Reversal of Fortune
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Movie Reviews of Reversal of Fortune
Movie Review: Murder & Class Barriers
Summary: 4 Stars
Barbet Schroeder's "Reversal of Fortune" works mostly because the director keeps us away from Jeremy Irons' character and his thoughts, and to adopt his point of view would surely be a mistake. The structure is intensely loose, and perhaps owes much to the celebrated "Citizen Kane". The film allows an unconscious Glenn Close to narrate some of the past events, but her calm and sweet voice may lead the viewer to believe she finally found her place, like the William Holden character in "Sunset Blvd.". Barbet Schroeder uses subjective flashbacks (which makes them not necessarily true), and we always adopt the lawyers point of view: the book that was the source of this film was written by the real von Bulow's lawyer. The relationship established between the aristocrat and the lawyer is very subtle: van Bulow's life depends on the lawyer's ability to succeed, and when the lawyer becomes sure of that, he attempts to eliminate class barriers, allowing himself to call the aristocrat for his first name and inviting him to his home. And yet, van Bulow is so intensely attached to his own way of life that he never loses his facade or temperament, as when he says: "I don't carry my heart on my sleeves"."Reversal of Fortune" never attempts to find a climax: its quality resides mostly on the ability of the viewer and in the mannerisms of the characters. The film is constructed like a puzzle and its rhythm is pedantic but strangely fascinating. If the filmmakers were trying to create an exercise in style, they surely succeed it: we are left cold and doubtful and the movie lacks a purpose except entertainment.
Movie Review: Fine transfer of an enjoyable film.
Summary: 4 Stars
This account of the appeal and eventual retrial of Claus von Bulow for the attempted murder of his heiress wife Sunny is a very enjoyable way to spend an evening.It's all as a result of Jeremy Iron's marvellous portrayal of the enigmatic von Bulow, although all the cast, namely Glenn Close as Sunny von Bulow and Ron Silver as the iconoclastic lawyer Alan Dershowitz, are excellent. Apparently Woody Allen was slated to play Dershowitz, but was unavailable.
Irons is witty, conservative, and flamboyant. Apparently he wore the same cut of shirt as von Bulow, whose tails met and were attached together between his legs, to smooth out the shirt near the waistline. He said this gave him the upright stance and demeanour and helped him enter into von Bulow's character.
The DVD has few extras but boasts an excellent transfer of the film itself: vivid and very natural looking.
Some reviews have claimed that the soundtrack is too low, but this was not a problem at all when I watched the film, although my system is 2-speaker only not surround sound. The sound is very slightly lower in volume than normal but I would not have noticed this if I had not read earlier reviews of the disc. Certainly do not let this put you off owning this fine DVD.
Movie Review: Did He Or Didn't He?
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a movie, and based a true-life story, that left a lot of people puzzled. Did he - Claus von Bulow - murder his wife, or didn't he? After watching this film a decade ago, I still wasn't sure.
The story is a fascinating one and the movie is well-done, too. Was the story biased? Probably since it comes from a book written an attorney shown in the movie but, as someone who mainly knows the story only from this film, I am not qualified to say how much of this is truth, fiction and/or bias. Nonetheless, those intrigued with character studies should like this movie.
What I do know is the story was interesting and Jeremy Irons as "von Bulow;" Glenn Close his wife "Sunny," and Ron Silver as attorney "Alan Dershowitz," were all fascinating, all turning in fine performances.
The only thing I warn viewers is not to be duped by the message in there that you can't ever know the truth, everything is relative, etc. This is nonsense and the kind of psycho-babble defense lawyers love to spew.
Movie Review: Dynamic movie based on true legal case
Summary: 4 Stars
Did Klaus von Bulow (played by Jeremy Irons) inject his wife Sunny (Glenn Close) with insulin to cause her to fall into a coma or not? Originally convicted, this is about the appeal case that reversed that decision. Close narrates the film from her coma state, and Ron Silver plays the hot-shot lawyer Alan Dershowitz with non-stop energy. The movie is very spirited and captivating and although it revolves around a legal case, it's not really a courtroom drama since very little of it accurs in court; instead we see Silver's aides scurrying around like chipmunks gathering their appeal case data. Of course, the weight of the movie lies on Irons, a rather cold, mysterious man who may or may not be telling the truth. Legally he gets off, but we're left with the impression that morally he may be guilty. The movie is compelling as we're watching, but, strangely, I found the images and scenes from the movie quickly evaporating after it was over: it had no lasting power. Irons won an Oscar for his role.
Movie Review: Jeremy Irons Great Villain[?]
Summary: 4 Stars
Had occasion to see this terrific legal docu-drama again after 15 years and marveled at the performance of Jeremy Irons as convicted would-be-murderer Klaus Von Bulow. Buoyed by a great supporting cast, this movie tells the tale of the reversal of the conviction of Klaus for attempted murder of his socialite wife Sunny, played by Glenn Close. Irons steals the show though with his elegant, dark, emotionally hooded, and overtly sinister portrayal. While the film makes no moral judgments, and Bulow was eventually acquitted in real life; one can't help but wonder about the real outcome of the night that left Sunny a comatose vegetable to this day.