Rent Trading Places (1983)

3.8 of 5 from 193 ratings
1h 52min
Rent Trading Places (aka Black or White) Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
  • General info
  • Available formats
Synopsis:
The very rich and extremely greedy Duke Brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) wager a bet over whether "born-loser" Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) could become as successful as the priggish Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) if circumstances were reversed. So begins one of the funniest, most outrageous comedies of the '80s, cementing Eddie Murphy's superstar status. Alongside the street-smarts of Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis), Winthorpe and Valentine are a trio ready for a riotous revenge that culminates on the commodities trading floor in New York City.
Actors:
, , , , , Richard D. Fisher Jr., , Anthony DiSabatino, Bonnie Behrend, Sunnie Merrill, , Mary St. John, Bonnie Tremena, , , , , , , Ray D'Amore
Directors:
Producers:
Aaron Russo
Writers:
Timothy Harris, Herschel Weingrod
Others:
Julian Glover, Elmer Bernstein, Jamie Lee Curtis
Aka:
Black or White
Studio:
Paramount
Genres:
Comedy
Collections:
12 Films of Christmas Past, A Brief History of Cinema Afloat: Part 3, A History of Sports Films (Summer Edition), All the Best: A Celebration of New Year Movies, Award Winners, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2023, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2024, Cinema Paradiso's 2022 Centenary Club, Holidays Film Collection, Santa's Film Wishlist for Grown-Ups, A Brief History of Film..., The Ultimate Christmas Films Collection, Top 10 Films About Trains: Thrillers, Top 10 Tennis Films, Top Films
Awards:

1984 BAFTA Best Supporting Actor

1984 BAFTA Best Supporting Actress

BBFC:
Release Date:
02/12/2002
Run Time:
112 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, German Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, Italian Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, Spanish Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
Subtitles:
Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Interactive menu
  • Scene selection
BBFC:
Release Date:
07/12/2020
Run Time:
116 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, French Parisian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, German Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Subtitles:
English, English Hard of Hearing, French Parisian, German, Japanese
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Director John Landis on 'Trading Places' (HD)
  • Insider Trading: The Making of 'Trading Places'
  • Dressing the Part
  • The Trade in 'Trading Places'
  • Trading Stories
  • Industry Promotional Piece
  • Deleted Scene with Commentary by Executive Producer George Folsey Jr
  • Deleted Scene
  • Isolated Score
  • Theatrical Trailer
BBFC:
Release Date:
06/11/2023
Run Time:
116 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, French Parisian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, German Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Subtitles:
Dutch, English, English Hard of Hearing, French Parisian, German, Italian, Japanese
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B

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Reviews (1) of Trading Places

An easy, feel-good classic - Trading Places review by NP

Spoiler Alert
21/02/2024

I've always loved this film and whilst repeated viewing diminishes it slightly, it's still worth a watch when you need something undemanding. It's a cross between Pygmalion (My Fair Lady) and The Prince and the Pauper, comedically depicting how people's lives can be dramatically influenced by circumstances. Two wealthy bankers have a bet on whether a poor, petty criminal can be turned into an upright citizen, whilst a rich 'decent' man can be simultaneously delivered to the gutter. Murphy is superb and owns the screen throughout, making the viewer side with his character from the start, so much so that when he breaks the '4th wall' it doesn't seem in the least bit daft. Dan Ackroyd is a dependable fall-guy as his privileged world quickly unravels, but special mention must also go to Denholm Elliot as the butler; the scene where Murphy gives him what appears to be the first 'thank you' he's ever received is genuinely quite moving.

It's doubtful this film would be made in the same way today and many young people will be shocked by the racist language and cultural stereotypes - there is some 'blackface' too, albeit with collaboration from Murphy's character. It's of its time and should be taken in that context. In any event, there's no doubt that Murphy is the number one hero of the story and the film certainly did not do him any harm. Jamie Lee Curtis has plenty of showing off especially in one scene, which also seems gratuitous now but her mishandling of the Swedish backpacker character is hilarious - she's dressed in German Lederhosen but couldn't pull off a German accent, so settled for an equally bad Swedish one and this is then alluded to in the script.

It's old fashioned slapstick for sure and you may not like it but if you do, try 'Coming to America' afterwards. There's an unexpected link.

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