I wish I could switch into the body of someone even for a day like J-Lo, Sophia Vergera, or my friend Ali who is so happy being 124lbs...the bitchð. Of course, this week it is all about switching bodies which is a fun premise for a movie. Wandering through the Shelves is the host of this weekly series where you pick 3 films that work to the theme. Head on over to join or see what the others have chosen. Here are my 3...
1. TURNABOUT-1940
This is a cute little gem that I was happy to see when the great Elwy Yost hosted Saturday Night at the Movies ( I miss this program so much). It stars Carole Landis, the sad gal who had an affair with Rex Harrison and ended up killing herself when he called it off, as the spoiled wife of an advertising exec, played by John Hubbard who works all day and thinks his wife does nothing. They do nothing but bicker and bicker often in front of an Indian Statue a friend of theirs gave to them. When each wishes they could be in the others shoes, their wish is granted much to their distress. Hilarity ensues when each discover that it is not all that cracked up to be in their partner’s shoes. I found it a fun comedy and loved Carole Landis’s performance.
2. HEAVEN CAN WAIT-1978
This is a remake of a great film, "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" starring Robert Montgomery and Claude Rains but I decided to showcase the remake starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. I actually really love this remake which I find quite funny, warm and sad all at once. It’s about Joe, a football quarterback who gets into an accident but shouldn’t have died. His soul is taken, by an over zealous angel, before his time and now the head angel, played by James Mason, must correct the boo-boo. Mason finds a filthy rich bugger who has just been killed by his scheming wife and his personal secretary and places Joe into the body while he tries to find a more permanent one. When the rich guy seems aok, his wife is dumbfounded. In the meantime, a young woman wants to have the rich guy, now Joe, stop what he is doing since she is an environmental activist. My favourite part of the movie is Beatty’s relationship with his old coach, played by Jack Warden. It’s quite good for a remake and I recommend this one as well as the original but please skip the 3rd remake with Chris Rock which sucks.
3. ALL OF ME-1984
When I saw this in the theatre, I laughed like hell and it showed that Steve Martin was more than just the Jerk. He plays the lawyer of a rich woman who is nasty but mainly due to being sickly her whole life and lonely. Through an Indian Guru, somehow(I won’t tell you how) she is placed into the body of Steve Martin but he is still in the body so they are sharing one body which results in some hilarious situations. It showcases Martin’s physical comedy but also a softer side when he looks in the mirror and sees Lily Tomlin, the sick, dying rich gal, and starts to get to know her. She gets to know him in more ways than one when he is ready to score with a lovely lass but Lily wakes up and realizes what is about to happen...ewweewwwww. This is fun, sweet and funny.
What would you choose?
I can think of several others, but I'd place Heaven Can Wait at the top. Although would you classify the latest Jumanji movie as body switching since they all came into the game with new bodies? That one was really funny.
ReplyDeleteI want to see the latest Jumanji and that’s does count for sure.
DeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteThat's a wild scene in Turnabout with the wrestling, sparring bear. I have not seen that picture and was not familiar with actress Carole Landis. I read more about her tragic suicide at age 29. Rex reportedly ordered his lawyer to destroy her suicide note linking him to her death. Rex and his wife both attended the funeral.
I did see Heaven Can Wait, one of the films Warren Beatty made during the years he was a top box office draw. It's a good one. I needed to report to YouTube to watch the trailer for All Of Me. Somehow I missed watching that film in 1984, probably because I was busy moving and getting settled in Florida that year. Steve Martin is indeed brilliant in his execution of physical comedy as illustrated in the trailer. The movie looks hilarious and now I want to see it.
Thanks for the entertainment, dear friend BB, and enjoy the rest of your week!
That’s is a fun scene. All of Me is a really good movie that I think you would enjoy
DeleteI've never seen any of these, but HAVE heard of Heaven Can Wait. As always, it's so fun to read your synopses and asides. Still laughing at some of your remarks!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the read and knew about Heaven Can Wait
DeleteThis week was hard, I haven't seen any of these. I've only heard of Heaven Can Wait. Although All Of Me sounds kind of interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think you would enjoy both films and should place them on your blind spot series.
DeleteLove all of these and we match!!!
ReplyDeleteI really like Here Comes Mr. Jordan as well but I've always had a soft spot for the Beatty pic. He's at his most charming and it has Julie Christie!!! in the cast plus Dyan Cannon and Charles Grodin are a scream as the duplicitous pair trying to get rid of Warren in his new incarnation. Then of course there's James Mason.
All of Me is one of both stars best films and in the weird setup they work so well together.
I'm a trifle flabbergasted that we match on Turnabout, it's such a small film but glad that I'm not the only one whose seen it. It's a charmer. Carole Landis's story is indeed a sad one and while the breakup with Harrison seems to have been the final straw she had a host of other issues both physical and emotional going on. Not that Harrison didn't act like a cad but there were other forces at work.
I sort of hopped through the decades for mine.
Turnabout (1940)-Well-to-do Tim Willows (John Hubbard) is the main operator of his advertising company Manning, Willows, and Claire. His wife Sally (Carole Landis) stays at home and oversees their social life. When together they bicker constantly that the other has it much easier than they do. One day in the heat of an argument they wish they could switch places with each other in the presence of Mr. Ram, an Indian idol they have received as a gift. When they wake up the next morning they have indeed switched places and bodies with each other. Chaos ensues. Sprightly comedy with good performances and a twist ending.
Goodbye Charlie (1964)-Hollywood screenwriter and womanizing reprobate Charlie Sorrel is shot by film producer Sir Leopold Sartori (Walter Matthau) when he catches him with his wife on Sartori’s yacht and falls into the drink. Shortly afterwards Bruce Minton III (Pat Boone) comes to the aid of a dazed woman (Debbie Reynolds-at the height of her blonde beauty) wandering on a beach. She doesn't remember much other than directions to Charlie's residence. The next morning, it all comes back to her: she is Charlie…but in female form. Needing help she convinces her only friend, George Tracy (Tony Curtis), of her identity. Having changed sex, but not his ways the new Charlie now going by Virginia decides to take advantage of the situation, with Tracy's reluctant help. Directed by Vincente Minnelli with a super cast including a young Ellen Burstyn when she was still billed as Ellen McRae. Remade in the 90’s as Switch with Ellen Barkin and Jimmy Smits.
Vice Versa (1988)-While on a buying trip in Thailand for his department store Marshall Seymour (Judge Reinhold) has a cursed Buddhist skull slipped into his shipment by a pair of thieves (Swoosie Kurtz & David Proval). When he returns to the States he finds that he has to take care of his estranged son Charlie (Fred Savage) when his divorced wife goes away for a few days. One morning in the middle of an argument Marshall finds the skull and while both he and Charlie are holding it they wish they had the other’s life and voilà they get there wish. As both first luxuriate and then begin to understand the frustrations the other puts up with the thieves are in hot pursuit trying to get the artifact back. Frantic farce makes good use of Reinhold’s gift for physical comedy.
Yeah we match! I loved that movie and I know that it want all sexy rexy’s fault as she did have many issues. I would love to see that second film of yours as they picked the premise from the real scandal involving Charlie Chaplin, Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst. The last film seems popular this week and I need to see this one as well
DeleteI saw Heaven Can Wait in the cinema, years before I ever saw Here Comes Mr. Jordan. I thoroughly enjoyed both. Plus, it was a nice surprise to see my distant relative, Lloyd Bridges, play a bit part in HCMJ.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you were related to the Bridges family...that’s cool
DeleteI liked Heaven Can Wait. Haven't seen the other two :)
ReplyDeletebetty
It’s a great movie
DeleteI haven't seen any of these- but I have always found the idea of switching bodies for a day fascinating. Not sure I want someone in my body for a day- unless I have to have dental work done. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Hey, if I could switch bodies with Sophia Vergera, that would be ok and I agree with you about the dentist
DeleteI have not heard of Turnabout, but now I'll be on the lookout for it.
ReplyDeleteHeaven Can Wait... You know when you're a kid and you get obsessed with certain films. This was one of mine. I must have been 7 or 8 when I first saw it. I still love it.
And All of Me... Not one of my childhood films, but I did get a kick out of it. Good choices.
You will enjoy Tournabout. Glad you love Heaven Can Wait and enjoyed All of Me.
DeleteHi Birgit - Heaven Can Wait is fun to watch ... but I'd like to see All of Me - which sounds interesting ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteGlad you saw one of the. And you would like All of Me.
DeleteAbout the only ones I could think of were "Big" (where the kid wakes up and discovers he's an adult) and "Freaky Friday" (where a mother and daughter end up in each others' bodies). There was a third that came out in the '80's or '90's, where a man finds himself transformed into a woman, but I don't remember who was in it (I thought Ellen Barkin was, but evidently not) or what it was called.
ReplyDeleteBig works and so does Freaky Friday. I am not sure about the film you are talking about
DeleteSeen 2 and 3, enjoyed both indeed. The Chris Rock one was meh indeed. Vice Versa is a fun one. Best one I've seen recently is The Change Up, pretty much play by numbers, but enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you saw the 2 but not sure about Vice-Versa or The Change Up...have to look them up
DeleteI always think of Freaky Friday for body switches.
ReplyDeleteHow are you feeling?
That movie is popular for sure. I a, feeling better! The infusion always helps..I was able to walk and I swam today at my hubby’s Aunt’s place. Right now in a bit of pain but bad weather is coming in. It always helps...the infusion
DeleteI’ve seen only All Of Me, though I do know Turnabout from the book by Thorne Smith. Freaky Friday, yes. I read the children’s novel first, but did see the Disney film. It was about a thriteeen year old girl who swaps bodies with her mother for the day. The novel was seen from the girl’s viewpoint and indicated that her mother had deliberately taken her body for the day so she could do all the things the girl was putting off, such as a haircut and a trip to the dentist. When they swap back, the girl looks a lot better. The film was a lot zanier, with mother and daughter alike seeing that the other’s life isn’t that easy.
ReplyDeleteI have to still see Freaky Friday with Jodie Foster and the other one with Jamie Lee Curtis. I never read the book and didn’t even know there was one..how bad is that?
DeleteDefinitely All of Me, the Robert Montgomery version of Heaven Can Wait, and the Jodie Foster version of Freaky Friday. (Had to ask the Husband the title of the last because the brain hit a wall.) The plot for the Carole Lombard movie sounds familiar. It coud've been the basis for All of Me.
ReplyDeleteI know you meant Carole Landissð. The original film with Robert Montgomery is excellent. I still have to see both Freaky Friday movies
DeleteI also saw All of Me in theaters. What a fun time that was. "Backindabowl!" Heaven Can Wait is also a good one. Agreed, the Chris Rock version is not worth your time.
ReplyDeleteHahahaaa..backindabowl....too funny. Yeah the Chris Rock one is blecchhh
DeleteI've seen the second two films. All of Me was such great fun, but I've liked all of Martin's films.
ReplyDeleteI know there are more films along this thematic line, but for the moment I can't recall any. I'm sure there are a number of scifi/fantasy/horror films where this happens.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
All of Me is great and I’m with you about Steve Martin. There are other films and one I almost used was Face Off with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage
DeleteI got to say, that poor baby bear! Hope he's ok and also I really want to see Turnabout!! I'm actaully a new fan of Here Comes Mr Jordan' and it started to click jusy how many remakes there were of this. You had me at 'placed into the body of Steve Martin'.
ReplyDeleteWow !!! absolutely fantastic blog. I am very glad to have such useful information.
ReplyDeleteāļูāļŦāļัāļāļāļāļāđāļĨāļ์