California Suite (1978) 6.2
Misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Director:Herbert RossWriter:Neil Simon (screenplay) |
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California Suite (1978) 6.2
Misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Director:Herbert RossWriter:Neil Simon (screenplay) |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jane Fonda | ... | ||
| Alan Alda | ... | ||
| Maggie Smith | ... | ||
| Michael Caine | ... | ||
| Walter Matthau | ... | ||
| Elaine May | ... | ||
| Herb Edelman | ... |
Harry Michaels
(as Herbert Edelman)
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| Denise Galik | ... | ||
| Richard Pryor | ... | ||
| Bill Cosby | ... | ||
| Gloria Gifford | ... | ||
| Sheila Frazier | ... | ||
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David Sheehan | ... | |
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Michael Boyle | ... | |
| Len Lawson | ... | ||
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. Written by Jonathan (jrd@netvision.net.il)
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.