Trading Places
John Landis ' 1983screwball comedyTrading Placeswas one of the most critically and commercially successful movies of the entire decade . In addition to gather favorable recapitulation , the celluloid turned an estimated $ 15 million budget into a massive $ 90.4 million box - office collision . As a resolution , it was the fourth highest - gross movie of 1983 in the U.S.
Of naturally , the moving-picture show also further introduced the macrocosm to Eddie Murphy , the precociousSNLstandout turned bona fide film star . Centennial State - starring Dan Aykroyd , the picture show features the socioeconomic swop between a wily street hustler ( Murphy ) and an uptight and affluent stockbroker ( Aykroyd ) . Here ’s a look back at the film ’s yield history .
Loose Inspirations
Whilebody - swop movieslikeFreaky FridayandVise Versawere all the fury in the 1980s , Trading Placestook aspiration from the more classic literary and cinematic transportation . The story is broadly based on Mark Twain’sThe Prince and The Pauper , a story in which poor and copious men swap lives .
However , the film also closely resemble the 1935 Three Stooges movieHoi Polloi , as well as a little - known Britishmovie starring Gregory PeckcalledMan With a Million(1954 ) . The name Billy Ray Valentine is also accept from a character cite Henry Valentine in theTwilight ZoneepisodeA Nice Place to Visit , which also closely resemble the plot ofTrading Places .
Meant For Richard Pryor & Gene Wilder
accord to theBusiness Insider , Trading Placeswasoriginally meantas a Richard Pryor / Gene Wilder vehicle come off the massive achiever of their two prior collaboration , Silver StreakandStir Crazy , respectively .
Unfortunately , Pryor was hurt whilst doing drugs and could n’t wager the role . When Eddie Murphy was turn over , he lobbied for Gene Wilder to be exchange , out of fear of being comprehend as a Richard Pryor wannabe . Pryor was Murphy ’s number one comedic divine guidance growing up .
Casting Hopefuls
Before Denholm Elliot was project as the elegant English pantryman Coleman in the film , Landis considered Sir John Gielgud and Ronnie Barker for the office . For the persona of Mortimer Duke , Landis ' first alternative was Oscar - success Ray Milland .
After getting his first pick of Ralph Bellamy as Randolph Duke , Landis eventually cast Don Ameche as Mortimer despite his 13 - class absence from the grown screen . Both Ameche and Bellamy reprise their roles inhilarious cameo appearancesmade inComing to America , also directed by Landis and starring Eddie Murphy .
The Mackenzie Brothers
In the third act of the film , the master characters expend time aboard a train during a costume ball . At one percentage point , a pair of baggage carriers played bySNLalumsAl Franken and his mate , Tom Davis , appears . Franken and Davis were not the original choices .
As it happen , theSCTVcharacters screw as the Mackenzie Brothers , play by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas , were in the first place set to appear as the baggage animal trainer . When their docket fall through , Dany Aykroyd evoke Franken and Davis instead . Moranis and Davis would seem in their own Mackenzie Brothers moving picture , Strange Brew , the same yearTrading Placeswas released .
Jamie Lee Curtis' Apartment
While filmingTrading Places , star Jamie Lee Curtis was engage to iconic 1930s movie star Marlene Dietrich ’s grandson , J. Michael Riva , who was a output graphic designer at the time . The two split before long after and Curtis married filmmaker Christopher Guest in 1984 .
During her fourth dimension piss the movie , Curtis spend many nights in Dietrich ’s historic Manhattan apartment ( 12E ) , place at 993 Park Avenue . Of course , as the child of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh , Jamie Lee knows a thing or two about Hollywood royal house .
Jamie Lee Curtis' Sister, Kelly
verbalize of Jamie Lee Curtis , her sister , Kelly , also come along inTrading Places . Kelly Curtis play the blond country - club cleaning lady nominate Muffy , an upscale socialite who clings to Billy Ray ’s side after he set about love life - change financial success .
Kelly Curtis tallied 20 big and small CRT screen credits in her career , most notably as a recurring node whizz on the 1996 TV seriesThe Sentinel .
Don Ameche’s One-Take Obscenity
Due to his spiritual raising , golden - age ex-serviceman actor , Don Ameche , took serious matter with a profanity - lace business of dialogue his character Mortimer utters near the end of the celluloid as he berates a group of Wall Street monger .
As a via media , Ameche gibe to shoot the prospect as scripted in one take only . He refused to apply the F - word more than once . Landis agreed and was able-bodied to get the shot in a undivided try .
Italian Christmas Tradition
Much likeA Christmas Storyin the United States , which seems to play on a 48 - hour continuous loop topology on December 24th and 25th , Trading Placeshas become a similarItalian Christmas custom .
Every year on the Nox of Christmas Eve , Trading Placesis broadcaston the local Italia 1 TV distribution channel . The custom often admit annual dissemination of the first threeHome Alonefilms , Jack Frost , andA Nightmare Before Christmas .
Inspired Philadelphia Restaurant
Indeed , Trading Placesinspired an eatery called Winthorpe & Valentine , located inside the Westin Hotel at 99 S 17th Street , Philadelphia . Unfortunately , the restaurant is presently close for dine - in due to COVID-19 .
The Eddie Murphy Rule
Trading Placesnot only pep up an upscale eating house , but it also led to a 2010 Wall Street regularization that has been dear dubbedThe Eddie Murphy Rule .
As part of the Wall Street Transparency Act stick in in 2010 , the film was cited in the formulation of a rule to banish insider trading by those with secret worthful info . The rule essentially bans the actions consume by the greedy Duke brothers in the film , who use Beeks ' intel on frozen orange juice to make a fortune .
NEXT : The 10 Best Dan Aykroyd Movies , Ranked ( According To IMDB )
