Reversal of Fortune

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Reversal of Fortune ★★★½ 1990 (R)

True tale of wealthy socialite Claus von Bulow (Irons) accused of deliberately giving his wife Sunny (Close) a nearlethal overdose of insulin. Comatose Close narrates history of the couple's courtship and married life, a saga of unhappiness and substance abuse, while Silver (as lawyer Dershowitz) et al prepare von Bulow's defense. An unflattering picture of the idle rich that never spells out what really happened. Irons is excellent as the eccentric and creepy defendant and richly deserved his Best Actor Oscar. From the novel by Dershowitz. 112m/C VHS, DVD . Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Ron Silver, Annabella Sciorra, Uta Hagen, Fisher Stevens, Julie Hagerty, Jack Gilpin, Christine Baranski, John David (J.D.) Cullum; D: Barbet Schroeder; W: Nicholas Kazan; C: Luciano Tovoli; M: Mark Isham. Oscars '90: Actor (Irons); Golden Globes '91: Actor—Drama (Irons); L.A. Film Critics '90: Actor (Irons), Screenplay; Natl. Soc. Film Critics '90: Actor (Irons).