Vice Versa

Vice Versa has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in Australia on Artiflix, and in the US on Artiflix. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 5 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Roger Livesey is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Start it on Artiflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Vice Versa arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Vice Versa gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. 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. Roger Livesey and Anthony Newley lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1948. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Vice Versa holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Vice Versa is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Roger Livesey's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.