Reversal of Fortune
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| Reversal of Fortune | |
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| File:Reversal of fortune poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Barbet Schroeder |
| Produced by | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> |
| Screenplay by | Nicholas Kazan |
| Based on | Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case by Alan Dershowitz |
| Starring | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> |
| Music by | Mark Isham |
| Cinematography | Luciano Tovoli |
| Edited by | Lee Percy |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Release dates
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Running time
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111 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $15.4 million |
Reversal of Fortune is a 1990 American drama film adapted from the 1985 book Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case, written by law professor Alan Dershowitz. It recounts the true story of the unexplained coma of socialite Sunny von Bülow, the subsequent attempted murder trial, and the eventual acquittal of her husband, Claus von Bülow, who had Dershowitz as his defense attorney.[1] The film was directed by Barbet Schroeder and stars Jeremy Irons as Claus, Glenn Close as Sunny, and Ron Silver as Dershowitz. Screenwriter Nick Kazan originally envisioned Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer in the role of Claus von Bülow, but was thrilled with Irons' performance. Irons earned the 1990 Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film.
Contents
Plot
The story is narrated by Sunny von Bülow, who is in a coma after falling into diabetic shock after a Christmas party. Her husband, the dissolute European aristocrat Claus von Bülow, is charged with attempting to murder the hypoglycemic Sunny by giving her an overdose of insulin. Claus's strained relationship with his wife and his cold and haughty personal demeanor led most people to conclude that he is guilty. In need of an innovative defense, Claus turns to law professor Alan Dershowitz. Dershowitz is initially convinced of Claus's guilt, but takes the case because von Bülow agrees to fund Dershowitz's defense of two poor black boys accused of capital murder. Employing his law students as workers, Dershowitz proceeds to defend Claus, wrestling with his client's unnerving personal style and questions of von Bülow's guilt or innocence.
Cast
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- Glenn Close as Sunny von Bülow
- Jeremy Irons as Claus von Bülow
- Ron Silver as Alan Dershowitz
- Uta Hagen as Maria
- Annabella Sciorra as Sarah
- Fisher Stevens as David Marriott
- Jack Gilpin as Peter MacIntosh
- Christine Baranski as Andrea Reynolds
- Stephen Mailer as Elon Dershowitz
- Felicity Huffman as Minnie
- Johann Carlo as Nancy
- Keith Reddin as Dobbs
- Mitchell Whitfield as Curly
- Tom Wright as Jack
- Michael Lord as Ed
- Lisa Gay Hamilton as Mary
- Julie Hagerty as Alexandra Isles
- Bill Camp as Bill
- Mano Singh as Raj
Production
The film was shot in numerous estates in Rhode Island and New Jersey, and the Knole house in Old Westbury, New York. At least one courtroom scene was shot at the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department in Brooklyn, New York.
Reception
The film received mostly positive reviews and holds a 92% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 7.9/10 from 51 reviews. The site's consensus states: "Featuring exceptional performances and a cunning script, Reversal of Fortune doubles as a tantalizing mystery and ruthless satire of the rich."[2]
Accolades
In 2015, the 25th anniversary of Entertainment Weekly named Reversal of Fortune on its list of the 25 best films of the past 25 years.[15]
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains:
- Claus von Bulow – Nominated Villain[16]
- 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10:
- Nominated Courtroom Drama Film[17]
See also
References
- ↑ State v. von Bulow, 475 A.2d 995 (R.I. 1984).
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External links
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Wikiquote has quotations related to: Reversal of Fortune |
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- 1990 films
- English-language films
- 1990s biographical drama films
- American biographical drama films
- American courtroom films
- Films about lawyers
- American films based on actual events
- Films based on non-fiction books
- Films directed by Barbet Schroeder
- Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award-winning performance
- Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance
- Films set in Rhode Island
- Films set in the 1980s
- Warner Bros. films
- Films scored by Mark Isham
- 1990 drama films
- Alan Dershowitz
- 1990s English-language films
- 1990s American films
