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Reversal of Fortune
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Synopsis
This film is a darkly humorous, determinedly ambiguous adaptation of Alan Dershowitz's book about his successful legal appeal of Claus von Bulow's conviction for the attempted murder of his wife, Martha "Sunny" von Bulow. Sunny (Glenn Close) -- who remains in a "persistent vegetative state" resulting from a suspicious injection of insulin -- narrates the film, summarizing the first murder trial, which ended with Claus (Jeremy Irons) convicted and released on bail pending appeal. Claus approaches Harvard Law professor Dershowitz (Ron Silver) to handle the case. Working with a small group of law students recruited from his classes, Dershowitz presents sufficient new evidence to cast doubt as to Claus' guilt and the veracity of the star witness, her maid. Jeremy Irons' extraordinary, Oscar-winning performance dominates the film. He plays the role of Claus with a alternatively pompous, aloof snobbishness and an engagingly enigmatic, kinky, sly humor. Barbet Schroeder was also nominated for an Academy Award for his extraordinary, off-beat, direction of this sophisticated, exceptionally intelligent legal drama. Reversal of Fortune with its sharp, witty, Oscar-nominated screenplay by Nicholas Kazan is unusual in its understanding that legal guilt and moral culpability are not the same thing -- making for an unusually provocative tragicomedy of bad manners and bad behavior among the rich. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Cast

Christine Baranski Andrea Reynolds
Glenn Close Sunny Von Bulow
Sarah Fearon Ala von Auersberg
Uta Hagen Maria
Felicity Huffman Minnie
Jeremy Irons Claus Von Bulow
Jad Mager Alexander von Auersberg
Alan Pottinger Chuck
Annabella Sciorra Sarah
Mano Singh Raj
Fisher Stevens David Marriott
Ron Silver Alan M. Dershowitz

Production Crew

Daniel Davis Art Director
Michael Flynn Associate Producer
Alan Dershowitz Book Author
Howard Feuer Casting
Luciano Tovoli Cinematographer
Edward R. Pressman Co-producer
Elon Dershowitz Co-producer
Nicholas Kazan Co-producer
Oliver Stone Co-producer
Mark Isham Composer (Music Score)
Judianna Makovsky Costume Designer
Milena Canonero Costume Designer
Barbet Schroeder Director
Lee Percy Editor
Michael Rauch Executive Producer
Mel Bourne Production Designer
Steven Felder Production Designer
Steven Felder Production Manager
Nicholas Kazan Screenwriter
Beth Kushnick Set Designer
Year: 1990
Runtime: 112
Country: USA
MPAA Rating: R
Category: Feature

Genre
Drama

Produced by
Shochiku
Sovereign Pictures
Warner Brothers

Release
October 17, 1990 (USA)
by Warner Brothers

Awards
1989 - Best Film - New York Film Critics Circle
1990 - Best Film (Drama) - Golden Globe
1990 - Best Picture - National Board of Review
1990 - Best Picture - Drama - Golden Globe
1990 - Film Presented - Telluride Film Festival
1990 - Best Picture - Drama - Hollywood Foreign Press Association