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Reversal of Fortune (1990)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 5/08, 3/21

Reversal
5/08: Here's a famous, but completely forgotten, case which occurred during the early 80's:

One day, Sunny von Bülow, a wealthy Manhattan-Rhode Island socialite, slipped into a coma for the second time one year after her first and never woke up again. By the way, she's still alive, and it's been 28 years now. Her husband, Claus, was convicted of attempted murder by insulin overdose only to be fully acquitted in a successful appeal due to Sunny's self-administered overdose of barbiturates which was combined with other drugs and food she ingested.

Jim Cramer, the very same one of Mad Money who worked for Alan Dershowitz during that time, thought Claus von Bülow was "supremely guilty." Yet the lead counsel cleared up the air by stating: "I am not sure whether he [Jim Cramer] ever met von Bülow, and his research on the case was minimal and did not involve issues of guilt or innocence. But Cramer, as a minor research assistant, had absolutely no knowledge upon which to base his opinions. His opinion was based on abysmal ignorance and a desire to make a point about why he hated law school and rarely attended his 'boring classes.'"

Enter Reversal of Fortune which netted Jeremy Irons an Academy Award for Best Actor. It's a good movie, but the story is too linear. Although I like Jeremy Irons, his performance is overrated. There were worthier candidates that year for the coveted award. Glenn Close gives a nice, if brief, supporting performance as Sunny von Bülow. Playing Alan Dershowitz, Ron Silver shows he's a capable thespian, and his hair is different compared to what I'm accustomed to. Sadly, his acting performances have dramatically crumbled since then.

All in all, Reversal of Fortune is compelling, but it lacks depth to make a long-lasting impact.

3/21: There's the rich, and there's the ultra rich.

The brilliant panoramic opening shot of Reversal of Fortune shows how small people are compared to the vast estates of Newport, Rhode Island, with their perfectly manicured lawns. But they don't have to feel bad after observing how the von Bülows conduct their quotidian lives by staying in bed as often while chain-smoking and are out of it from drugs.

Yep, Jeremy Irons won the Oscar for his portrayal of Claus von Bülow but didn't meet the guy himself until three years afterwards. Ending the film on a high but cryptic note, he's at his delicious best, and it's a superb performance. Ron Silver has done an amazing job of playing Alan Dershowitz. I'm surprised he didn't get any acting accolades. Glenn Close is fine, but it's no picnic for her, being in a coma most of the time.

Despite the great cinematography by Luciano Tovoli, the real problem is the script. It doesn't make sense most of the time. Some clarity will be appreciated. Nevertheless, the high production values are enough to overcome it. Back then, the von Bülow Case was a national cause célèbre, but now, it's practically forgotten. To this day, nobody knows if the husband had done it or not. My opinion is: it's 51-49 in favor of his guilt. He lived until 2019, but Sunny remained a vegetable for twenty-eight years until her death in 2008.

All in all, Reversal of Fortune is a supreme example of sublime filmmaking.