Back when Bill Kurtis narrated half of A&E's programming, I was an avid watcher of
American Justice. One of the more notable episodes I came across profiled the very lengthy, high-profile, & convoluted case of
Claus von Bulow. It was only natural that I would eventually get around to watching
Reversal of Fortune, whenever that would have been.
At the time the film came out, Jeremy Irons' performance was very ballyhooed. Rightly so, but at the same time, it is also something of a thankless performance. Irons has a presence of cold pompousness, & that is what is required of his character (as are the sharp wardrobe with the odd turtleneck for good measure). While both are hyper-articulate, Ron Silver as Alan Dershowitz in his excitability & big rhetoric (as well as the moustache to go with the curls & large wire frames) is almost a contrast to Irons' aloofness. However, whatever dynamic is forged in
Reversal of Fortune between Irons & Silver operates within a very cluttered work that is never quite certain how it wants to approach the material. Is it more interested in conveying a shallow world of the wealthy & miserable? Or, is it more concerned with telling a story, rapidly glistening over the lead-up to the second trial of von Bulow spearheaded by a man of intense principle (however problematic that may be)? Initially opting for balance, it is unfortunate that
Reversal of Fortune gets bogged down by the latter, which is too bad because regardless of how fascinating the von Bulow saga is, there are flashes of inspired wit in its backstory. As a legal saga, it kind of feels like a mechanical ticking clock scenario.
Also, what could have been a clever narrative device, or alternately a disastrous one ends up being neither as Glenn Close as Sunny von Bulow partially narrates while in coma mode. Many probably felt that it was a clever & original touch, I thought it was a bland gimmick that served little function than to fill in the grey areas. & yes, even Glenn Close with all the natural presence that she possesses gets undeservedly overshadowed.
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