Reversal of Fortune (1990)

Wealthy Sunny von Bülow lies brain-dead, husband Claus guilty of attempted murder; but he says he's innocent and hires Alan Dershowitz for his appeal.

Director:

Barbet Schroeder

Writers:

Alan Dershowitz (book), Nicholas Kazan (screenplay)

Stars:

Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Ron Silver

Won 1 Oscar. Another 12 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Glenn Close	...	Sunny von Bulow
Jeremy Irons	...	Claus von Bulow
Ron Silver	...	Alan Dershowitz
Annabella Sciorra	...	Sarah
Uta Hagen	...	Maria
Fisher Stevens	...	David Marriott
Jack Gilpin	...	Peter MacIntosh
Christine Baranski	...	Andrea Reynolds
Stephen Mailer	...	Elon Dershowitz
Christine Dunford	...	Ellen
Felicity Huffman	...	Minnie
Mano Singh	...	Raj
Johann Carlo	...	Nancy
Keith Reddin	...	Dobbs
Alan Pottinger	...	Chuck

Storyline

Alan Dershowitz a brilliant professor of law is hired by wealthy socialite Claus von Bulow to attempt to overturn his two convictions for attempted murder of his extremely wealthy wife. Based on a true story the film concentrates not on the trial like other legal thrillers, but on the preparatory work that Dershowitz and his students put in as they attempt to disprove the prosecution's case and achieve the Reversal of Fortune of the title.

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Plot Keywords:

trial | law professor | dysfunctional marriage | attempted murder | insulin | 

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Taglines:

The Case of Claus Von Bulow. An American Saga of Money and Mystery.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeremy Irons met the real Claus von Bülow three years after the release of the film. Irons commented, "he didn't tell me anything I didn't already know." Irons recalled that von Bülow asked him if he was aware that the real Alan Dershowitz was (at the time) representing Leona Helmsley and Mike Tyson. Irons replied that he was aware of that, to which von Bülow quipped: "I don't suppose you've been asked to play either of them, have you?"

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Goofs

In the opening shot flying over the estates in Newport, visitors are at some of the mansions. In 1983, some mansions, like The Breakers and Marble House, were open to the public.

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Quotes

Sarah: He had a gorgeous mistress and he went with an ugly whore?
Raj: You know, there are some things even mistresses won't do.
Alan Dershowitz: Like what?
Raj: I am not telling.

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Connections

Referenced in Will & Grace: The Truth About Will and Dogs (1998)

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Soundtracks

Quartet, Opus 64, No. 5, Minuet
Written by Joseph Haydn (as Haydn)
Arranged by Charlotte Georg (as Les Peel)
Courtesy of Ole Georg/Group Pro, Inc.

User Reviews

Schroeder's "Rebecca"

Reversal of Fortune sent more chills down my spine than any horror movie. The story once more proves why real murder cases are so interesting: It is not a (supposed) criminal act or the lawsuit that fascinates but the detailed insight into human relations and behavior patterns which a investigation of the circumstances allows. Barbet Schroeder, certainly a brilliant observer, seems to share this view and created a wonderfully stylized, finely crafted, superbly cast movie around the Claus von Bülow trial.

Fotography, lighting and the set design really are of the first order. The main "stage" of the film is a big mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. I don't know how much of the movie was shot on location - in any case the place reminded me strongly of Manderly, the country home in Alfred Hitchcock‘s "Rebecca". Somehow Sunny von Bülow, she is seen lying in her state of eternal coma and heard recounting events and musing about them in a voice over, is the mythical Rebecca Hinrich become flesh and blood in the most gruesome way imaginable.

The home of the von Bülows has the feel of a funeral parlor. The most important room is Sunny von Bülow's private bathroom, the door of which is flanked by two porcelain busts on high pedestals, like some gate of doom. Despite the warm colors, the opulent furniture, the glossy surfaces (they seem to come out directly of an old fashioned women's magazine), it is deadly cold in the world of the von Bülows. The emotional detachment of the whole family - apparently even the children - is truly horrific. The most hilarious scene is ever expressionless Claus von Bülow joining his wife in the marital bed with a thick sweater, a scarf and a woolen cap (Sunny von Bülows insists on keeping the window open on principle even in freezing temperatures). He turns away from his wife and, as the last act before turning off the light, puts his earplugs in.

Oh, and then there is law professor Dershowitz and his team. What has he got to do with this movie? Very little, I should say. The bubbly intellectualistic crowd occasionally allow the viewers to relax a little, but their sporadic intrusions into the "circle" of the von Bulows in no way counterbalance the weight and the frigid opulence that comes to dominate Reversal of Fortune. And that's just fine with me – as far as cinematic art is concerned.

Details

Country:

USA Japan UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

9 November 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Reversal of Fortune

Filming Locations:

Montclair, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$176,985, 21 October 1990

Gross USA:

$15,445,131

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,445,131

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sovereign Pictures, Reversal Films Inc., Shochiku-Fuji Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1