Switch

Switch Information

Switch is a 1991 comedy film written and directed by Blake Edwards. A promiscuous man (Perry King) is murdered by one of his three ex-lovers and reincarnated as a beautiful woman (Ellen Barkin).

Plot

Reception

The film received good reviews. It debuted at No.2 at the box office.

Legacy

Although not a success at the box office, Ellen Barkin was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role while Bruce Payne was described as a 'delightfully wicked Satan' by Film Review.

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". 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.

In the 2001 book Spreading Misandry, authors Paul Nathanson and Katherine K. Young highlight the film as what they see as an example of misandry in American popular culture. They write that the film implies that "Vice is inherent in the male body, but virtue is inherent in the female body". They also condemn the light, comic treatment of Steve's premeditated murder at the film's beginning.

Music

This motion picture was supposed to have a soundtrack composed and arranged by Henry Mancini, who shares composer credits with Don Grady, but Mancini's score was canned and replaced by a pop song soundtrack. Both the unused Mancini score and the pop song soundtrack were produced on CD in 1991, as a result of which two motion picture soundtrack albums exist for this film.

Henry Mancini score

Main Title - Theme from "Switch" - 2:10
Something for Pizzi - 4:00
Amanda and the Devil - 2:25
Seduction - 3:17
Dukes - 3:00
It's All There (Song from "Switch" Instrumental) - 3:22
They Marry - 3:34
Fashion Show - 1:42
End Title - Theme from "Switch" - 4:30

Pop soundtrack

Lyle Lovett - "You Can't Resist It" - 3:05
Ronnie Milsap - "Old Habits Are Hard to Break" - 5:32
Bruce Hornsby and the Range - "Barren Ground" - 4:53
Paul Young/Clannad - "Both Sides, Now" - 5:10
Nathalie Archangel - "So Quiet, So Still" - 4:10
Pretty Boy Floyd - "Slam Dunk" - 2:55
Joe Ely - "Are You Listenin' Lucky?" - 3:34
Indecent Obsession - "Dream After Dream" - 4:06
The Jets - "Sendin' Out a Message" - 4:03
Jody Watley - "It's All There" - 2:38