Freaky Friday (1976 film)
A mother and daughter switch bodies on Friday the 13th.
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 as a mother and daughter who switch bodies after simultaneously wishing to trade places for a day. Its success launched a franchise, including three subsequent remakes by the Walt Disney Company.
- Release date
- January 21, 1977 (United States)
- Director
- Gary Nelson
- Screenplay by
- Mary Rodgers
- Based on
- 1972 novel by Mary Rodgers
- Starring
- Barbara Harris, Jodie Foster
- Budget
- $5 million
- Box office
- $36 million
Lore & Background
Neither Harris nor Foster did actual water skiing; professional skiers were used in long shots with rear projection. Foster did play field hockey. Parts were shot in Mission Bay, San Diego. The film received three Golden Globe nominations: Best Actress – Comedy or Musical for both Harris and Foster, and Best Original Song. Critical reception was mixed; Rotten Tomatoes gives 68% positive reviews, while Metacritic scores it 51 out of 100.
Reader's Guide
Freaky Friday (1976) is significant as the original film adaptation of Mary Rodgers's novel, establishing the body-swap premise that became a recurring Disney franchise. Its box office success on a modest budget demonstrated the appeal of family-friendly fantasy comedies. The film is noted for the performances of Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, both nominated for Golden Globes. The cause of the switch is left unexplained, occurring when both characters say 'I wish I could switch places with her for just one day' at the same time. The film's legacy includes three remakes (1995, 2003, 2018) and its influence on later body-swap comedies. Critical opinion remains divided, with some praising the leads' charm and others finding the execution uneven.
Did You Know?
- Neither Barbara Harris nor Jodie Foster did any actual water skiing; professional skiers were used in long shots with rear projection.
- The cause of the body switch is left unexplained in the film.
- Parts of the film were shot in Mission Bay, San Diego.
- The film received three Golden Globe nominations: Best Actress – Comedy or Musical for both Harris and Foster, and Best Original Song.
More in Films about body swapping 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record