Reversal of Fortune

{{Infobox film

| name = Reversal of Fortune

| image = Reversal of fortune_poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Barbet Schroeder

| producer = {{Plain list|

}}

| screenplay = Nicholas Kazan

| based_on = {{Based on|Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case|Alan Dershowitz}}

| starring = {{Plain list|

}}

| 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|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.State v. von Bulow, 475 A.2d 995 (R.I. 1984). The film stars Jeremy Irons as Claus, Glenn Close as Sunny, and Ron Silver as Dershowitz. Screenwriter 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 shock after a Christmas party. Her husband, the dissolute European aristocrat Claus von Bülow, is charged with attempting to murder the 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 as Jack
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."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/reversal_of_fortune/|title=Reversal of Fortune (1990)|work=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=December 12, 2020}} It has a score of 93 on Metacritic with 18 reviews {{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}}

= Accolades =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
Award ! Category ! Nominee(s) ! Result ! Ref.
rowspan="3"\| Academy Awards \| Best Director \| Barbet Schroeder \| {{nom}} \| align="center" rowspan="3"\| {{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}}
Best Actor \| Jeremy Irons \| {{won}}
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium \| Nicholas Kazan \| {{nom}}
Artios Awards \| Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama \| Howard Feuer \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\| {{cite web \|url=http://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1991 \|title=Nominees/Winners \|publisher=Casting Society of America \|access-date=January 6, 2019}}
rowspan="2"\| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards \| Best Actor \| Jeremy Irons \| {{won}} \| align="center" rowspan="2"\| {{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}}
Best Screenplay \| Nicholas Kazan \| {{won}}
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards \| Best Actor \| Jeremy Irons \| {{won}} \| align="center"\| {{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}}
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards \| colspan="2"\| Best Film \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\|
David di Donatello Awards \| Best Foreign Actor \| Jeremy Irons \| {{won}} \| align="center"\| {{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}}
rowspan="4"\| Golden Globe Awards \| colspan="2"\| Best Motion Picture – Drama \| {{nom}} \| align="center" rowspan="4"\| {{cite web \|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/reversal-fortune/ \|title=Reversal of Fortune \|publisher=Golden Globe Awards \|access-date=July 28, 2021}}
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama \| Jeremy Irons \| {{won}}
Best Director – Motion Picture \| Barbet Schroeder \| {{nom}}
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture \| Nicholas Kazan \| {{nom}}
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards \| Best Actor \| rowspan="2"\| Jeremy Irons \| {{won}} \| align="center"\| {{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}}
rowspan="2"\| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards \| Best Actor \| {{won}} \| align="center" rowspan="2"\| {{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}}
Best Screenplay \| Nicholas Kazan \| {{won}}
Nastro d'Argento \| Best Cinematography \| Luciano Tovoli \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\|
National Board of Review Awards \| colspan="2"\| Top Ten Films \| {{draw\|5th Place}} \| align="center"\| {{cite web \|url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1990/ \|title=1990 Award Winners \|publisher=National Board of Review \|access-date=July 5, 2021}}
rowspan="2"\| National Society of Film Critics Awards \| colspan="2"\| Best Film \| {{draw\|3rd Place}} \| align="center" rowspan="2"\| {{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}}
Best Actor \| Jeremy Irons \| {{won}}
rowspan="3"\| New York Film Critics Circle Awards \| colspan="2"\| Best Film \| {{Runner-up}} \| align="center" rowspan="3"\| {{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}}
Best Director \| Barbet Schroeder \| {{nom}}
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"\| Exposé \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\|
Writers Guild of America Awards \| Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium \| Nicholas Kazan \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\| {{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}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

Award

! Category

! Nominee(s)

! Result

! Ref.

rowspan="3"| Academy Awards

| Best Director

| Barbet Schroeder

| {{nom}}

| align="center" rowspan="3"| {{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}}

Best Actor

| Jeremy Irons

| {{won}}

Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium

| Nicholas Kazan

| {{nom}}

Artios Awards

| Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama

| Howard Feuer

| {{nom}}

| align="center"| {{cite web |url=http://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1991 |title=Nominees/Winners |publisher=Casting Society of America |access-date=January 6, 2019}}

rowspan="2"| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards

| Best Actor

| Jeremy Irons

| {{won}}

| align="center" rowspan="2"| {{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}}

Best Screenplay

| Nicholas Kazan

| {{won}}

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

| Best Actor

| Jeremy Irons

| {{won}}

| align="center"| {{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}}

Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Film

| {{nom}}

| align="center"|

David di Donatello Awards

| Best Foreign Actor

| Jeremy Irons

| {{won}}

| align="center"| {{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}}

rowspan="4"| Golden Globe Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture – Drama

| {{nom}}

| align="center" rowspan="4"| {{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/reversal-fortune/ |title=Reversal of Fortune |publisher=Golden Globe Awards |access-date=July 28, 2021}}

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

| Jeremy Irons

| {{won}}

Best Director – Motion Picture

| Barbet Schroeder

| {{nom}}

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

| Nicholas Kazan

| {{nom}}

Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards

| Best Actor

| rowspan="2"| Jeremy Irons

| {{won}}

| align="center"| {{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}}

rowspan="2"| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

| Best Actor

| {{won}}

| align="center" rowspan="2"| {{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}}

Best Screenplay

| Nicholas Kazan

| {{won}}

Nastro d'Argento

| Best Cinematography

| Luciano Tovoli

| {{nom}}

| align="center"|

National Board of Review Awards

| colspan="2"| Top Ten Films

| {{draw|5th Place}}

| align="center"| {{cite web |url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1990/ |title=1990 Award Winners |publisher=National Board of Review |access-date=July 5, 2021}}

rowspan="2"| National Society of Film Critics Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Film

| {{draw|3rd Place}}

| align="center" rowspan="2"| {{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}}

Best Actor

| Jeremy Irons

| {{won}}

rowspan="3"| New York Film Critics Circle Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Film

| {{Runner-up}}

| align="center" rowspan="3"| {{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}}

Best Director

| Barbet Schroeder

| {{nom}}

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"| Exposé

| {{nom}}

| align="center"|

Writers Guild of America Awards

| Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium

| Nicholas Kazan

| {{nom}}

| align="center"| {{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}}

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.{{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}}

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains:
Claus von Bulow – Nominated Villain{{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}}
2008: AFI's 10 Top 10:
Nominated Courtroom Drama Film{{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 }}