Evelien's Dagboek

Trading Places

I just saw “Trading Places” on Veronica TV.

My TV-guide announced it as the film of the day and not without reason: “USA 1983. Director John Landis (The Blues Brothers) very successfully entered a field that had been trodden by Hollywood since the thirties. Trading Places is a mixture of films like Hoi Polloi by The Three Stooges (1935) and The prince and the pauper (1937, after Mark Twain’s novel). It is therefore a rightful honor that two actors who were already famous in 1983 play very important characters Trading Places. Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche are Randolph and Mortimer Duke, two filthy rich seniors, who decide to have a bet to settle their on-going ‘nature versus nurture’ discussion. They swap their employee Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) for some poor beggar off the street (Eddie Murphy) to see whether Winthorpe descends to criminality and the beggar can handle the option trading business. Anyone who owns a TV-set has probably seen some shots of the juicy comedy that arises out of this situation. Ameche, Bellamy, Aykroyd and Murphy are often praised for their sharp acting in Trading Places, but it were the co-starring actors Jamie Lee Curtis as a ‘hooker with a heart of gold’ and Denholm Elliott as the butler who won a British Academy Award.”

This is one good movie. The plot is strong and funny. And we see beautiful camera work, together with fitting music. Also the acting is outstanding. Go and see this! Just sit back, relax and enjoy. Recommended!

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