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Trading Places is a 1983 film directed by John Landis, starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It is a brilliant comedy that has as its central theme the role of money in American society and its consequences on people's lives.
When I read the theme of the contest, several films came to mind, all very good ones at least for me; I chose this one because it offered me a lighthearted and laugh-out-loud moment, thanks to the skill of the actors and the brilliance of the script.
The film's images also immersed me in a fascinating era, that of 1980s America, characterized by great
economic, social, and cultural transformations, which the film knows how to portray with irony and acuity.
The film begins through a series of images showing the contrast between American daily work and the social differences of life between the rich and the poor; in fact, it opens with a sequence of shots alternating scenes of shopkeepers, shopkeepers, small retailers, clerks, merchants, policemen, beggars, thieves, etc., accompanied by the song "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole. This directorial choice creates an ironic effect, highlighting the distance between the American dream and reality, between the Christmas mood and the harshness of life. The film, therefore, presents itself from the outset as a comedy that not only entertains, but also knows how to observe and criticize the society in which it takes place.
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It tells the story of Louis Winthorpe(Aykroyd), a successful stockbroker, and Billy Ray Valentine (Murphy), a homeless man posing as a Vietnam veteran.
The two are involved in a social experiment orchestrated by the Duke brothers, two wealthy and ruthless financial tycoons, who bet a buck that human behavior is determined by the environment and not by nature. Thus, they swap the lives of the two protagonists, turning Louis into a desperate pauper and Billy Ray into a rich and respected businessman.
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The plot of the film is thus closely linked to money, which is shown as a force capable of radically changing the existential conditions of the characters, but also influencing their personalities, values, and relationships. Money is also the driving force behind a series of comic and paradoxical situations that highlight the contradictions and hypocrisies of capitalist society.
The film, set during the Christmas season, also has a moral and sentimental dimension, which emerges especially in the second half, when Louis and Billy Ray discover the Duke's plan and decide to ally to get revenge and redeem themselves. Louis and Billy Ray also find two allies who have helped them through difficult times: Ophelia (Curtis), a prostitute who falls in love with Louis, and Coleman (Denholm Elliott), the Duke's butler who turns out to be a loyal friend of Billy Ray.
Trading Places is a film that, while being a light and funny comedy, also offers a critical and ironic reflection on the power of money and its ethical and social implications. The film is considered a classic of American cinema and a cult of the Christmas genre.
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Cine TV Contest #96 - Favorite Movie about Money - "You're money and you don't even know it!" https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@cinetv/cine-tv-contest-96-favorite-movie-about-money
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