Reversal of Fortune (1990)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Barbet Schroeder

Writers (WGA):

Alan M. Dershowitz (book)
Nicholas Kazan (screenplay)

Release Date:

October 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

The Case of Claus Von Bulow. An American Saga of Money and Mystery.

Plot:

Wealthy Sunny von Bülow lies brain-dead, husband Claus guilty of attempted murder; but he says he's innocent and hires Alan Dershowitz for his appeal.

Plot Keywords:

Attempted Murder | Law | Courtroom | Law Student | Bad Guy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 9 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Glenn Close	...	Sunny von Bülow / Narrator
Jeremy Irons	...	Claus von Bülow
Ron Silver	...	Professor Alan Dershowitz
Annabella Sciorra	...	Sarah
Uta Hagen	...	Maria, Sunny's Personal Maid
Fisher Stevens	...	David Marriott
Jack Gilpin	...	Peter MacIntosh, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Christine Baranski	...	Andrea Reynolds, Claus' Girlfriend
Stephen Mailer	...	Elon Dershowitz
Christine Dunford	...	Ellen
Felicity Huffman	...	Minnie, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Mano Singh	...	Raj, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Johann Carlo	...	Nancy
Keith Reddin	...	Dobbs, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Alan Pottinger	...	Chuck, Dershowitz's Student Staff

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | Japan | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Norway:10 | Brazil:18 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Germany:12 (w) (f) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Lyndhurst Estate, Tarrytown, New York, USA

Company:

Sovereign Pictures

Trivia:

Cameo: [Alan M. Dershowitz] [appears briefly in profile as one of the appellate judges, just as they are sitting down at the appeal.]

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In the opening shot flying over the estates in Newport, visitors can be seen at some of the mansions. As the film is set in 1983, some of the mansions would have been open to the public like The Breakers or Marble House.

Quotes:

Alan Dershowitz: A priest? Well, a priest is the ideal witness: it's like getting the word of God.
Claus von Bülow: I checked. God is unavailable.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Nick Kazan (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

3 STRANGE DAYS

"What do you give a wife that has everything? ..... (long pause).... a shot of insulin." - Claus Von Bulow

Barbet Schroeder's darkly comic murder mystery 'Reversal of Fortune' was actually better than I thought it would be. It surrounds a social climber Claus Von Bulow (Jeremy Irons - Lolita) who is Charged and convicted with the double counts of attempted murder on his obnoxious and drunken wife Sunny Von Bulow (Glenn Close - Fatal Attraction) with insulin. Claus needs a lawyer to appeal so he contacts a stereo-typical Jewish lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, played incredibly by Ron Silver. Alan takes on Claus' case even though he believes him to be guilty and Alan and his team try to prove him innocent. Glenn Close gives a small but engrossing performance in this as the not so sympathetic victim while Jeremy Irons steals the entire film with his creepy and neurotic yet brilliant and amazing performances as the could-be murderer Claus. The screenplay is really solid and although kind of predictable offers nice thrills and very dark humor. 'Reversal of Fortune' rightfully won Jeremy Irons the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. If you want something kind of out-there be sure to rent 'Reversal of Fortune' one of these days. Grade: B