyd	...	Louis Winthorpe III
Maurice Woods	...	Duke & Duke Employee
Richard D. Fisher Jr.	...	Duke & Duke Employee
Jim Gallagher	...	Duke & Duke Employee
Anthony DiSabatino	...	Duke & Duke Employee
Bonnie Behrend	...	Duke & Duke Employee
Sunnie Merrill	...	Duke & Duke Employee
James Newell	...	Duke & Duke Employee (as Jim Newell)
Mary St. John	...	Duke & Duke Employee
Bonnie Tremena	...	Duke & Duke Employee
David Schwartz	...	Duke & Duke Employee
Ralph Bellamy	...	Randolph Duke
Don Ameche	...	Mortimer Duke
Tom Degidon	...	Duke Domestic

Also Known As:

Black or White (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | Iceland:L | Netherlands:6 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:S | Norway:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #26982) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

30th Street Station - 3001 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Cinema Group Ventures

Trivia:

Several scenes were kept in the movie, even though they were considered either goofs or errors. The scene where Mortimer is trying to catch the money clip and having trouble wasn't supposed to happen that way, but both kept going with it and not breaking character, so it was kept in. Another, where Jamie Lee Curtis is doing her lines on the train and is questioned about her accent and outfit not matching, wasn't supposed to be shown either. Curtis couldn't do the correct Austrian accent.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the Christmas party when Winthorpe jumps on the table waving the gun, the clocks show that it is 1905 in Los Angeles, 2205 in Philadelphia and 0205 in London. Daylight Savings Time was not observed between late October and late April so London would be five hours, not four, ahead of Philadelphia.

Quotes:

Ophelia: [Ophelia notices Louis watching her undress] By the way, food and rent aren't the only things around here that cost money. You sleep on the couch.

Movie Connections:

References The Million Pound Note (1954)

Soundtrack:

GET A JOB

Good, well written comedy

One of the best comedies of the 1980's, this stars Eddie Murphy in one of his best roles alongside Dan Aykroyd. The plot is great, a poor, homeless man who has resorted to a life of crime (Murphy) and an upper class yuppie involved in the stock market (Aykroyd) trade places when two devious brothers (Aykroyd's employees) have a bet. This is a very well written, well acted, and well executed comedy, that makes you laugh, but also grips you with a strong plot. Also has a satisfying ending.