<Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $90.4 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Trading Places is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis, starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy . It tells the story of an upper - class commodities broker and a homeless street hustler whose lives cross paths when they are unknowingly made part of an elaborate bet . Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Jamie Lee Curtis also star . The storyline is often called a modern take on Mark Twain's classic 19th - century novel The Prince and the Pauper . </P> <P> The film was written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod and was produced by Aaron Russo . It was released to theaters in North America on June 8, 1983, where it was distributed by Paramount Pictures . The film earned over $90 million during its theatrical run in the United States, finishing as the fourth highest earning film of the year and the second highest earning R - rated film of 1983 . </P> <P> Denholm Elliott and Jamie Lee Curtis won the awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role, respectively, at the 37th British Academy Film Awards . The film was nominated for several additional awards including Best Motion Picture--Musical or Comedy at the 41st Golden Globe Awards . </P>

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