Editing Reversal of Fortune

{{Short description|1990 film by Barbet Schroeder}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Reversal of Fortune
| image          = Reversal of fortune_poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Barbet Schroeder]]
| producer       = {{Plain list|
* [[Edward R. Pressman]]
* [[Oliver Stone]]
}}
| screenplay     = [[Nicholas Kazan]]
| based_on       = {{Based on|''Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case''|[[Alan Dershowitz]]}}
| starring       = {{Plain list|
* [[Glenn Close]]
* [[Jeremy Irons]]
* [[Ron Silver]]
}}
| music          = [[Mark Isham]] 
| cinematography = [[Luciano Tovoli]]
| editing        = [[Lee Percy]]
| production_companies = {{Plain list|
* Reversal Films, Inc.
* Sovereign Pictures
* [[Shochiku]] Fuji Co. Ltd.
}}
| distributor    = [[Warner Bros.]]
| released       = {{Film date|1990|9|12|[[1990 Toronto International Film Festival|TIFF]]|1990|10|19|United States}}
| runtime        = 111 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| gross          = $15.4 million
| budget         =
}}

'''''Reversal of Fortune''''' is a 1990 American [[drama film]] directed by [[Barbet Schroeder]] that was adapted from the 1985 book ''Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case'', written by law professor [[Alan Dershowitz]]. It recounts the true story of the unexplained [[coma]] of socialite [[Sunny von Bülow]], the subsequent [[attempted murder]] trial, and the eventual [[acquittal]] of her husband, [[Claus von Bülow]], who had Dershowitz as his defense attorney.<ref>''State v. von Bulow'', 475 A.2d 995 (R.I. 1984).</ref> The film stars [[Jeremy Irons]] as Claus, [[Glenn Close]] as Sunny, and [[Ron Silver]] as Dershowitz. Screenwriter [[Nicholas Kazan|Nick Kazan]] originally envisioned Austrian actor [[Klaus Maria Brandauer]] in the role of Claus von Bülow but was thrilled with Irons' performance. Irons earned the 1990 [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] for his performance in the film.

==Plot==
The story is narrated by [[Sunny von Bülow]], who is in a coma after falling into [[Diabetic coma|diabetic shock]] after a Christmas party. Her husband, the dissolute European aristocrat [[Claus von Bülow]], is charged with attempting to murder the [[hypoglycemia|hypoglycemic]] Sunny by giving her an overdose of [[insulin]]. Claus's strained relationship with his wife and his cold and haughty personal demeanor lead most people to conclude that he is guilty. In need of an innovative defense, Claus turns to law professor [[Alan Dershowitz]]. Dershowitz is initially convinced of Claus's guilt but takes the case because von Bülow agrees to fund Dershowitz's defense of two poor black boys accused of capital murder. Employing his law students as workers, Dershowitz proceeds to defend Claus, wrestling with his client's unnerving personal style and questions of von Bülow's guilt or innocence.

== Cast ==
{{castlist|
*[[Glenn Close]] as [[Sunny von Bülow]]
*[[Jeremy Irons]] as [[Claus von Bülow]]
*[[Ron Silver]] as [[Alan Dershowitz]]
*[[Annabella Sciorra]] as Sarah
*[[Fisher Stevens]] as David Marriott
*[[Uta Hagen]] as Maria
*[[Jack Gilpin]] as Peter MacIntosh
*[[Christine Baranski]] as Andrea Reynolds
*[[Stephen Mailer]] as Elon Dershowitz
*[[Felicity Huffman]] as Minnie
*[[Johann Carlo]] as Nancy
*[[Keith Reddin]] as Dobbs
*[[Mitchell Whitfield]] as Curly
*[[Tom Wright (actor)|Tom Wright]] as Jack
*[[Michael Lord (actor)|Michael Lord]] as Ed
*[[Lisa Gay Hamilton]] as Mary
*[[Julie Hagerty]] as [[Alexandra Isles]]
*[[Bill Camp]] as Bill
*Mano Singh as Raj
}}

==Production==
The film was shot in numerous estates in [[Rhode Island]] and [[New Jersey]], and the Knole house in [[Old Westbury]], New York. At least one courtroom scene was shot at the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department in Brooklyn, New York.

Despite the fact that the house where the facts happened was [[Clarendon Court]], as also mentioned in dialogue, the establishing shot intentionally avoids the house and ends instead with a view of [[The Breakers]], another grandiose property nearby built for  [[Cornelius Vanderbilt II]].

== Reception ==
The film received mostly positive reviews and holds a 92% approval rating at [[Rotten Tomatoes]], with an average score of 7.9/10 from 51 reviews. The site's consensus states: "Featuring exceptional performances and a cunning script, ''Reversal of Fortune'' doubles as a tantalizing mystery and ruthless satire of the rich."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/reversal_of_fortune/|title=Reversal of Fortune (1990)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=December 12, 2020}}</ref> It has a score of 93 on Metacritic with 18 reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reversal of Fortune |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/reversal-of-fortune/ |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=www.metacritic.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Accolades ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[63rd Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| [[Barbet Schroeder]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="3"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1991 |title=The 63rd Academy Awards (1991) Nominees and Winners |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |access-date=October 20, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020005240/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1991 |archive-date=October 20, 2014}}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| [[Jeremy Irons]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium]]
| [[Nicholas Kazan]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Casting Society of America#Artios Awards|Artios Awards]]
| [[Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Drama)|Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama]]
| Howard Feuer
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1991 |title=Nominees/Winners |publisher=[[Casting Society of America]] |access-date=January 6, 2019}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 1990|Boston Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Jeremy Irons
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://bostonfilmcritics.org/past-winners-1990s/ |title=BSFC Winners: 1990s |publisher=[[Boston Society of Film Critics]] |date=July 27, 2018 |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Nicholas Kazan
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 1990|Chicago Film Critics Association Awards]]
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Jeremy Irons
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://chicagofilmcritics.org/awards-blog/archives |title=1988-2013 Award Winner Archives |publisher=[[Chicago Film Critics Association]] |date=January 1, 2013 |access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association|Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| [[David di Donatello|David di Donatello Awards]]
| [[David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor|Best Foreign Actor]]
| Jeremy Irons
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.daviddidonatello.it/storia/cronologia.php |title=Cronologia Dei Premi David Di Donatello |publisher=[[David di Donatello]] |access-date=June 27, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="4"| [[48th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="4"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/reversal-fortune/ |title=Reversal of Fortune |publisher=[[Golden Globe Awards]] |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| Jeremy Irons
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director – Motion Picture]]
| Barbet Schroeder
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Motion Picture]]
| Nicholas Kazan
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Kansas City Film Critics Circle|Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards]]
| Best Actor
| rowspan="2"| Jeremy Irons
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1990-99/ |title=KCFCC Award Winners – 1990-99 |publisher=[[Kansas City Film Critics Circle]] |date=December 14, 2013 |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[1990 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards|Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lafca.net/Years/1990.php |title=The 16th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards |publisher=[[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]] |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref> 
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Nicholas Kazan
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Nastro d'Argento]]
| Best Cinematography
| [[Luciano Tovoli]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| [[National Board of Review Awards 1990|National Board of Review Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[National Board of Review: Top Ten Films|Top Ten Films]]
| {{draw|5th Place}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1990/ |title=1990 Award Winners |publisher=[[National Board of Review]] |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[1990 National Society of Film Critics Awards|National Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| {{draw|3rd Place}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/about-2/ |title=Past Awards |publisher=[[National Society of Film Critics]] |date=December 19, 2009 |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Jeremy Irons
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[1990 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| {{Runner-up}}
| align="center" rowspan="3"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1990 |title=1990 New York Film Critics Circle Awards |publisher=[[New York Film Critics Circle]] |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Barbet Schroeder
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Jeremy Irons
| {{Runner-up}}
|-
| PEN Center USA West Literary Awards
| Best Screenplay
| Nicholas Kazan
| {{won}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| Political Film Society Awards
| colspan="2"| [[Political Film Society Award for Exposé|Exposé]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| [[43rd Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium]]
| Nicholas Kazan
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |title=Awards Winners |publisher=[[Writers Guild of America Awards]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |archive-date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=June 6, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

In 2015, the 25th anniversary of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' named ''Reversal of Fortune'' on its list of the 25 best films of the past 25 years.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=EW's 25 Best Movies in 25 Years|url=http://www.ew.com/gallery/25-best-movies-25-years|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=13 October 2015}}</ref>

The film is recognized by [[American Film Institute]] in these lists:
* 2003: [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains]]:
** [[Claus von Bülow|Claus von Bulow]] – Nominated Villain<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/handv400.pdf |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains Nominees |access-date=13 August 2016}}</ref>
* 2008: [[AFI's 10 Top 10]]:
** Nominated Courtroom Drama Film<ref>{{cite web|url=http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/10top10.pdf?docID=381&AddInterest=1781 |title=AFI's 10 Top 10 Nominees |format=PDF |date=16 November 2011 |access-date=19 August 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071937/http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/10top10.pdf?docID=381&AddInterest=1781 |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of films featuring diabetes]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{AFI film|58671}}
* {{IMDb title|0100486}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes|reversal_of_fortune}}
* {{Metacritic film}}
* {{Mojo title|reversaloffortune|Reversal of Fortune}}

{{Barbet Schroeder}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reversal Of Fortune}}
[[Category:1990 films]]
[[Category:1990 drama films]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
[[Category:1990s biographical drama films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:Alan Dershowitz]]
[[Category:American biographical drama films]]
[[Category:American courtroom films]]
[[Category:American films based on actual events]]
[[Category:Films about lawyers]]
[[Category:Films based on non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Films directed by Barbet Schroeder]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award–winning performance]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance]]
[[Category:Films scored by Mark Isham]]
[[Category:Films set in Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1980s]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Nicholas Kazan]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. films]]
[[Category:English-language biographical drama films]]