Reversal of Fortune

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' 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' guilt, but takes the case because von Bülow agrees to fund Dershowitz' defense of two poor black teenagers 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.

Production

The film was shot in numerous estates in Rhode Island and New Jersey, and the Knole house in Old Westbury.

Reception

The film received mostly positive reviews and holds a 94% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 7.8 out of 10 from 33 reviews.

Awards and honors

Irons was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor, Schroeder was nominated for Best Director, and Kazan was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay award. Irons was also awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.

In 2015, the 25th anniversary of Entertainment Weekly, it 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: