Comedy

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United States of America

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Dan Aykroyd

Eddie Murphy

Ralph Bellamy

Don Ameche

Denholm Elliott

Kristin Holby

Paul Gleason

Jamie Lee Curtis

Alfred Drake

Bo Diddley

Frank Oz

Jim Belushi

Al Franken

Tom Davis

Maurice Woods

Richard D. Fisher, Jr.

Anthony DiSabatino

Bonnie Behrend

Sunnie Merrill

James Newell

Mary St. John

Bonnie Tremena

David Schwartz

Tom Degidon

William Magerman

Alan Dellay

Florence Anglin

Ray D'Amore

Bobra Suiter

Herb Peterson

Sue Dugan

Walt Gorney

B. Constance Barry

P. Jay Sidney

Avon Long

Tom Mardirosian

Charles Brown

Robert Curtis Brown

Nicholas Guest

John Bedford Lloyd

Tony Sherer

Robert Earl Jones

Robert E. Lee

Peter Hock

Clint Smith

Ron Taylor

James D. Turner

Giancarlo Esposito

Steve Hofvendahl

James Eckhouse

Gwyllum Evans

Eddie Jones

John McCurry

Michelle Mais

Barra Khan

Bill Cobbs

Joshua Daniel

Jacques Sandulescu

W.B. Brydon

Margaret H. Flynn

Kelly Curtis

Tracey K. Shaffer

Susan Fallender

Lucianne Buchanan

Paul Garcia

Jed Gillin

Jimmy Raitt

Kate Taylor

Philip Bosco

Bill Boggs

Deborah Reagan

Don McLeod

Stephen Stucker

Richard Hunt

Paul Austin

John Randolph Jones

Jack Davidson

Bernie McInerney

Maurice Copeland

Ralph Clanton

Bryan Clark

Gary Klar

Afemo Omilami

Shelly Chee Chee Hall

Donna Palmer

Barry Dennen

Murray Bandel

Benjean

John Black

John Landis

Shirley Levine

Charles Pendelton

Yvonna Russell

Jan Saint

Arleen Sorkin

Ronald Sylvers

Marlene Willoughby

Jim Gallagher

Gene Rudolf

George DeTitta Jr.

Robert Paynter

George DeTitta Sr.

Deborah Nadoolman Landis

Malcolm Campbell

Aaron Russo

Sam Williams

Bonnie Timmermann

George Folsey Jr.

Irwin Russo

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Elmer Bernstein

Gary Jones

Linda Conaway-Parsloe

Renee Bodner

Herschel Weingrod

Timothy Harris

James Sabat

Jack Engel

Frank Graziadei

Frank Bianco

Charles L. Campbell

Hank Muller

Larry Mann

Andy Perillo

Robert Glass

Larry Carow

Chuck Neely

Don Digirolamo

Samuel C. Crutcher

Robert 'Buzz' Knudson

Bruce Richardson

Jerry Stanford

The Prince and the Pauper with Eddie & Dan on sparkling form.

Mortimer & Randolph Duke are two repugnantly rich brothers, they make a bet that sees the role reversal of top toff yuppie, Louis Winthorpe, and wise cracking street hustler bum, Billy Ray Valentine. That's about the strength of the films plot, yet it makes for a very funny film that crackles with glee due to it's excellently written script. Watching the respective characters rise and fall respectively creates laughs aplenty whilst asking the question of how we all would cope in similar circumstances?

Sure the film does beat one over the head with its social message, we are in no doubt from the off about the gap between the rich and the poor, and yes the colour of a persons skin also rears its ugly head here to make this one of the more braver comedies of the 80s. Billy Ray Valentine (a brilliant dual performance from Eddie Murphy) is elevated up the social ladder, he becomes a force in industry, but as the progression enthrals him it also makes him aware that the things at the top end of the ladder aren't exactly stand up doings. Winthorpe (a perfectly casted Dan Ackroyd) drops further down the social ladder and resorts to behaviour that nobody from the upper echelons could ever have dreamed he would be capable of - it's only an encounter with prostitute Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis at the peak of her sexiness), and her good heart, that starts to see an upturn in his now dead bottom fortunes. 

The gags come thick and fast, both verbally (Murphy on fire) and visually, as the film sees the whole cast fusing together to create a cracking comedy. Come the denouement on Wall Street we are privy to a joyous and savage turn of events that ice the clever Christmas cake we have just digested. It does have an 80s sheen about it, and viewing now in post 9/11 times it's got a tint of nostalgia value to it, but really it's all about the script, the stars and a kick in the eye for those who think nothing of treading on the people below them, enjoy. 8/10

Seen this one numerous times over the years, not quite a laugh-out-loud riot or anything but still pretty funny throughout with great performances all around. Although their screen time together was mostly limited to the last 30-minutes, Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy were great as were Denholm Elliott and Jamie Lee Curtis (hot as hell). Also appreciate Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche as the pompous and terrible villains. **4.0/5**

Is it offensive? Very much. Is it worth watching? Absolutely. Is it funny as hell? Hell yeah!

This classic OUTRAGEOUS comedy caper is the perfect holiday film to watch in between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

CinemaSerf

I am not really a fan of Eddie Murphy, but with the help of Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche doing their own version of a more manipulative pairing akin to "Stadler and Waldorf", he delivers well here in this rather punchy comedy. Our two elderly gents are wealthy and employ "Winthorpe" (Dan Akyroyd) to run their business empire for them. He does well for them, makes them a fortune and himself lives the life of a millionaire in a mansion where he is pampered by butler "Coleman" (Denholm Elliott). Meantime, street-wise "Valentine" (Murphy) is constantly on the make and during an altercation with "Winthorpe" during which he is arrested, the two old buzzards come up with a wheeze to see if the think-on-your-feet merchant could do a better job than their incumbent. A bit of sleight of hand now sees the epitome of a reversal of fortune as "Valentine" unwittingly assumes the job of managing their business whilst his ill-equipped predecessor finds himself driven to some increasingly slapstick desperation. It's only when "Valentine" overhears the conspiring old goats reveal their true purpose that he decides that it's time for some more permanent reversal of fortune - only this time, well it's all about oranges and pork bellies. Murphy is on good form here, but for me it's Akyroyd - and his unlikely ally "Ophelia" (Jamie Lee Curtis) who steal the show as the writing delivers quite a few laugh out moments as well as swiping at some fairly odious attitudes of snobbery, bigotry and racism. Though he doesn't feature so much, Elliott also fares well as the butler - very much in the vein of Sir John Gielgud, and as the story gathers pace it becomes an entertaining character study of worms that turn, and turn again all set to a classy mix of old and new from the soundtrack.

Eddie Murphy Bailed Out of Jail by Millionaires (Full Scene)

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Dan Aykroyd

Eddie Murphy

Ralph Bellamy

Don Ameche

Denholm Elliott

Kristin Holby

Paul Gleason

Jamie Lee Curtis

Alfred Drake

Bo Diddley

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