Vice Versa

1948 1h 51m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

⭐

6.3

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 5★6.3IMDB · 405

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Businessman Paul Bultitude is sending his son Dick to a boarding school. While holding a magic stone from India, he wishes that he could be young again. His wish is immediately fulfilled and the two change bodies with each other. Mr Bultitude becomes a school boy who smokes cigars and has a very conservative view on child upbringing, while his son Dick becomes a gentleman who spends his time drinking lemonade and arranging children's parties.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Roger Livesey
Paul Bultitude
Anthony Newley
Dick Bultitude
Kay Walsh
Florence 'Fanny' Verlane
Petula Clark
Dulcie Grimstone
James Robertson Justice
Dr. Grimstone
David Hutcheson
Marmaduke Paradine
Harcourt Williams
Judge
Bill Shine
Lord Gosport

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Peter Ustinov
Writers: Peter Ustinov
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

78 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Peter Ustinov, shot by Jack Hildyard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John D. Guthridge shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Roger Livesey and Anthony Newley and Kay Walsh carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0040940 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

Only 5 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Peter Ustinov directs. Jack Hildyard behind the camera. John D. Guthridge cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

178 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Peter Ustinov, shot by Jack Hildyard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Editor John D. Guthridge shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
4Roger Livesey and Anthony Newley and Kay Walsh carry the top of the cast.
5IMDB entry: tt0040940 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
6Only 5 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jack Hildyard
Editing: John D. Guthridge
Costume design: Nadia Benois
Makeup / hair: Geoffrey Rodway
Runtime: 111 min · 1h 51m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Vice Versa (1948)
IMDB rating: 6.3/10 · 405 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

Also by

Peter Ustinov

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-11-12
★ 7/10
Roger Livesey ("Paul") is the wealthy but rather indifferent dad to "Dick" (Anthony Newley). The youngster hates the idea of going back to his boarding school, but his skinflint of a father is having none of it. When "Dick" tries a bit of emotional blackmail, his dad - clutching a mysterious stone from a temple in faraway India finds himself making a wish and now has the mental age of his son. His son, seeing an opportunity for some mischief takes hold of the stone and is soon his father in the body of a boy! What now ensue are an entertaining series of escapades as the youngster goes back to a school under the austere tutelage of "Dr. Grimstone" (James Robertson Justice) and the father tries to fit into a modern adult life of industry and duels - when all he really wants is lemonade and a kiss from "Dulcie" (Petula Clark). Livesey is on good form here as is the increasingly exasperated JRJ and Kay Walsh as the girlfriend of the father who finds herself continually perplexed by these unexplained developments. It is directed by Peter Ustinov and that's quite obvious after a while - it has a haphazard quirkiness and whimsy to it that provides for a slightly grander, more sophisticated, humour as the story moves along. It takes a swipe at the pompous and the shallow, and though it is probably twenty minutes too long, is still quite an enjoyable watch with some amiable characterisations and fun dialogue.

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