Courtesy of Paramoun
t Pictures
ANDY GOTLIEB: Kung pao chicken/”Trading Places” (1983). Peak Eddie
Murphy with the underrated Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis and
old pros like Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche and Denholm Elliott in a
comedic holiday tale set in Philadelphia — what’s not to like?
Yeah, it’s set around Christmas, but let’s assume it was one of those
years that the eight days of Chanukah fell at the same time.

Some 40 years aft er its debut, “Trading Places” holds up nicely,
working both as a fi sh out of water story and also as a rags to riches (or,
in the case of the Duke brothers, riches to rags) tale, not to mention a
light commentary on social class and status.

Primarily, though, it’s funny, and our fair city is featured
prominently. Th ere aren’t a whole lot of food-related scenes — and one food joke
mentions the decidedly nonkosher escargot — so kung pao chicken is
the choice pairing here.

Why, you might ask?
In one especially funny sequence, Murphy disguises himself as
Nanga Eboko, “an exchange student from Cameroon.” West African
cuisine oft en features peanuts, which are a key ingredient in kung pao
chicken. Eboko likely would approve and wish you a merry New Year.

g01xm / iStock / Getty Images Plus
24 NOVEMBER 25, 2021
WINTER HOLIDAY MAGAZINE
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM