The 1980s have gone down as the 'greed is good' decade, a time when aspiration, achievement and monetary gain were what everyone was striving for. A hugely-successful film which satirised that ethos, came out in the summer of 1983. 'Trading Places', directed by John Landis, starred comedians Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy as the two protagonists. Both had been regulars on the US television comedy programme 'Saturday Night Live' and had broken through into films in the early 1980s. Aykroyd had scored a hit when he teamed up with John Belushi in 'The Blues Brothers' while Murphy's starring role opposite Nick Nolte in '48 Hours' established his movie career.
In 'Trading Places', Aykroyd played the well-to-do Louis Winthrope III, a managing director of a successful brokerage firm owned by brothers Randolph and Mortimer Duke (played by Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche, respectively) while Murphy was cast as street hustler Billy Ray Valentine. Following a chance encounter between the two, resulting in an arrest for Billy Ray, the Duke brothers decide to conduct a little experiment. They frame Louis for theft and have him arrested, while bailing out Billy Ray, and have Louis fired from his highly-paid job and removed from his plush town-house. Billy Ray is installed in Louis's place, and soon becomes immersed in the brokerage business. However, when Billy Ray overhears a conversation between the Duke brothers he realises both he and Louis have been set up for a wager of just $1. Following this, he tracks down Louis who is by now homeless, and staying with Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis), a local prostitute who took pity on him. Once they settle their own differences, the two team up and use their respective skills to turn the tables on the Dukes and put them out of business.
The film's plot owes much to the Mark Twain novel 'The Prince and The Pauper' as well as Mozart's 'The Marriage of Figaro' in which characters are switched in a similar manner. Music from 'The Marriage of Figaro' is used as background while the audience is introduced to Louis Winthorpe and his life of privilege, before it is all taken away from him. 'Trading Places' went on to become the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, taking $90.4 million during its run in US cinemas. It was nominated for several awards including an Oscar, two Golden Globes and three BAFTAs. Jamie Lee Curtis won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress while veteran British actor Denholm Elliot (who played Coleman, butler to Louis Winthorpe III) won another BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor.
Here is the trailer for 'Trading Places':
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