Nov 7th  
Trading Places**   
(US 1983)          
Paramount. 116m.

Two Pennsylvania stockbroker brothers decide to reverse roles for a wealthy relative of theirs and a beggar, to wager if they will completely change in character. 
Two veterans lend dignity to this slightly excessive comedy with partial nostalgic throwbacks to Frank Capra and Preston Sturges, combined with the excesses of the corporate 1980s. The film extends itself more than it needs to with its reciprocal conmen conning the conmen plot, and the ultimate resolution stretches credibility as well as leaving a not entirely pleasant taste in the mouth, but the ensemble playing is excellent.

Written by: Timothy Hatris, Herschel Weingrod.
Producer: Aaron Russo.
Director: John Landis.
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Don Ameche, Ralph Bellamy, Denholm Elliott, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kirstin Holby, James Gleason, Jim Belushi.
Photography: Robert Paynter.
Music: Elmer Bernstein.

Preceded by:  
The Wizard of Speed and Time*
(US 1979. 3m.; A whacky wizard rapidly transports would-be starlets to Hollywood. Highly energetic experimental semi-animated short, which caught enough attention to lead to its own extended feature film version in 1988.; w, d, s: Mike Jittlov.)