VideoDetective.com
Reversal Of Fortune (1990)
Released By: Warner Home Video   Rating: R   In Theaters: N/A
Your video will start shortly...



More Videos:
Preview Details
User Reviews
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Annabella Sciorra, Fisher Stevens, Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, Ron Silver, Uta Hagen
Published ID: 1469
UPC: 085391193425,
Plot: 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
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
puzzled
Added 10/17/2009

Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close are two of my favorite actors. Very good drama. This is worth seening based
on a true event.It leaves you wondering if he realy kill her. I enjoy it.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Did Clause Murder Sunny For Her Money?
Added 9/24/2009

Sunny von Bülow died finally a short while ago without ever having emerged from her coma that it was charged was attempted homicide by her husband Clause. He supposedly did it by injecting her with insulin. Claus knew he needed first rate legal help and ended up with Alan Dershowitz turning things around for him. Interesting as the law is in this film, the characters of Sunny and Clause are even better.

Sunny von Bülow is a hard woman to like. Glen Close's depiction doesn't make that task any easier. Ironically, Sunny in a coma isn't all that different from Sunny in regular life. Basically, Sunny took up space. She was neurotic, spoiled, used to getting her own way and never did anything worthwhile. If she hadn't been rich, no one would have noticed her. She spent a great deal of time asleep--actually, a huge amount of time asleep. And when she was awake, she was more like still half asleep. I think she could easily be described as someone who was sleepwalking through her life.

Which doesn't excuse Clause if he did try to kill her but it presents an interesting dichotomy. For Clause von Bülow is potentially very likable and Jeremy Irons captures that perfectly. He is self deprecating, humorous, a wonderful raconteur. People love dining out with Clause if for no other reason than they feel better because he is such a wit and so much fun. Clause is even very witty with Dershowitz, which takes some doing when you are battling attempted murder charges. He can be totally deadpan which makes him even funnier.

I don't know what Clause von Bülow did to his wife. He may have tried to murder her and then again, he may not. That isn't enough to make an attempted murder case. So no one will ever know. But of Clause and Sunny as people, there is no doubt in my mind that if you were arranging a night out, it would be Clause, not Sunny, you would want at your table.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Neither lead is appealing, but the film works
Added 7/9/2009

I couldn't stand Ron Silver's cartoonish Dershowitz, and Jeremy Irons as Von Bulow is over the top in smarminess, but the film works well anyway because the script is smart. The sets are all but perfect, too, capturing Newport's absurd opulence and Cambridge's frayed collegiate look. I have no idea if they got the facts straight or not, but I did find this movie captured my attention from start to finish. Maybe I'll read the book now. Sunny von Bulow comes off as an afterthought here, despite the silly from-the-coma voice-overs.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
3.5 stars out of 4
Added 5/21/2009

The Bottom Line:

A fascinating film that makes innovative choices visa vie its construction and seems to know more about the law than most legal thrillers, Reversal of Fortune would be interesting even if Jeremy Irons wasn't so fantastic as to justify watching the entire film: watch it and be delighted.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
The miserable rich
Added 5/7/2009

I have read very little about the von Bulow case, yet this movie seemed so enticing: Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons star as the miserable rich couple of Newport, whose tragically shallow lives take a "theatrical" turn when Sunny suffers from 2 comas, a year apart, the second rendering her a permanent vegetable.

These two incredible actors are buttressed by some familiar faces (at least some were familiar in the early 90s): Ron Silver, Annabella Sciorra, Christine Baranski, Felicity Huffman, and Tom Wright.

The ambiguous nature of the film easily draws you in, and the dynamic cram sessions of Prof Dershowitz's squad were interesting to watch. The film flips between this incredible mystery of attempted murder, and the legal struggles of the case. This dynamic makes the film balanced, suspenseful, and thoughtful. No one in this film is terrible or innocent. Claus is right when he states that no one will ever truly know what happened that night, not even him. Moments like these make this film. You begin to wonder, what is true? Can you remember anything as it truly happened, especially after someone suggests things about that memory? Intriguing ideas, thought-provoking dialogue, all with intense mystery and even some sly humor, truly this is an exceptional movie.

The best moment of this film is when Prof. Dershowitz says, "You are a very strange man." To which Claus replies, "You have no idea."

Played believable and subtly, yet just a little creepy to make you uncomfortable and unsure, this movie delivers on everything, except what really happened. Highly recommended.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
puzzled
Added 10/17/2009

Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close are two of my favorite actors. Very good drama. This is worth seening based
on a true event.It leaves you wondering if he realy kill her. I enjoy it.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Did Clause Murder Sunny For Her Money?
Added 9/24/2009

Sunny von Bülow died finally a short while ago without ever having emerged from her coma that it was charged was attempted homicide by her husband Clause. He supposedly did it by injecting her with insulin. Claus knew he needed first rate legal help and ended up with Alan Dershowitz turning things around for him. Interesting as the law is in this film, the characters of Sunny and Clause are even better.

Sunny von Bülow is a hard woman to like. Glen Close's depiction doesn't make that task any easier. Ironically, Sunny in a coma isn't all that different from Sunny in regular life. Basically, Sunny took up space. She was neurotic, spoiled, used to getting her own way and never did anything worthwhile. If she hadn't been rich, no one would have noticed her. She spent a great deal of time asleep--actually, a huge amount of time asleep. And when she was awake, she was more like still half asleep. I think she could easily be described as someone who was sleepwalking through her life.

Which doesn't excuse Clause if he did try to kill her but it presents an interesting dichotomy. For Clause von Bülow is potentially very likable and Jeremy Irons captures that perfectly. He is self deprecating, humorous, a wonderful raconteur. People love dining out with Clause if for no other reason than they feel better because he is such a wit and so much fun. Clause is even very witty with Dershowitz, which takes some doing when you are battling attempted murder charges. He can be totally deadpan which makes him even funnier.

I don't know what Clause von Bülow did to his wife. He may have tried to murder her and then again, he may not. That isn't enough to make an attempted murder case. So no one will ever know. But of Clause and Sunny as people, there is no doubt in my mind that if you were arranging a night out, it would be Clause, not Sunny, you would want at your table.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Neither lead is appealing, but the film works
Added 7/9/2009

I couldn't stand Ron Silver's cartoonish Dershowitz, and Jeremy Irons as Von Bulow is over the top in smarminess, but the film works well anyway because the script is smart. The sets are all but perfect, too, capturing Newport's absurd opulence and Cambridge's frayed collegiate look. I have no idea if they got the facts straight or not, but I did find this movie captured my attention from start to finish. Maybe I'll read the book now. Sunny von Bulow comes off as an afterthought here, despite the silly from-the-coma voice-overs.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Photos


There are currently no photos.
Shopping
IDPriceImageUrlPurchaseUrlIdTypeBindingStore
VHS
$2.00 @ Amazon
VHS
@ Amazon
DVD
$13.49 @ Amazon
DVD
$8.40 @ Amazon
Video On Demand
$2.99 @ Amazon
Video On Demand
$9.99 @ Amazon