Switch (film)

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Switch
Directed by Blake Edwards
Produced by Tony Adams
Written by Blake Edwards
Starring Ellen Barkin
Bruce Payne
Jimmy Smits
JoBeth Williams
Lorraine Bracco
Tony Roberts
Perry King
Music by Henry Mancini
Don Grady
Cinematography Warner Bros.
Release date(s) 10 May, 1991
Running time 103 min.
Language English
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Switch is a 1991 film by Blake Edwards. Ellen Barkin plays a sexist, chauvinist man who is murdered and reincarnated as a beautiful woman.

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[edit] Synopsis

Steve Brooks, (Perry King) is a notoriously sexist man with a preference for blondes. One night, three women wronged by him gang up to murder him after seducing him into thinking that they want to have a four-way with him in a hot tub.

Given the way Steve has treated women, God isn't sure if Steve should go to Heaven or not. His one chance to redeem himself is to find one woman who truly loves him for who he really is. Otherwise, he becomes the personal property of the Devil (Bruce Payne). However, the Devil suggests making it more difficult for Steve by forcing him to return as a woman--an idea embraced by God. Steve is thus sent back to Earth as a woman, Amanda Brooks (Ellen Barkin), and now must deal with all of the things women deal with on a daily basis--makeup, high heels, décolletage, and panting, pawing macho males just like him.

It takes a while for Steve/Amanda to get the hang of being female. Sitting down with his/her legs spread wide open just like a guy is just one behavior the new Amanda has to unlearn. Amanda must also convince Steve's old friends, such as his best friend Walter (Jimmy Smits) that she is really Steve.

Meanwhile the Devil has a bet to win so he pops suddenly from time to time, leering and smiling, trying to tempt Steve/Amanda away from his/her soul-saving goal. This film was a loose remake of Goodbye,Charlie

[edit] Mystery Science Theater 3000

Although not a success at the box-office, this film was indirectly referenced numerous times throughout the long-running series Mystery Science Theater 3000. In the original television spots for the film, Jimmy Smits' name was announced in an unusual way: "Ellen Barkin. Switch. Jimmy Smits. Starts Friday." The writers of MST3K found it amusing that Smits' name was announced after the title and not announced as "also starring Jimmy Smits" or "with Jimmy Smits", only as "Jimmy Smits".[1] Smits became a running gag on the series: in various episodes, a character of the show would say "Jimmy Smits" whenever the word "switch" was uttered or sometimes for seemingly no reason at all.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Beaulieu, Trace; et al. (1996). The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Amazing Colossal Episode Guide. New York: Bantam Books, 164. ISBN 0-553-37783-3. 

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