Trading Places (1983)

"Trading Places" may have been made when its stars Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd were hot comedians but it is still as fun now over a quarter of a century later as it was back in 1983. Borrowing heavily from Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper", "Trading Places" is a comedy which works not so much because of the story but because of the casting from Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy through to Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche. It is the comedy which these actors bring to the movie which makes it fun and so scenes such as Dan Aykroyd dressed as a Santa Claus eating salmon through a filthy beard still stick in your mind years after you've watched the movie. That doesn't mean the writing isn't good as it is but "Trading Places" is a movie which you remember for the actors rather than anything else, well that and a topless Jamie Lee Curtis.

Wealthy brothers Mortimer (Don Ameche - Heaven Can Wait) and Randolph Duke (Ralph Bellamy - The Professionals) decide to have a little wager as Randolph believes he can turn a common con man into a successful business man and also a successful business man into a common criminal. So they fire the manager of their company Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd - I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry) and set him up so that he loses everything whilst replacing him with con man Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy - Meet Dave) giving him the luxury life they gave Louis.

As already mentioned "Trading Places" borrows an idea from Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper" but it also borrows from Twain's "The Million Pound Bank Note" as we have brothers laying a wager leading to two people changing places. But whilst it borrows from Twain's literary works it creates a fun storyline from them, a simple and ultimately obvious story but entertaining none the less. I say simple because the majority of the fun in "Trading Places" comes from the pompous Louis forced into a life of crime whilst con artists Billy Ray Valentine gets taken off the streets and turned into a successful stock broker. And you know that with these changes in circumstances being down to the wager and manipulation of the Duke Brothers that at some point they will learn the truth, unite and get their own back. But being simple works and allows for the comedy to run thick and fast.

Now you have to say that the casting of Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy is a master stroke because of the comedy they bring to the movie. Aykroyd is just marvellous at being pompous yet is even more amusing as we watch his life being ripped apart leading to that memorable scene with Aykroyd dressed as Santa Claus a grubby one at that. It's a brilliant scene but then Eddie Murphy has just as many good scenes from the street smart con artists who we meet trying to swindle people as a Vietnam vet through to the way he takes to suddenly being rich. It means that every single scene has an element of comedy and it never becomes all about Murphy or all about Aykroyd.

But Aykroyd and Murphy are not alone with the comedy as Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche are brilliantly cast as the Duke brothers bringing plenty of gentle humour with their bickering and manipulative ways. Plus there is Jamie Lee Curtis who seems to be drawing on Liza Minelli's performance in "Arthur" as she makes friendly hooker Ophelia a memorable character. Okay so Curtis is memorable because she goes topless in a couple of scenes but she is also brings comedy and warmth to her character as she helps Louis pick up the pieces of his life.

The thing is that for the most the comedy in "Trading Places" is inoffensive. Yes there are those scenes which feature a topless Jamie Lee Curtis and some swearing but it's not trying to shock but make you laugh which it exceeds. Listening to Murphy trying to be a gentleman and cut out his usual expletive ridden language is purely amusing and also quite clever. And so whilst there are elements of comedy which end up dating "Trading Places" it is a lot less shocking that those movies which would follow, especially for Murphy.

What this all boils down to is that "Trading Places" still after a quarter of a century is a wonderful comedy. It may be simple and ultimately obvious but it is so funny with not only Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd putting in brilliant performances but all the cast which includes Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Jamie Lee Curtis as well as Denholm Elliott and Paul Gleason.