[8]
Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy headline this comedy from director John Landis (Animal House, The Blues Brothers) in which a snobby stockbroker (Aykroyd) and a petty street hustler (Murphy) are forced to trade places by two wealthy brothers as part of a bet: Can a poor man off the street do a rich man’s job if given the opportunity? Murphy’s character proves capable, while Aykroyd’s character is humbled by his down-and-out experience, with assistance from a kindly hooker played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Trading Places is a wonderfully character-driven situational comedy that descends into full-blown farce in its third act, as the entire cast goes incognito to get revenge on the rich, manipulative brothers.
The entire cast is on point here and Landis gives them an encouraging, wide berth to own the screen. Aykroyd and Murphy carrying the first two-thirds of the film without sharing much screen time together. Both men mine their ‘fish out of water’ scenarios to great effect. Murphy marvels at a jacuzzi’s bubble jets, proclaiming if he’d ever wanted such an effect in the past, he’d have to fart in the bath tub. Aykroyd’s best moment is when he hits rock bottom, crashing the brokerage house’s Christmas party drunk and dressed as Santa Claus. Curtis is a breath of fresh air, providing just enough compassion to help ground the script’s hijinks.
Perhaps the most inspired casting is Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy as the wealthy brothers. These two Golden Age stars find the right balance between warm humor and cold villainy, setting the tone for the whole film. Denholm Elliott (Raiders of the Lost Ark) is a hoot as the dutiful company butler who takes care of Akyroyd, and then Murphy once Aykroyd’s tossed out in the street. Paul Gleason (The Breakfast Club) is memorable as the brothers’ private detective, a no-nonsense foil our heroes best by locking him in a cage with a horny gorilla. (I mentioned how this descends into farce, right?)
I don’t like a lot of comedies. If the story’s too dense, it tends to stifle the acting talent, and if the story’s too serious, it tends to drown out the humor. This script, by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod, walks the tightrope admirably. There’s just enough story to keep things focused, and every character is mined to their full comic potential. Look for cameos from Al Franken, Frank Oz, and Jim Belushi.
Oscar Nomination: Best Score (Elmer Bernstein)