Although this is standard stuff, the mini-series is made thoroughly interesting by its appealing stars, especially Ms. Powers who was always a sight for sore eyes. Quite enjoyable although very obvious from the start. Pity this hasn't been released on video or DVD - would be great for a rainy evening.
16 Reviews
If only you could be a twin!
Jools-1029 July 2001
Some might call this made for television movie corny or boring but I really enjoyed it! I first saw this in 1985 and again about a year ago and to me it was still the same. The story is one of the twins is married with two children a boy and a girl and is really mousey and bored of her life. Her twin is the total opposite she is the life and soul of the party has many lovers and her own business but she to is not happy. So they meet in Venice for a big birthday party and decide to swap lives for a short time and you guessed it they are not able to swap back at the given time so they have to be each other for a little bit longer. I don't want to give away the plot but if you have nothing to do and this is on television one night give it ago!
Hard to find and sadly Amazon has an abbreviated version
arathia25 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This is a good movie that I happened to catch as a kid or at least most of it since the power went out the second night lol, but now the only way you can find it is on Amazon Prime and it is only 95 minutes of the film. It starts after the car wreck completely ignoring the time in Venice and the premise of the entire film. You get to piece it together throughout as to why they are in the predicament. It is still enjoyable but my hope is that eventually someone will stream the original mini-series.
Superb movie, edge of the seat, Ms Powers excels in this dual role
conniekym16 July 2003
I rented this movie not long after it came out, something to watch on a rainy evening. It was unusually compelling, Ms Powers delivers a performance exceeding anything I have seen her do before or since, not simply as she plays two separate roles, but 'involves' the viewer in what she is enacting. I am not a fan, but this movie alone would stop me from disparaging her work. The story moves along at a fair pace with the twists and turns of a much heavier thriller without the necessity for gruesome scenes. I have been trying to buy this movie for 15 years now and the guys that have it are keeping it, and I understand why.
Very enjoyable, but not if you're looking for high culture.
glassman-43 May 2002
This is one of the few 80s miniseries I thoroughly enjoyed. It's very exciting and enjoyable, and just cheesy enough to not take itself too seriously. AND it has Gina Lolobrigida! The Princeton subplot wasn't all that interesting, but the rest of this movie was great. And who could forget Mrs. Thirkel insulting the medical profession and Italian food. Classic. This isn't for beer swilling dudes or high culture snobs, but most everyone else will love it for the scenes in Europe, the exciting plot, and the comedic high drama. I'm upset it's not available on video.
Really great escapist cinema, plus Toby Maguire as a child
dngilp27 May 2005
One of the most interesting things about this movie is all the major actors who play minor parts, at a time before they were really famous in the U.S. Tobey Maguire, looking like he's about 8 years old (but who can tell, really, since he looks like he's 8 years old today), plays one of Stephanie Powers' children. Also we get Jeremy Brett, the BBC's definitive modern Sherlock Holmes, as assistant bad guy, looking really hot without his deerstalker cap. And the wonderful Judy Parfitt, who is known to American audiences primarily as the wild widower wearing cowboy boots in the BBC long-running series "As Time Goes By" of more recent fame.
Not sure, but I believe that Tobey's sister is played by an equally young Salma Blair, but since neither of them is listed on the official credits, it's hard to tell.
The movie has some kind of stilted moments, but the scenery and ambiance are unbeatable: Live shots of the Grand Canal in Venice, the Via Condotti in Rome, most of the great shopping streets in London, and the magnetic Stephanie Powers. It's a great way to pretend that we're millionaires traveling around Europe in style. And not a bad movie, to boot.
Not sure, but I believe that Tobey's sister is played by an equally young Salma Blair, but since neither of them is listed on the official credits, it's hard to tell.
The movie has some kind of stilted moments, but the scenery and ambiance are unbeatable: Live shots of the Grand Canal in Venice, the Via Condotti in Rome, most of the great shopping streets in London, and the magnetic Stephanie Powers. It's a great way to pretend that we're millionaires traveling around Europe in style. And not a bad movie, to boot.
a total glamorous fantasy
blanche-214 June 2002
This happens to be one of my favorite "trash wallows" as we used to call these expensive soapers in the '80s. Unfortunately, there aren't the budgets for TV movies that there used to be. Stefanie Powers is in her prime in this dual role of a plain Jane wife of a college teacher and her glamorous jet setting twin sister. The cast includes Sherlock Holmes himself, Jeremy Brett and none other than Gina Lollabrigida. Part of the movie takes place in Venice and it's glorious!
Deceptions embodies a certain '80s decadence for me - I love the scene on the yacht where all these hedonists are dancing to the Pointer Sisters. But my favorite is the night of the twins' birthday, celebrated in an Italian villa, where they dance to "Don't Let it Stop" and the shy sister starts to really get into it, juxtaposed against some nefarious doings outside the villa. It's great fun.
Deceptions embodies a certain '80s decadence for me - I love the scene on the yacht where all these hedonists are dancing to the Pointer Sisters. But my favorite is the night of the twins' birthday, celebrated in an Italian villa, where they dance to "Don't Let it Stop" and the shy sister starts to really get into it, juxtaposed against some nefarious doings outside the villa. It's great fun.
The Princess and the Professor's Housewife
chow9133 October 2013
This was an interesting take on 'The Prince and the Pauper.' Stephanie Powers stars as a bored and financially stressed housewife of a college professor (Barry Boswick) with rumors of taking liberties with his students.
Ironically we learn in an early scene that Boswick is actually one of the few professors NOT trading grades for sex.
Stephanie stressed for a vacation ends up celebrating her birthday with her twin Sabrina whom lives life in the fast and glamorous world of the rich Euro trash.
Just as in the original story, as the two share complaints about their lives the start to see the grass on the other side looking greener and decide to trade places. Stephanie will experience all the glitz and glamour of Europe, while Sabrina will return to the stable life of an American housewife and mother of two (Fairuza Balk and Tobey Maquire).
Also predictably the two learn to actually enjoy life on the other side. Sabrina ends up falling in love with Prof. Boswick and being the caring and involved mother Stephanie did not want to be.
Logically this plot shouldn't work. It's not like 'The Prince and the Pauper' or 'The Prisoner of Zenda' where coworkers/royal subjects could be easily duped. But children know knowing their own mother? A husband and boyfriends not noticing any differences in the bedroom? Surely they could not be so easily fooled.
The storyline really is very exciting and keeps you enthralled enough to hang on to every scene. I can't write any more without giving away some key plot twists. Just be assured the story takes some real twists.
Not so realistic is the scene where Sabrina finally tells Boswick the truth about her identity. Sure he's angry and kicks her out but realistically anyone else wouldn't be as nice. They'd throw her out the window or bury her in the backyard.
There's also a great performance be a young Fairuza Balk as Stephanie's daughter. A scene where she is teased and traumatically kicked out of the school play may be the childhood trauma which turned her into the Goth skinhead she's better known as in films like 'American History X.' Yes, that is Tobey Maquire as the son. Although IMDb and the open credits do no credit him. There's no doubt it is him.
Ironically we learn in an early scene that Boswick is actually one of the few professors NOT trading grades for sex.
Stephanie stressed for a vacation ends up celebrating her birthday with her twin Sabrina whom lives life in the fast and glamorous world of the rich Euro trash.
Just as in the original story, as the two share complaints about their lives the start to see the grass on the other side looking greener and decide to trade places. Stephanie will experience all the glitz and glamour of Europe, while Sabrina will return to the stable life of an American housewife and mother of two (Fairuza Balk and Tobey Maquire).
Also predictably the two learn to actually enjoy life on the other side. Sabrina ends up falling in love with Prof. Boswick and being the caring and involved mother Stephanie did not want to be.
Logically this plot shouldn't work. It's not like 'The Prince and the Pauper' or 'The Prisoner of Zenda' where coworkers/royal subjects could be easily duped. But children know knowing their own mother? A husband and boyfriends not noticing any differences in the bedroom? Surely they could not be so easily fooled.
The storyline really is very exciting and keeps you enthralled enough to hang on to every scene. I can't write any more without giving away some key plot twists. Just be assured the story takes some real twists.
Not so realistic is the scene where Sabrina finally tells Boswick the truth about her identity. Sure he's angry and kicks her out but realistically anyone else wouldn't be as nice. They'd throw her out the window or bury her in the backyard.
There's also a great performance be a young Fairuza Balk as Stephanie's daughter. A scene where she is teased and traumatically kicked out of the school play may be the childhood trauma which turned her into the Goth skinhead she's better known as in films like 'American History X.' Yes, that is Tobey Maquire as the son. Although IMDb and the open credits do no credit him. There's no doubt it is him.
Absolutely amazingly awesome
joanna-egleton19 October 2004
I hope and pray that this movie is released on DVD in the not too distant future. This is one of the very few made-for-television movies that has really stood the test of time. It could have been made yesterday. I found the carnival scenes filmed in Venice to be especially exciting. The costumes were beautiful and the setting, being Venice, added an air of "magic" to the whole thing. Stephanie Powers was superb in both parts - two very different characters with very different lifestyles - both of which she made very credible. I have this on video and it always cheers me up when I'm feeling low. I have always been a big fan of Stephanie Powers - ever since "Girl from Uncle / April Dancer.
Two Stefanies!!!
BandSAboutMovies20 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Twin sisters (both roles played by Stefanie Powers, which was 100% my reason for watching this movie) - one a European jet-setter, the other a housewife in need of adventure - decide to swap lives and identities for a week. What could go wrong? Oh, you know. Everything.
Made while Powers was on Hart to Hart - and also starring in three miniseries all at the same time - this movie was based on the best-selling novel by Judith Michael.
Originally airing on the NBC network, this movie has a blockbuster cast, with Barry Bostwick as the U.S. based husband. And look out! That's Fabio Testi, who you may remember from What Have You Done to Solange?, Contraband and The Four of the Apocalypse, as the European beau to Powers.
While the American hausfrau is shaking her tailfeather to the smitten Testi on a yacht - to the Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited," years before that ditty reduced Jessie Spano to tears - the boat blows up real good, making this movie less about allowing your twin sister to have Biblical knowledge of your hubs and more about murder, baby. And if anyone knows murder in 1985 prime time, Stephanie Powers is the lady for the job.
So yeah. Barry Bostwick reacts to this news by realizing that he's really in love with the rich girl sister because sex is dirty when it's a secret and this never really gets explored and man, who doesn't love run-on sentences?
Toss in Gina Lollobrigida, Brenda Vaccaro, a young Fairuza Balk and a pre-Ben Seaver Jeremy Miller and you have a cast ready for a paperback that ladies bring to the beach back when people still read trashy novels.
Made while Powers was on Hart to Hart - and also starring in three miniseries all at the same time - this movie was based on the best-selling novel by Judith Michael.
Originally airing on the NBC network, this movie has a blockbuster cast, with Barry Bostwick as the U.S. based husband. And look out! That's Fabio Testi, who you may remember from What Have You Done to Solange?, Contraband and The Four of the Apocalypse, as the European beau to Powers.
While the American hausfrau is shaking her tailfeather to the smitten Testi on a yacht - to the Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited," years before that ditty reduced Jessie Spano to tears - the boat blows up real good, making this movie less about allowing your twin sister to have Biblical knowledge of your hubs and more about murder, baby. And if anyone knows murder in 1985 prime time, Stephanie Powers is the lady for the job.
So yeah. Barry Bostwick reacts to this news by realizing that he's really in love with the rich girl sister because sex is dirty when it's a secret and this never really gets explored and man, who doesn't love run-on sentences?
Toss in Gina Lollobrigida, Brenda Vaccaro, a young Fairuza Balk and a pre-Ben Seaver Jeremy Miller and you have a cast ready for a paperback that ladies bring to the beach back when people still read trashy novels.
Romantic cute idea with a suspense thriller twist.
bjmumaw23 October 2004
I enjoyed this movie so much, I have carried it around in my head for 15 years, ever since I saw it. The music was great. It was really appropriate for the story. The twist was so unexpected. It was a shock that made the movie unforgettable for me. I was expecting a straight forward romance type movie. I love romance. Stephanie Powers was fantastic. She made the movie truly memorable. I don't know if can purchase a copy of it but I am going to try so that I can watch it as many times as I want.
Loved it!
Charley
Loved it!
Charley
Superb production values
ricbigi10 May 2012
I was not expecting much out of this made-for-TV film but found myself enjoying it mostly on account of its production values. The scenes filmed on location in Venice, Rome and London were especially exciting, and the finale was definitely very well done. The only fault: Southern California is unmistakable and cannot pass for Portofino (the yacht scene). Other than that, we are very noticeably in the 80's (hairstyles, fashion), the story has its originality and most of the acting is adequate. Gina Lollobrigida as a sexy movie star-turned-princess is highly enjoyable and glamorous as always. Stefanie Powers does very well as the twin sisters, registering both roles with credibility.
Winner!
mcaustin25 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Great movie. I have it on VHS from T.V. Watched it 4 times. Love Powers and Bostwick is super romantic. Hope it is coming to DVD soon. It's time. We need good movies like this to make a comeback. If you have ever wanted to see Venice, it's a good one to see. Anyone interested in elaborate costume design - good one too. Ever wanted to tell off a teacher... hear you go. And tastefully done too. Definitely worth a date night on the couch with a big tub of popcorn. Sights, sounds and full of excitement.
If you get the chance to see it...go for it! It is a two parter.
CLA
If you get the chance to see it...go for it! It is a two parter.
CLA
What a great TV Movie this is
ntsuno27 December 2003
I have seen this movie a long time ago and I am still dreaming of buying this movie on DVD. It is a great story and a wonderful performance of Stefanie Powers. I love this woman, she is really great. It is drama and romance in one, and if you start to see, you want to see it all to the end. I hope this one will be put on DVD region 2 soon.
This is one great movie
ntsuno24 October 2003
I always have been a big fan Stefanie Powers and in this TV movie she gives a great performance. The way she plays two characters is fantastic. I also am looking around to buy this film on DVD and I hope it will be happening soon. Really a great movie.
Television Classic with Stefanie POWERS and Fabio TESTI
ZeddaZogenau24 October 2023
Great television classic from the eighties with Stefanie Powers and Fabio Testi
On the 80th birthday of ItaloCinema star Fabio Testi (born on August 2nd, 1941), we should remember this fantastic two-part television series, which was broadcast for the first time on NBC on May 27, 1985 and then gradually moved from Christmas 1986 on moved into the third programs (die Dritten) in Germany.
The story is told by twin sisters (Stefanie Powers) who are bored with their respective lives and quickly swap roles. Their lives could hardly be more different. Stephanie Roberts is the mother of two teenage children and the wife of what she considers to be a somewhat boring university professor (Barry Bostwick), while Sabrina Longworth is a London gallery owner who is a part of the European jet set. Then the surprise: both women thrive in each other's lives. Anyone who has seen the stormy love and party scenes of the life-hungry Stephanie (aka Sabrina) with her model Latin lover Carlo Ferraro (of course Poliziottesco veteran Fabio Testi in a star role!) will love the accompanying music of the unforgettable Pointer Sisters with their great smash hit "I'm So Excited" can never be forgotten. This was television at its absolute peak! With this two-parter, NBC achieved its highest ratings in 8 years! And in the German-speaking world, too, the adventures of the two twins, which unfortunately did not end happily for both of them, were an absolute cult.
In other roles you could see the indestructible Gina Lollobrigida (flown in from the FalconCrest set, on her way to the legendary jury chairmanship at the 1986 Berlinale) and the wonderful Jeremy Brett (1933-1995), who appeared alongside Audrey Hepburn in "War and Peace" ( 1956) and "My Fair Lady" (1964) played two magical supporting roles.
Great!!!
On the 80th birthday of ItaloCinema star Fabio Testi (born on August 2nd, 1941), we should remember this fantastic two-part television series, which was broadcast for the first time on NBC on May 27, 1985 and then gradually moved from Christmas 1986 on moved into the third programs (die Dritten) in Germany.
The story is told by twin sisters (Stefanie Powers) who are bored with their respective lives and quickly swap roles. Their lives could hardly be more different. Stephanie Roberts is the mother of two teenage children and the wife of what she considers to be a somewhat boring university professor (Barry Bostwick), while Sabrina Longworth is a London gallery owner who is a part of the European jet set. Then the surprise: both women thrive in each other's lives. Anyone who has seen the stormy love and party scenes of the life-hungry Stephanie (aka Sabrina) with her model Latin lover Carlo Ferraro (of course Poliziottesco veteran Fabio Testi in a star role!) will love the accompanying music of the unforgettable Pointer Sisters with their great smash hit "I'm So Excited" can never be forgotten. This was television at its absolute peak! With this two-parter, NBC achieved its highest ratings in 8 years! And in the German-speaking world, too, the adventures of the two twins, which unfortunately did not end happily for both of them, were an absolute cult.
In other roles you could see the indestructible Gina Lollobrigida (flown in from the FalconCrest set, on her way to the legendary jury chairmanship at the 1986 Berlinale) and the wonderful Jeremy Brett (1933-1995), who appeared alongside Audrey Hepburn in "War and Peace" ( 1956) and "My Fair Lady" (1964) played two magical supporting roles.
Great!!!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
