Freaky Friday - Film Adaptations

Film Adaptations

Freaky Friday has been adapted three times by the Walt Disney Company into films with similar plots, the first screenplay having been written by the novel's author.

A major difference between the novel and the films is the presence of an outside influence switching the often-bickering mother and daughter against both their wills. Because of this, both serve as protagonists, and the films start shortly before the switch, illustrating the conflict between the two, then follow the trouble both have adjusting to their new circumstances, and the new respect and understanding they both come to have for each other before switching back. Mary Rodgers also added a hobby for Annabelle to the story, with an important competition – for which her mother lacks the skill – serving to bring the action to a climax. This addition was kept in subsequent versions, although the original hobby of waterskiing changed to diving and then rock music, and an important simultaneous event for the mother (her wedding rehearsal dinner) was added to the most recent film. The latter two also omit the character of Morris, although the 1976 actor and character have a cameo in 2003, and there is a similar character named Jake in 2003.

The adaptations are:

• The original 1976 version, written by Rodgers, which stars Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster as Ellen and Annabelle.
• A Disney television version was made in 1995, starring Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann as Ellen and Annabelle Andrews, switched by magical amulets responding to their wish to have each other's lives.
• Their counterparts in the 2003 remake, co-written by Hach, are Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. The protagonists' names are changed to Tess Coleman and Anna Coleman. They are switched by magical fortune cookies given to them by a meddling old Chinese woman on Thursday night after she overhears them arguing at her daughter's restaurant. Ben is renamed Harry, the children's father is deceased, and Tess, a somewhat stuffy psychologist and author, has her father staying with her as he visits in advance of her Saturday wedding to fiancé/literary agent Ryan, played by Mark Harmon.

In addition, a television film of the sequel novel Summer Switch, starring Robert Klein and Scott Schwartz, was made in 1984 as part of the ABC Afterschool Special series.

The plot of the anime film from the anime series Atashin'chi appears to be based on Freaky Friday, in which Mikan and her mother accidentally switch bodies due to their being struck by lightning during a storm.