Ah hello. Black guy here. Have you rewatched Nightmare on Elm Street lately? It is horrendous and non-palatable, to say the least, but when it debuted, I was terrified for weeks.
I found this review to be laden with privilege and judgement by the writer. You yourself said you thought the movie was funny in the 80’s, and it was. The problem is you’ve aged and matured nearly four decades since then, the movie has not.
I just rewatched the movie tonight 12/25/2023 (which is how I ended up on this review) and it was still funny to me. I’ll admit, I laughed at a lot of lines primarily because they would lead to immediate cancellation and a public stoning these days. For example when Billy Ray in the Jacuzzi and Coleman asked “Would like a jacuzzi?” To which Billy Ray responded “Hey man! I knew y’all were some (derogatory F word that rhymes with MAGGOTS that I cannot type here or risk being flagged a banned). I laughed for several minutes at that line. Not because it was derogatory, but because in 1982 comedy was different.
I appreciate the movie for what it was at the time, and in today’s time I give with grace for the aforementioned sexism, racism, classism, and the corny tropes to garner a laugh.
To the author of this review I say, relax.
The movie hasn't aged badly, we’ve aged and it’s unfair to view this unaged content with middle aged adult lenses.
I think it was Gene Siskel who said that he didn't want remakes of good films that hold up. He wants remakes of good films that no longer hold up and bad films with great ideas.
Trading Places was a good film. Boy does it not hold up. It's core, though, does. I guess what I'm saying is that they should remake this and not Moana.
Thanks for writing this - I re-watched this during the pandemic for the first time since I was a kid (yikes) and was totally thrown. Where was the genius comedy everyone always talked about? And I also found that "You bitch" line so jarring and out of place. Great piece.
I too watched this during the pandemic for the first time since the mid 90s. And had a similar reaction. The bits I remembered were all there (eating an entire smoked salmon through a filthy Santa beard is still funny, thank Christ), but the movie that surrounded them was so much worse! And I had completely forgotten about the blackface scene, which was not only offensive, but incredibly dumb.
The Blackface scene was there because Dan Ackroyd was "The Man of a Thousand Faces" on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, playing everybody from Julia Child, to a sleazy manufacturer of unsafe products for kids, to the snobbish host of a show featuring "bad art". One of the few things he hadn't played on SNL was Blackface or Yellowface, because that would take too long to apply and take off during a ninety-minute live show—and like a lot of versatile comedy actors, he thought these roles would show off his acting range.
Dan Ackroyd also has Asperger's, and I doubt reads social cues very well—so even if Eddie Murphy or some of his entourage WERE offended? It's unlikely he'd have picked upon it unless Murphy outright told him, "Man, that's not at all funny!"
I don't know for certain, but it's likely given how often Ackroyd was used on the show, and how long it takes to both apply and take off black, brown, or yellow makeup.
Yes, Billy Crystal would get into dark-skinned makeup for Sammy Davis, Jr., but it was always more tan than the total Blackface Ackroyd did in TRADING PLACES.
Jarring? I found it to be of the same caliber as the “do you think I want a Ni@@er running our company?” line. Jarring? Not at all. Weak dialogue? Sure, but it was 1982 and hyper stereotypical dialogue was all the rage back then.
My opinion of this has also come down, going from really liking it to only thinking it's so-so. As far as everyone aspiring to capitalist fantasies, I can let that slide -- that's so many movies. I also didn't feel like Jamie Lee's speech carried any "not like other girls" connotation, it's just that she's telling Louis, who has just sneered at the notion of her being a prostitute, and thus I can charitably read her reply as having the spirit of clarifying sex work for him.
The other thing I'm willing to read charitably is Aykroyd's comments. They do have a strong streak of boomer in them, but Aykroyd is also autistic, so when he says he wouldn't be able to do certain things, it's hard to tell if he cares or if he's stating facts. (At the very least, I appreciate that he's a trans ally, and probably in some small part due to Trading Places, where he became friends with Jamie Lee Curtis, who has a trans daughter.)
I get it. I do. There are parts of this movie, considered a classic, that have not aged well. For me, this is a perennial - I tend to watch it regularly over the holiday season for its connection to Christmas and New Years and I still find it funny. The blackface, not funny. Did I find it funny in 1983? Probably, but I was also thirteen. I also saw Soul Man in its initial run.
Misogyny ran rampant in movies up until recently (and there's probably current examples, still). Back to the Future, beloved by millions and despite the Oedipal shenanigans had a an attempted rape scene kicking off the third act. People still think Biff is a funny villain, though. 48 HRS. - wanna talk about racist? Oof. That could give Trading Places a huge run for its money. Eddie Murphy is still a beloved actor/comedian, but he had some of the most homophobic and/or misogynistic routines of anyone at the time, and he was a superstar.
None of it's forgivable, but it hasn't ruined the these movies for me (okay, Soul Man was never good). In the case of Trading Places the racism (blackface notwithstanding) is part of the story, underlining just how evil the Dukes really are (calling Randolph the warm, smiling face of bigotry is spot on by the way). What Louis, Billy Ray, and Ophelia (and even Coleman) find out along the way is that they are all smart, decent people despite their class, professions, and societal differences and work together to hatch a plan that's honestly taken me years to figure out.
In other words, yeah - there are things in it that would not and should not fly today. But I still love this one (and my Dan Aykroyd-autographed DVD copy, too).
Two thoughts: I have a tradition if I happen to catch JLC telling Ackroyd that "This isn't Shakespeare, Louie" of saying "Yes, because Shakespeare is both funnier and more realistic." Other thing: I'm surprised you didn't note that the wacky ape sodomy part featured a now former U.S. senator.
Dude - get a life. The movie was funny then and still a classic. Let’s ruin everything we enjoyed when we were young. Tell children there is no Santa Claus while you’re at it. Feel sorry for your wife and children if you have any
You're probably the only one that feels this way I felt it was a great comedy well written and oh my gosh I think I counted you mentioned the word blackface 111 times. Let it go it's comedy. How about Blazing Saddles there's at least half the movie made by derogatory seems about race and it's funny as hell everyone knows it's just making fun of doesn't matter who's behind the color
I saw Trading Places when it opened, and kept waiting for laughs that never came for me. What I'd completely forgotten, till I read this re-review, was the whole Dan Aykroyd in blackface routine. I should be thankful, I guess.
I had positive memories of this one as well, until I watched it while researching my Christmas-movies book -- within 15 minutes, I had to turn it off and cross it off the list.
Just joining here, but was glad to see your take on this one-time classic. I haven;t watched it awhile, but I also remember the ending being a bit of a downer for a comedy. So many movies don't hold up over time (most of my Substack posts are about this very topic #alwaysbeplugging), and it's not because people are "too sensitive" now. It's really because people weren't sensitive enough back then. Thanks for writing!
I feel like the "Nature vs Nurture" wager between wealthy men as a comedic plot device was best accomplished by the Three Stooges, several times, beginning with the 1935 short "Hoi Polloi".
Trading Places never really landed with me, and I'm not sure why. I have a vague memory of feeling a bit disgusted as a kid seeing a friend of mine guffaw at the gorilla scene. I don't even remember the blackface bit... reading this is making me curious how well Silver Streak holds up. I suspect, it works much better.
Yeah, I'm Black too (as though announcing our race gives us more credibility?). Trading Places is a product of its time and I find it cringe in a way that Blazing Saddles or even Tropic Thunder do not.
I am not offended by racism and sexism in movies. What offends me is when it seems gratuitous and out of context. The way Quentin Tarantino insists on crowbarring a N-bomb in many of his movies. John Landis isn't that ballsy, but Trading Places goes out of its way to be offensive and its racism, sexism, homophobia, and blackface have aged like milk.
It's a great cast, but I can't watch the movie now without wincing. Landis directs humor with the finesse of a one-armed juggler. He has never gotten any better than Animal House and without a John Belushi, putting Dan Akyroyd as a lead just fizzles. Eddie Murphy is just riffing and playing himself. Jamie Lee Curtis is the cliched hooker with a heart of gold who shows off her rack every so often to keep things interesting.
Trading Places is a dated and sluggish "comedy" with pretensions of being something more. It isn't. It's just a second-rate star vehicle for Murphy.
Racist? Yes. Unfunny? Somewhat. A subtextual but poignant critique of the capitalistic whims? Like no other.
In México (as most of the dubbing) was heavily localized. The part where Nenge Mboko and Lionel Joseph sing in the train, the song that was used is "Burundanga" made famous by Celia Cruz. Curiously the theme was written in the turmoil of Fulgencio Batista's second coup on the island. Time and chance had passed when Celia was obliged by Fidel Castro to sing for him; Celia refused.
The song that Castro held dearly while cleaning his rifle was the dubbed song.
Ah hello. Black guy here. Have you rewatched Nightmare on Elm Street lately? It is horrendous and non-palatable, to say the least, but when it debuted, I was terrified for weeks.
I found this review to be laden with privilege and judgement by the writer. You yourself said you thought the movie was funny in the 80’s, and it was. The problem is you’ve aged and matured nearly four decades since then, the movie has not.
I just rewatched the movie tonight 12/25/2023 (which is how I ended up on this review) and it was still funny to me. I’ll admit, I laughed at a lot of lines primarily because they would lead to immediate cancellation and a public stoning these days. For example when Billy Ray in the Jacuzzi and Coleman asked “Would like a jacuzzi?” To which Billy Ray responded “Hey man! I knew y’all were some (derogatory F word that rhymes with MAGGOTS that I cannot type here or risk being flagged a banned). I laughed for several minutes at that line. Not because it was derogatory, but because in 1982 comedy was different.
I appreciate the movie for what it was at the time, and in today’s time I give with grace for the aforementioned sexism, racism, classism, and the corny tropes to garner a laugh.
To the author of this review I say, relax.
The movie hasn't aged badly, we’ve aged and it’s unfair to view this unaged content with middle aged adult lenses.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I think it was Gene Siskel who said that he didn't want remakes of good films that hold up. He wants remakes of good films that no longer hold up and bad films with great ideas.
Trading Places was a good film. Boy does it not hold up. It's core, though, does. I guess what I'm saying is that they should remake this and not Moana.
Thanks for writing this - I re-watched this during the pandemic for the first time since I was a kid (yikes) and was totally thrown. Where was the genius comedy everyone always talked about? And I also found that "You bitch" line so jarring and out of place. Great piece.
I too watched this during the pandemic for the first time since the mid 90s. And had a similar reaction. The bits I remembered were all there (eating an entire smoked salmon through a filthy Santa beard is still funny, thank Christ), but the movie that surrounded them was so much worse! And I had completely forgotten about the blackface scene, which was not only offensive, but incredibly dumb.
The Blackface scene was there because Dan Ackroyd was "The Man of a Thousand Faces" on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, playing everybody from Julia Child, to a sleazy manufacturer of unsafe products for kids, to the snobbish host of a show featuring "bad art". One of the few things he hadn't played on SNL was Blackface or Yellowface, because that would take too long to apply and take off during a ninety-minute live show—and like a lot of versatile comedy actors, he thought these roles would show off his acting range.
Dan Ackroyd also has Asperger's, and I doubt reads social cues very well—so even if Eddie Murphy or some of his entourage WERE offended? It's unlikely he'd have picked upon it unless Murphy outright told him, "Man, that's not at all funny!"
Hah! I remember his old SNL stuff, but didn't know that was the reason he avoided those particular impersonations on the show.
I don't know for certain, but it's likely given how often Ackroyd was used on the show, and how long it takes to both apply and take off black, brown, or yellow makeup.
Yes, Billy Crystal would get into dark-skinned makeup for Sammy Davis, Jr., but it was always more tan than the total Blackface Ackroyd did in TRADING PLACES.
Jarring? I found it to be of the same caliber as the “do you think I want a Ni@@er running our company?” line. Jarring? Not at all. Weak dialogue? Sure, but it was 1982 and hyper stereotypical dialogue was all the rage back then.
My opinion of this has also come down, going from really liking it to only thinking it's so-so. As far as everyone aspiring to capitalist fantasies, I can let that slide -- that's so many movies. I also didn't feel like Jamie Lee's speech carried any "not like other girls" connotation, it's just that she's telling Louis, who has just sneered at the notion of her being a prostitute, and thus I can charitably read her reply as having the spirit of clarifying sex work for him.
The other thing I'm willing to read charitably is Aykroyd's comments. They do have a strong streak of boomer in them, but Aykroyd is also autistic, so when he says he wouldn't be able to do certain things, it's hard to tell if he cares or if he's stating facts. (At the very least, I appreciate that he's a trans ally, and probably in some small part due to Trading Places, where he became friends with Jamie Lee Curtis, who has a trans daughter.)
I get it. I do. There are parts of this movie, considered a classic, that have not aged well. For me, this is a perennial - I tend to watch it regularly over the holiday season for its connection to Christmas and New Years and I still find it funny. The blackface, not funny. Did I find it funny in 1983? Probably, but I was also thirteen. I also saw Soul Man in its initial run.
Misogyny ran rampant in movies up until recently (and there's probably current examples, still). Back to the Future, beloved by millions and despite the Oedipal shenanigans had a an attempted rape scene kicking off the third act. People still think Biff is a funny villain, though. 48 HRS. - wanna talk about racist? Oof. That could give Trading Places a huge run for its money. Eddie Murphy is still a beloved actor/comedian, but he had some of the most homophobic and/or misogynistic routines of anyone at the time, and he was a superstar.
None of it's forgivable, but it hasn't ruined the these movies for me (okay, Soul Man was never good). In the case of Trading Places the racism (blackface notwithstanding) is part of the story, underlining just how evil the Dukes really are (calling Randolph the warm, smiling face of bigotry is spot on by the way). What Louis, Billy Ray, and Ophelia (and even Coleman) find out along the way is that they are all smart, decent people despite their class, professions, and societal differences and work together to hatch a plan that's honestly taken me years to figure out.
In other words, yeah - there are things in it that would not and should not fly today. But I still love this one (and my Dan Aykroyd-autographed DVD copy, too).
Two thoughts: I have a tradition if I happen to catch JLC telling Ackroyd that "This isn't Shakespeare, Louie" of saying "Yes, because Shakespeare is both funnier and more realistic." Other thing: I'm surprised you didn't note that the wacky ape sodomy part featured a now former U.S. senator.
Dude - get a life. The movie was funny then and still a classic. Let’s ruin everything we enjoyed when we were young. Tell children there is no Santa Claus while you’re at it. Feel sorry for your wife and children if you have any
Whether 40 years ago or 40 days ago, I love the movie!
You're probably the only one that feels this way I felt it was a great comedy well written and oh my gosh I think I counted you mentioned the word blackface 111 times. Let it go it's comedy. How about Blazing Saddles there's at least half the movie made by derogatory seems about race and it's funny as hell everyone knows it's just making fun of doesn't matter who's behind the color
I saw Trading Places when it opened, and kept waiting for laughs that never came for me. What I'd completely forgotten, till I read this re-review, was the whole Dan Aykroyd in blackface routine. I should be thankful, I guess.
I had positive memories of this one as well, until I watched it while researching my Christmas-movies book -- within 15 minutes, I had to turn it off and cross it off the list.
Just joining here, but was glad to see your take on this one-time classic. I haven;t watched it awhile, but I also remember the ending being a bit of a downer for a comedy. So many movies don't hold up over time (most of my Substack posts are about this very topic #alwaysbeplugging), and it's not because people are "too sensitive" now. It's really because people weren't sensitive enough back then. Thanks for writing!
I feel like the "Nature vs Nurture" wager between wealthy men as a comedic plot device was best accomplished by the Three Stooges, several times, beginning with the 1935 short "Hoi Polloi".
Trading Places never really landed with me, and I'm not sure why. I have a vague memory of feeling a bit disgusted as a kid seeing a friend of mine guffaw at the gorilla scene. I don't even remember the blackface bit... reading this is making me curious how well Silver Streak holds up. I suspect, it works much better.
This author sounds like a giant pussy
Yeah, I'm Black too (as though announcing our race gives us more credibility?). Trading Places is a product of its time and I find it cringe in a way that Blazing Saddles or even Tropic Thunder do not.
I am not offended by racism and sexism in movies. What offends me is when it seems gratuitous and out of context. The way Quentin Tarantino insists on crowbarring a N-bomb in many of his movies. John Landis isn't that ballsy, but Trading Places goes out of its way to be offensive and its racism, sexism, homophobia, and blackface have aged like milk.
It's a great cast, but I can't watch the movie now without wincing. Landis directs humor with the finesse of a one-armed juggler. He has never gotten any better than Animal House and without a John Belushi, putting Dan Akyroyd as a lead just fizzles. Eddie Murphy is just riffing and playing himself. Jamie Lee Curtis is the cliched hooker with a heart of gold who shows off her rack every so often to keep things interesting.
Trading Places is a dated and sluggish "comedy" with pretensions of being something more. It isn't. It's just a second-rate star vehicle for Murphy.
Racist? Yes. Unfunny? Somewhat. A subtextual but poignant critique of the capitalistic whims? Like no other.
In México (as most of the dubbing) was heavily localized. The part where Nenge Mboko and Lionel Joseph sing in the train, the song that was used is "Burundanga" made famous by Celia Cruz. Curiously the theme was written in the turmoil of Fulgencio Batista's second coup on the island. Time and chance had passed when Celia was obliged by Fidel Castro to sing for him; Celia refused.
The song that Castro held dearly while cleaning his rifle was the dubbed song.
The lesser known chorus reads:
Abambelé, practique el amor
Defiende al humano
Por que ese es tu hermano, se vive mejor.
Curiously ironic.