# Reversal of Fortune

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. 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

* 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." It has a score of 93 on Metacritic with 18 reviews

### Accolades

| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Director | Barbet Schroeder | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Actor | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| Academy Awards | Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium | Nicholas Kazan | Nominated |
| Artios Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama | Howard Feuer | Nominated |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Screenplay | Nicholas Kazan | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Nominated |
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Actor | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Director – Motion Picture | Barbet Schroeder | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Nicholas Kazan | Nominated |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actor | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Screenplay | Nicholas Kazan | Won |
| Nastro d'Argento | Best Cinematography | Luciano Tovoli | Nominated |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | Top Ten Films | 5th Place |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Film | Best Film | 3rd Place |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Jeremy Irons | Won |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Runner-up |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Director | Barbet Schroeder | Nominated |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actor | Jeremy Irons | Runner-up |
| PEN Center USA West Literary Awards | Best Screenplay | Nicholas Kazan | Won |
| Political Film Society Awards | Exposé | Exposé | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium | Nicholas Kazan | Nominated |
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.
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
* 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10:
** Nominated Courtroom Drama Film