Switch (1991)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writer (WGA):

Blake Edwards (written by)

Release Date:

10 May 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Fantasy | Comedy

Tagline:

Steve and Walter used to have a preference for blondes. Then Steve was murdered... and came back as one. Will being a woman make him a better man?

Plot:

A sexist, chauvinist pig gets his just desserts when his angry ex-girlfriends murder him and he is reincarnated as a woman.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Makeup | Barbershop | 1980s | Fishing

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Ellen Barkin	...	Amanda Brooks
Jimmy Smits	...	Walter Stone
JoBeth Williams	...	Margo Brofman
Lorraine Bracco	...	Sheila Faxton
Tony Roberts	...	Arnold Freidkin
Perry King	...	Steve Brooks
Bruce Payne	...	The Devil (as Bruce Martyn Payne)
Lysette Anthony	...	Liz
Victoria Mahoney	...	Felicia
Basil Hoffman	...	Higgins
Catherine Keener	...	Steve's Secretary
Kevin Kilner	...	Dan Jones
David Wohl	...	Attorney Caldwell
James Harper	...	Lieutenant Laster
John Lafayette	...	Sergeant Phillips

Also Known As:

Blake Edwards' Switch (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Norway:10 (1991) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Beco Films

Trivia:

This film was indirectly referenced in numerous episodes of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" (1988). In the original television spots for the film, Jimmy Smits name was announced in an unusual way: "Ellen Barkin. Switch. Jimmy Smits. Starts Friday." The writers of MST3K found it amusing that Smits' name was announced after the title and not announced as "also starring Jimmy Smits" or "with Jimmy Smits", only as "Jimmy Smits". In various episodes, a character would say "Jimmy Smits" whenever the word "switch" was uttered or sometimes for seemingly no reason at all.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Margo fires her revolver at Steve, there are no rounds loaded in the gun.

Quotes:

Walter Stone: Hey, you're not gay, are you?
Amanda Brooks: Hey, if I'm gay, then Clint Eastwood's a transvestite.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Dobol dribol (1992)

Soundtrack:

Slam Dunk

Cute

I remember watching this as a kid and loving it; maybe childhood nostalgia colors my opinion, but it's still a guilty pleasure favorite. Ellen Barkin pulls in a funny, realistic performance as a man out of his element, JoBeth Williams is deliciously trashy, but the film's greatest saving grace is Jimmy Smits as the one sweet, mature, sensitive guy.