Reversal of Fortune (1990)

Director:

Barbet Schroeder

Writers (WGA):

Alan M. Dershowitz (book)
Nicholas Kazan (screenplay)

Release Date:

October 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Attempted Murder | Law | Courtroom | Law Student | Bad Guy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 9 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Glenn Close	...	Sunny von Bülow / Narrator
Jeremy Irons	...	Claus von Bülow
Ron Silver	...	Professor Alan Dershowitz
Annabella Sciorra	...	Sarah
Uta Hagen	...	Maria, Sunny's Personal Maid
Fisher Stevens	...	David Marriott
Jack Gilpin	...	Peter MacIntosh, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Christine Baranski	...	Andrea Reynolds, Claus' Girlfriend
Stephen Mailer	...	Elon Dershowitz
Christine Dunford	...	Ellen
Felicity Huffman	...	Minnie, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Mano Singh	...	Raj, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Johann Carlo	...	Nancy
Keith Reddin	...	Dobbs, Dershowitz's Student Staff
Alan Pottinger	...	Chuck, Dershowitz's Student Staff

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | Japan | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Norway:10 | Brazil:18 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Germany:12 (w) (f) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Lyndhurst Estate, Tarrytown, New York, USA

Company:

Sovereign Pictures

Trivia:

Martha "Sunny" von Bulow, who spent the last 28 years of her life in a coma after what prosecutors alleged in a pair of sensational trials were two murder attempts by her husband, died December 6, 2008 at age 76.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In the opening shot flying over the estates in Newport, visitors can be seen at some of the mansions. As the film is set in 1983, some of the mansions would have been open to the public like The Breakers or Marble House.

Quotes:

Sunny von Bülow: [narrating] Looking at him now, the issue seems simple: is he the Devil? If so, can the Devil get justice?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 48th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1991) (TV)

Soundtrack:

THE MERCENARIES

Remarkable performance by Irons

Claus von Bulow was accused and convicted of twice attempting to kill his wife, Sunny von Bulow. The film is about the appeal

Nicholas Kazan takes a huge risk, and has Sunny von Bulow (Glenn Close, who is marvelous) narrate the story, while in a coma. It pays off beautifully. We learn the lifestyle in which they inhabit, there daily arguments about Claus' "extra-curricular" activities, work, etc. In comes Alan Dershowitz (Ron Silver), who is hired by Claus to do the appeal.

Fascinating and provocative, we see the way Ron Silver tries to find out if his client is guilty or innocent. The cast is a treat to watch, down to even the smallest roles. But it's Jeremy Irons who dominates with his chilling performance.

By the end of the movie, we don't really care whether or not Claus is guilty, a testament to Barbet Schroeder, and Nicholas Kazan.