California Suite (1978)

Misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Neil Simon (screenplay)

Stars:

Jane Fonda, Alan Alda, Maggie Smith

Won 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Fonda	...	Hannah Warren
Alan Alda	...	Bill Warren
Maggie Smith	...	Diana Barrie
Michael Caine	...	Sidney Cochran
Walter Matthau	...	Marvin Michaels
Elaine May	...	Millie Michaels
Herb Edelman	...	Harry Michaels (as Herbert Edelman)
Denise Galik	...	Bunny
Richard Pryor	...	Dr. Chauncey Gump
Bill Cosby	...	Dr. Willis Panama
Gloria Gifford	...	Lola Gump
Sheila Frazier	...	Bettina Panama
David Sheehan	...	David Sheehan
Michael Boyle	...	Desk Clerk
Len Lawson	...	Frank

Storyline

4 totally different and seperated stories of guests in a hotel. Maggie Smith and Michael Caine came from England to attend the Oscars; Jane Fonda came from New York, Alan Alda is her ex who lives in California; in the slapsticky part Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor and their wives come to the hotel to relax and play tennis and find there is only one room vacant; in the fourth segment Walter Matthau has come a day before his wife for his nephew's Bar Mitzvah, his brother: sends a prostitute to his room.

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Plot Keywords:

hotel | tennis | oscars | prostitute | actress | 

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Taglines:

The best two-hour vacation in town!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Neil Simon's California Suite

Filming Locations:

21932 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rastar Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The suites, lobby, entrance and polo lounge were not filmed at the Beverly Hills Hotel but were recreated on studio sound-stages to allow flexibility in shooting with removable walls. The lobby, entrance and polo lounge set measuring 6,176 square feet, was recreated on one massive sound stage at the Burbank Studios' Columbia Ranch. The hotel rooms and suites were shot on Stage 4 of the Burbank Studios. However, tennis court and swimming-pool scenes were shot at the real life hotel.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[a two-seater plane is flying over snow-capped mountains]
Harold: For heaven's sake, Wendy - look for an airport. Will you look for the airport?
Diana Barrie: Oh don't make such a fuss. Just put it down on a mountain.
Harold: What do you mean 'just put it down'? I'm lucky I can keep it up. I told you I never flew before.
Diana Barrie: Don't shout at me - I'm a first-class passenger.
Harold: You're a first class lunatic. It's all over Wendy - our relationship has a quarter of a tank to go.
Diana Barrie: Yes, but - you do love me, don't you Harold? ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits, famous 70s artworks of British artist David Hockney are featured. The painting before Elaine May's name is entitled "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with two figures), 1972" and features a swimming pool with the Hollywood hills in the backdrop. The "two figures", both male, one swimming and the other standing over watching have been mysteriously edited out of the picture for some unknown reason.

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Connections

Features Gilda (1946)

User Reviews

A mixed bag

Having always felt that Neil Simon's work, though generally wonderful, can be hit and miss, California Suite seems to represent this more than any of his other pieces. Clearly he is a writer for performers and how well some of them respond here. Jane Fonda gives a remarkably assured and confident performance mixing vulnerability with stubbornness so effortlessly. Yes her segment is perhaps, stripped down, just the age old East/West Coast argument but it becomes a very human story about 2 people who were once in love. So great to see such a female character like hers on the screen and Jane Fonda is so skilled at introducing pathos whilst still being able to somewhat distance the viewer. It really is ultimately a very touching episode. The Caine/Smith segment is also tremendous fun with Dame Maggie doing her Margo Channing bit. The Oscar she won for this tributes her comic skills here which have perhaps been underused in her career. The wonderful Elaine May also stands out in a true farce with Mr Matthau but The Pryor/Cosby section is plainly, embarrassingly bad. It feels as if it was written by a poor sitcom writer and there are enoguh embarrassing sitcoms from America polluting the world's television. All in all, a very watchable film but wouldn't you just love to have the facility to edit films for your own viewing.