Ep865: Late Screening: TRADING PLACES (1983)

This month, Ian and Cole look back at John Landis' classic societal switch-up comedy, Trading Places!

Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd play a street hustler and wealthy stock trader, respectively, whose lives are upended when two multi-millionaire brothers (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) decide to swap their roles behind the scenes.

This inventive twist on the slobs-vs-snobs flick has a lot going for it, but as first-time-viewer Cole discovers, it has definitely been improved upon in the ensuing four decades. In this spoilerific review, the guys look at Trading Places in its original context, and as a part of the evolution of comedy on the big and small screens.

Show Links

• Watch the Trading Places trailer.

• Keep up with all of Cole's literary goings-on at his website.

• Watch the vintage Eddie Murphy SNL sketch, "James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub Party" (referenced in the show!).

• Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!