# Switching Bodies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 25, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123 "2004-10-25T21:14:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/1 "2004-10-25T21:14:09Z")
My wife and I were watching **Freaky Friday** \* yesterday and I mentioned to her that it’s basically a remake of several dozen movies. Unfortunately I couldn’t think of any examples. So I come crawling to you fellow Dopers, help me compile a list. \*In case you haven’t seen it a mother and child get to live in each others bodies to see how thihngs are from the other point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/2 "2004-10-25T21:22:16Z")
Well, we had a pair of them released nearly at the same time back in 1987 – [_Vice Versa_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0096380/) and [_Like Father Like Son_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0093418/). And of course, the 2003 _Freaky Friday_ was a remake of the 1976 [_Freaky Friday_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0076054/). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/3 "2004-10-25T21:30:42Z")
Since **Hal** took mine, I’ll post [a link to the IMDb’s body-swap page](http://www.imdb.com/List?tv=on&&keywords=body-swap&&heading=19;body-swap). ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/4 "2004-10-25T21:35:23Z")
Going back a bit, there’s the 1940 Hal Roach comedy _Turnabout_, staring Adolphe Menjou, Carole Landis, and John Hubbard, about a bickering young married couple who wake up one morning in each other’s bodies. Based on the 1931 Thorne Smith novel. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/5 "2004-10-25T21:50:45Z")
And _Vice Versa_, of course, was at least inspired by F. Anstey’s novel of the same name (and theme), published in 1882. I have a vague feeling P.G. Wodehouse did a body-swap novel, too … _Laughing Gas_? Anyone better versed than me in the Wodehouse canon? ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/6 "2004-10-25T21:57:56Z")
Thanks, I knew I could count on Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/7 "2004-10-25T21:59:27Z")
There was also “[18 Again](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094593/)” where Grandpa George Burns switches bodies with his 18 y.o grandson. Hmm, the “Trivia” section for that mentions other “body swap” movies from the same year that includes “Big” (along with “Vice Versa” and “Like Father Like Son”). I never considered that a “swap”, the kid just grew into Tom Hanks. Another one dredged from my memory is “[All of Me](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0086873/)”, but that has Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin sharing the same body, so it might not count. I’m sure there’s been more. The idea of “walking in another person’s shoes” is pretty common in storytelling, and actually swapping bodies works well for it. ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/8 "2004-10-25T22:02:42Z")
Gah, sorry about the link screw up. ::bangs head against desk:: Preview, preview, preview!!! The links I meant to include: [18 Again](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094593/) and [All of Me](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0086873/) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/9 "2004-10-26T01:08:22Z")
[Switch](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103016/), where a man comes back as a woman, so it’s sort of one way. ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/10 "2004-10-26T01:45:19Z")
There also was the classic '70s TV series [Turnabout](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078706/). In which a magic statue swaps a husband and wife, played by John Shuck (of the other classic, _Holmes and Yoyo_) and Sharon Gless (of _Revenge of the Stepford Wives_)into each others bodies. Of course, hilarity ensues… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/11 "2004-10-26T03:51:34Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > And of course, the 2003 _Freaky Friday_ was a remake of the 1976 [_Freaky Friday_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0076054/). Are you sure? I assumed that it was two different films both based on the same novel. But you mi9ght be right. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/12 "2004-10-26T04:15:31Z")
And of course the last episode of the original _Star Trek_. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/13 "2004-10-26T05:08:41Z")
_Prelude to a Kiss_, where the newly married bride switches with the old man. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/14 "2004-10-26T09:17:48Z")
There’s an episode of the _The Avengers_ where two foreign agents swap bodies with Steed and Mrs. Peel. I imagine it was great fun for Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg to slouch around while playing their alternate selves. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/15 "2004-10-26T10:48:53Z")
Does ‘Face Off’ (by John Woo) count? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/16 "2004-10-26T15:11:05Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > I assumed that it was two different films both based on the same novel. But you mi9ght be right. Definitely a remake. When i was a kid my dad took me to see the original Freaky Friday in the theatre and when they switched bodies it bothered me so much we had to leave. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/17 "2004-10-26T19:33:13Z")
So, was Kenneth Branagh’s _Henry V_ a remake of Laurence Olivier’s _Henry V_ then? What distinguishes a remake from a new film based on the same source material? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/18 "2004-10-26T19:40:44Z")
Not sure if this qualifies, but [Oh, Heavenly Dog!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081269/plotsummary) has Chevy Chase(!) playing a detective who gets killed, then returns to Earth in the body of Benji(!!) to solve his own murder. (I can’t remember why I found the movie appealing when I was seven. Go fig.) ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/19 "2004-10-26T20:00:03Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > There’s an episode of the _The Avengers_ where two foreign agents swap bodies with Steed and Mrs. Peel. I imagine it was great fun for Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg to slouch around while playing their alternate selves. And along the same lines, there was an episode of _The Prisoner_ where No. 6 swapped bodies with a still-active secret agent and went on a mission as him, then was swapped back at the end. ISTR the episode was done because Patrick McGoohan had to temporarily leave the show to make _Ice Station Zebra,_ but I don’t remember and am too lazy to look it up now. ---
**Author:** ![sixor9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@sixor9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sixor9)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123/20 "2004-10-26T21:07:07Z")
Didn’t _Gilligan’s Island_ do a body switch episode? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-bodies/271123.md?page=2)