Trading Places (1983) - 10 Things You Need To Know

1)

Actors Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche, who in the movie play the characters of Randolph and Mortimer respectively, make cameo appearances as the same characters in another movie starring Eddie Murphy, Coming to America. In that movie, the two are now homeless, and Prince Akeem, played by Murphy, gives them a large amount of money to get them off the streets.

2)

In 2010, as part of the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act, which was to regulate financial markets, a rule was included which barred anyone from using secret inside information to corner markets, similar to what the Duke brothers tried to do in the movie. Since the movie inspired this rule, it has since become known as the Eddie Murphy Rule.

3)

Murphy later admitted that, during the scene on the floor of the commodities exchange, he only followed the script; he had no idea what was going on, as he found commodities trading incredibly confusing.

4)

Bellamy and Ameche "cheerfully admitted" they were unfamiliar with Murphy and Aykroyd's work. The two also said that Murphy and Aykroyd acknowledged that they were unfamiliar with Bellamy and Ameche.

5)

In 2001, Murphy stated that the making of this film was the most fun he'd had on a set and that every film afterward felt like "work".

6)

Every year since 1997, Italian channel "Italia 1" broadcasts the movie on Christmas Eve.

7)

Randolph and Mortimer always wear matching suits and tie patterns. Randolph sports a bow tie and Mortimer a necktie.

8)

20 minutes into the movie, a young Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian appears in the jail cell scene with Billy Ray.

9)

In the opening montage of Philadelphia, there is a shot of the Rocky statue erected in the movie Rocky III.

10)

Screenwriter Timothy Harris revealed that he got the idea for the movie from two brothers he played tennis with who had a major sibling rivalry and were very irritating.