Switch (1991)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writer (WGA):

Blake Edwards (written by)

Release Date:

10 May 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Fantasy | Comedy

Tagline:

Steve and Walter used to have a preference for blondes. Then Steve was murdered... and came back as one. Will being a woman make him a better man?

Plot:

A sexist, chauvinist pig gets his just desserts when his angry ex-girlfriends murder him and he is reincarnated as a woman.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Childbirth | Reincarnation | God | Divine Intervention

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Ellen Barkin	...	Amanda Brooks
Jimmy Smits	...	Walter Stone
JoBeth Williams	...	Margo Brofman
Lorraine Bracco	...	Sheila Faxton
Tony Roberts	...	Arnold Freidkin
Perry King	...	Steve Brooks
Bruce Payne	...	The Devil (as Bruce Martyn Payne)
Lysette Anthony	...	Liz
Victoria Mahoney	...	Felicia
Basil Hoffman	...	Higgins
Catherine Keener	...	Steve's Secretary
Kevin Kilner	...	Dan Jones
David Wohl	...	Attorney Caldwell
James Harper	...	Lieutenant Laster
John Lafayette	...	Sergeant Phillips

Also Known As:

Blake Edwards' Switch (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Norway:10 (1991) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Beco Films

Trivia:

A seduction scene between Ellen Barkin and Lorraine Bracco was excised after poor reactions in test screenings.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the movie Steve takes three roses from the lobby of his apartment building. The roses were open when he picked them out, but were closed buds when he handed them out to the women.

Quotes:

Walter Stone: Hey, you're not gay, are you?
Amanda Brooks: Hey, if I'm gay, then Clint Eastwood's a transvestite.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dobol dribol (1992)

Soundtrack:

Barren Ground

Barkin turns on Switch

This is one of my favorite Barkin vehicles. In fact, without her wonderful comic turns this one would sink under its constrained plot. Besides Barkin, Jimmie Smits and Lorraine Bracco (of Sopranos fame) give good supporting performances. The idea and story Blake Edwards uses is a variation on Victor/Victoria, which was good enough to be recast as a musical, but here his usually daring ideas don't quite make the grade. Nonetheless, this is one of those comedies that calls for repeated viewing, because once you've laughed at some of Barkin's comedic scenes, a second viewing will have you laughing even before the scene unfolds. Roger Ebert commented that a deeper exploration on some of the themes would have made it a timeless comedy, and I'd agree with that.But if you just want to laugh till your sides ache, I'd recommend this one for your funny bone.