December 17, 1976 (Los Angeles)
January 21, 1977 (United States)
Freaky Friday is a 1976 American fantasy comedy film directed by Gary Nelson from a screenplay by Mary Rodgers, based on her 1972 novel. The film stars Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster in the lead roles. John Astin, Patsy Kelly, and Dick Van Patten are featured in supporting roles. In the film, a mother and her daughter switch their bodies, and they get a taste of each other's lives. The cause of the switch is left unexplained in this film, but occurs on Friday the 13th, when Ellen and Annabel, in different places, say about each other at the same time, "I wish I could switch places with her for just one day." Rodgers added a water skiing subplot to her screenplay.
Freaky Friday was released theatrically in the United States on January 21, 1977, by Buena Vista Distribution. The film received positive reviews from critics with praise for Foster and Harris's performances and was a box office success, grossing $36 million on a $5 million budget. At the 34th Golden Globe Awards, it received three nominations: Best Actress – Comedy or Musical (for both Foster and Harris), and Best Original Song ("I'd Like to Be You for a Day"). The success of the film's release led to the launch of a franchise.
Storyline
Ellen Andrews and her teenage daughter Annabel frequently quarrel. On a Friday the 13th, they simultaneously wish aloud to trade places for just one day. Their wish is granted instantly, and they are shocked to find themselves in each other's bodies.
Annabel, now in her mother's body, must navigate the responsibilities of being a housewife. She handles laundry, car repairs, grocery deliveries, carpet cleaners, dry cleaning, the housemaid, and the family Basset Hound, Max. The day becomes more complicated when her father, Bill, announces that his catered dinner party has fallen through and asks her to prepare dinner for 25 guests. Annabel enlists Boris, a neighbor she has a crush on, to help look after her younger brother, Ben, and assist in making a chocolate mousse. Despite a series of mishaps, they salvage the evening by transforming the meal into a smörgåsbord. During the day, Annabel bonds with Ben, who shares his admiration for her and confesses he tried to emulate her messiness to connect with her. They play baseball together, leading Annabel to gain a new appreciation for her brother.
Meanwhile, Ellen, now in Annabel's body, struggles with high school life. She exposes her photography class's developing film, ruins several electric typewriters in typing class, disrupts marching band and loses a field hockey game. She finds success in U.S. history class by accurately recounting the Korean War, having lived through the 1950s. Seeking to escape school, Ellen visits Bill's office, where she encounters his new, young, and provocatively dressed secretary. Ellen, posing as Annabel, tries to intimidate her by describing "her mother" as strict. The secretary soon adopts a more modest appearance, wearing glasses and a conservative hairstyle. Ellen then asks Bill for his credit card to pay for Annabel's dental appointment, which he approves. Bill misattributes the secretary's change in demeanor to personal troubles, prompting Ellen to scold herself for her earlier jealousy.
At the end of the day, Ellen and Annabel wish to return to their own bodies. The reversal occurs differently than before: Annabel suddenly finds herself behind the wheel of a car with Ben and Boris, none of whom know how to drive, attracting police attention. Ellen, meanwhile, is pulled onto water skis as she (in Annabel's body) was scheduled to participate in an aquacade. Bill, watching with prospective clients, fears embarrassment, but Ellen's chaotic performance delights the clients, helping him secure a business deal.
With a renewed understanding of each other's lives, Ellen and Annabel reconcile. Annabel begins dating Boris, and Bill joins Ellen for a card game, still puzzled by the day's events. Later, Annabel agrees to let Ben join her and Boris at a pizzeria. Ben laments that he never gets to do fun things like his father, who is preparing for a business trip that involves dirt biking with a Japanese motorcycle company entering the U.S. market. Both Ben and Bill express a desire to switch places for a day, prompting Ellen and Annabel to nervously urge them against it—just before both declare, "Oh, yes, I do!" to the women's dismay.
Also See
Movie Trailer
- Freaky Friday (1976) (Trailers)
Sound Effects Used
- Freesound, S18-18 Whistling rockets.wav
- Sound Ideas, BELL, FIRE - ELECTRIC FIRE BELL RINGS
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, ELECTRICITY - SPUTTERING ELECTRICAL ARC