Trading Places is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis and starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. The film follows the story of Louis Winthorpe III (Aykroyd), a wealthy commodities broker, and Billy Ray Valentine (Murphy), a poor street hustler, whose lives are crossed when they are unwittingly made the subject of an elaborate bet to test how each man will perform when their life circumstances are swapped.
The bet is placed by two wealthy brothers, Mortimer and Randolph Duke (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche), who believe that nature is more important than nurture. The Dukes arrange for Winthorpe to be framed for a crime he didn't commit and for Valentine to be given Winthorpe's job.
Winthorpe is quickly jailed, while Valentine quickly adapts to his new life of luxury. However, Winthorpe eventually gets out and seeks to get revenge on the Dukes. He teams up with Valentine, and together they expose the Dukes' corruption and win back their lives.
Trading Places is a funny and heartwarming film that explores themes of class, race, and the power of money. It is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and ambition.
This is considered one of the top comedy films of all time. It was one of Eddie Murphy's first films on the way to stardom.
Cast
- Dan Aykroyd as Louis Winthorpe III: a wealthy commodities director at Duke & Duke
- Eddie Murphy as Billy Ray Valentine: a street beggar and con man
- Ralph Bellamy as Randolph Duke: greedy co-owner of Duke & Duke, alongside his brother Mortimer
- Don Ameche as Mortimer Duke: Randolph's equally greedy brother
- Denholm Elliott as Coleman: Winthorpe's butler
- Jamie Lee Curtis as Ophelia: a [prostitute](@leoglossary/leoglossary-prostitute-0 who helps Winthorpe
- Kristin Holby as Penelope Witherspoon: the Dukes' grandniece and Winthorpe's fiancée
- Paul Gleason as Clarence Beeks: a security expert covertly working for the Dukes
- Robert Curtis-Brown as Todd
- Alfred Drake as the Securities Exchange manager
- Jim Belushi as Harvey
- Bo Diddley as a pawnbroker
Director: John Landis
Writers: Timothy Harris | Herschel Weingrod
Box Office Gross: $90,404,800
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Genre: comedy
Release Date: June 10, 1983