Trading Places

Comedy
Overview : A snobbish investor and a wily street con-artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
Budget : 15000000USD
language : en
Runtime : 116 min
Release Date : 1983-06-07
Imdb ID : tt0086465
Status : Released

Cast

Dan Aykroyd
Louis Winthorpe III

Eddie Murphy
Billy Ray Valentine

Ralph Bellamy
Randolph Duke

Don Ameche
Mortimer Duke

Denholm Elliott
Coleman

Kristin Holby
Penelope Witherspoon

Paul Gleason
Clarence Beeks

Jamie Lee Curtis
Ophelia

Alfred Drake
President of Exchange

Bo Diddley
Pawnbroker

Frank Oz
Corrupt Cop

Jim Belushi
Harvey

Al Franken
Baggage Handler #1

Tom Davis
Baggage Handler #2

Maurice Woods
Duke & Duke Employee

Richard D. Fisher, Jr.
Duke & Duke Employee

Anthony DiSabatino
Duke & Duke Employee

Bonnie Behrend
Duke & Duke Employee

Sunnie Merrill
Duke & Duke Employee

James Newell
Duke & Duke Employee

Mary St. John
Duke & Duke Employee

Bonnie Tremena
Duke & Duke Employee

David Schwartz
Duke & Duke Employee

Tom Degidon
Duke Domestic

William Magerman
Duke Domestic

Alan Dellay
Duke Domestic

Florence Anglin
Duke Domestic

Ray D'Amore
Duke Domestic

Bobra Suiter
Duke Domestic

Herb Peterson
Duke Domestic

Sue Dugan
Duke Domestic

Walt Gorney
Duke Domestic

B. Constance Barry
Duke Domestic

P. Jay Sidney
Heritage Club Doorman

Avon Long
Ezra

Tom Mardirosian
Officer Pantuzzi

Charles Brown
Officer Reynolds

Robert Curtis Brown
Todd

Nicholas Guest
Harry

John Bedford Lloyd
Andrew

Tony Sherer
Philip

Robert Earl Jones
Attendant

Robert E. Lee
Cop #1

Peter Hock
Cop #2

Clint Smith
Doo Rag Lenny

Ron Taylor
Big Black Guy

James D. Turner
Even Bigger Black Guy

Giancarlo Esposito
Cellmate #2

Steve Hofvendahl
Cellmate #3

James Eckhouse
Guard

Gwyllum Evans
President of Heritage Club

Eddie Jones
Cop #3

John McCurry
Cop #4

Michelle Mais
Hooker #1

Barra Khan
Hooker #2

Bill Cobbs
Bartender

Joshua Daniel
Party Goer

Jacques Sandulescu
Creepy Man

W.B. Brydon
Bank Manager

Margaret H. Flynn
Duke & Duke Receptionist

Kelly Curtis
Muffy

Tracey K. Shaffer
Constance

Susan Fallender
Bunny

Lucianne Buchanan
President's Mistress

Paul Garcia
Jr. Executive #1

Jed Gillin
Jr. Executive #2

Jimmy Raitt
Ophelia's Client

Kate Taylor
Duke's Secretary

Philip Bosco
Doctor

Bill Boggs
Newscaster

Deborah Reagan
Harvey's Girlfriend

Don McLeod
Gorilla

Stephen Stucker
Stationmaster

Richard Hunt
Wilson

Paul Austin
Trader #1

John Randolph Jones
Trader #2

Jack Davidson
Trader #3

Bernie McInerney
Trader #4

Maurice Copeland
Secretary of Agriculture

Ralph Clanton
Official #1

Bryan Clark
Official #2

Gary Klar
Longshoreman

Afemo Omilami
Longshoreman

Shelly Chee Chee Hall
Monica

Donna Palmer
Gladys

Barry Dennen
Demitri

Murray Bandel
Man at Police Station (uncredited)

Benjean
Stray Dog (uncredited)

John Black
Man Sitting on Couch at Party (uncredited)

John Landis
Man with Briefcase (uncredited)

Shirley Levine
Bag Lady (uncredited)

Charles Pendelton
Cop (uncredited)

Yvonna Russell
Girl in Park (uncredited)

Jan Saint
Man in Police Station (uncredited)

Arleen Sorkin
Woman at Party (uncredited)

Ronald Sylvers
Rolls Royce Driver (uncredited)

Marlene Willoughby
Woman Passed Out on Couch (uncredited)

Jim Gallagher
Duke & Duke Employee

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Reviews

John Chard
The Prince and the Pauper with Eddie & Dan on sparkling form. Mortimer & Randolph Duke are two repugnantly rich brothers, they make a bet that sees the role reversal of top toff yuppie, Louis Winthorpe, and wise cracking street hustler bum, Billy Ray Valentine. That's about the strength of the films plot, yet it makes for a very funny film that crackles with glee due to it's excellently written script. Watching the respective characters rise and fall respectively creates laughs aplenty whilst asking the question of how we all would cope in similar circumstances? Sure the film does beat one over the head with its social message, we are in no doubt from the off about the gap between the rich and the poor, and yes the colour of a persons skin also rears its ugly head here to make this one of the more braver comedies of the 80s. Billy Ray Valentine (a brilliant dual performance from Eddie Murphy) is elevated up the social ladder, he becomes a force in industry, but as the progression enthrals him it also makes him aware that the things at the top end of the ladder aren't exactly stand up doings. Winthorpe (a perfectly casted Dan Ackroyd) drops further down the social ladder and resorts to behaviour that nobody from the upper echelons could ever have dreamed he would be capable of - it's only an encounter with prostitute Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis at the peak of her sexiness), and her good heart, that starts to see an upturn in his now dead bottom fortunes. The gags come thick and fast, both verbally (Murphy on fire) and visually, as the film sees the whole cast fusing together to create a cracking comedy. Come the denouement on Wall Street we are privy to a joyous and savage turn of events that ice the clever Christmas cake we have just digested. It does have an 80s sheen about it, and viewing now in post 9/11 times it's got a tint of nostalgia value to it, but really it's all about the script, the stars and a kick in the eye for those who think nothing of treading on the people below them, enjoy. 8/10
JPV852
Seen this one numerous times over the years, not quite a laugh-out-loud riot or anything but still pretty funny throughout with great performances all around. Although their screen time together was mostly limited to the last 30-minutes, Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy were great as were Denholm Elliott and Jamie Lee Curtis (hot as hell). Also appreciate Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche as the pompous and terrible villains. **4.0/5**
Peter89Spencer
Is it offensive? Very much. Is it worth watching? Absolutely. Is it funny as hell? Hell yeah! This classic OUTRAGEOUS comedy caper is the perfect holiday film to watch in between Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Geronimo1967
I am not really a fan of Eddie Murphy, but with the help of Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche doing their own version of a more manipulative pairing akin to "Stadler and Waldorf", he delivers well here in this rather punchy comedy. Our two elderly gents are wealthy and employ "Winthorpe" (Dan Akyroyd) to run their business empire for them. He does well for them, makes them a fortune and himself lives the life of a millionaire in a mansion where he is pampered by butler "Coleman" (Denholm Elliott). Meantime, street-wise "Valentine" (Murphy) is constantly on the make and during an altercation with "Winthorpe" during which he is arrested, the two old buzzards come up with a wheeze to see if the think-on-your-feet merchant could do a better job than their incumbent. A bit of sleight of hand now sees the epitome of a reversal of fortune as "Valentine" unwittingly assumes the job of managing their business whilst his ill-equipped predecessor finds himself driven to some increasingly slapstick desperation. It's only when "Valentine" overhears the conspiring old goats reveal their true purpose that he decides that it's time for some more permanent reversal of fortune - only this time, well it's all about oranges and pork bellies. Murphy is on good form here, but for me it's Akyroyd - and his unlikely ally "Ophelia" (Jamie Lee Curtis) who steal the show as the writing delivers quite a few laugh out moments as well as swiping at some fairly odious attitudes of snobbery, bigotry and racism. Though he doesn't feature so much, Elliott also fares well as the butler - very much in the vein of Sir John Gielgud, and as the story gathers pace it becomes an entertaining character study of worms that turn, and turn again all set to a classy mix of old and new from the soundtrack.