California Suite (1978)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Neil Simon (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 December 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The best two-hour vacation in town!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Tennis | Oscars | Prostitute | Actress

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

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
Gino Ardito	...	Plumber
Jerrold Ziman	...	Man on Phone (as Jerry Ziman)
Clint Young	...	Doorman
David Matthau	...	Bellboy
James Espinoza	...	Busboy
Buddy Douglas	...	Page
Armand Cerami	...	Charley
Joseph Morena	...	Herb
Brian Cummings	...	Autograph Seeker
Bill Kux	...	Autograph Seeker (as William Kux)
Zora Margolis	...	Autograph Seeker
Rita Gomez	...	Maid
Tina Menard	...	Maid
Lupe Ontiveros	...	Maid
Bert May	...	Waiter
Eddie Villery	...	Waiter
Army Archerd	...	Army Archerd
Paolo Frediani	...	Handsome Actor
Judith Hannah Brown	...	Oscar Winner
Gary Hendrix	...	Oscar Winner's Date
Christopher Pennock	...	Policeman
Jack Scanlan	...	P.R. Man
Bill Steinmetz	...	P.R. Man
Dana Plato	...	Jenny
Nora Boland	...	Passenger
David Rini	...	Airline Representative
John Hawker	...	Sky Cap
Frank H. Conn	...	Bobby (as Frank Conn)
Colleen Drape	...	Stewardess
Linda Ewen	...	Stewardess
Kelly Harmon	...	Stewardess
Tawny Moyer	...	Stewardess
Leslie Pagett	...	Stewardess
Vicki Stephens	...	Stewardess
Nan Wylder	...	Stewardess
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Coburn	...	Pilot in Diana Barrie's Film on Airplane (uncredited)
Catherine Wilkinson	...	Original Daughter (uncredited)

Directed by
Herbert Ross

Writing credits
Neil Simon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ronald L. Schwary	....	associate producer
Ray Stark	....	producer

Original Music by
Claude Bolling		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael A. Stevenson

Casting by
Jennifer Shull

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Set Decoration by
Marvin March

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Bernadine M. Anderson	....	makeup artist: Miss Fonda
Ruby Ford	....	hair stylist
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist: Miss Fonda
Evelyn Preece	....	hair stylist
Charles H. Schram	....	makeup artist (as Charles Schram)

Production Management
Ronald L. Schwary	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John T. Kretchmer	....	assistant director trainee (as John Kretchmer)
Carla Reinke	....	second assistant director
Jack Roe	....	assistant director

Art Department
Nick F. Caprarelli	....	leadman (as Nick Caprarelli)
David Hockney	....	main titles from the paintings of
Everett Olson	....	construction supervisor
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master

Sound Department
Lyle J. Burbridge	....	sound re-recordist
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recordist (as Mike Kohut)
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recordist (as Bill McCaughey)
Al Overton Jr.	....	production mixer
Sam F. Shaw	....	sound effects (as Sam Shaw)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bob Dawson	....	special effects (as Robert Dawson)
Augie Lohman	....	special effects

Stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Norman Harris	....	gaffer
Richard Moran	....	key grip
Roger Shearman	....	camera operator (as Roger Sherman Jr.)
Robert C. Thomas	....	camera operator (as Robert Thomas)
Mel Traxel	....	stills
Michael R. Marquette	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Seth Banks	....	costumer: men
Ann Roth	....	costume designer: Jane Fonda and Alan Alda
Shirlee Strahm	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Margaret Booth	....	supervising editor
Barbara Dunning	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Claude Bolling	....	musician: piano
Chuck Domanico	....	musician: bass
Ralph Grierson	....	musician: piano
John C. Hammell	....	music editor
Hubert Laws	....	musician: flute
Shelly Manne	....	musician: drums
Bud Shank	....	musician: second flute
Tommy Tedesco	....	musician: guitar
Brendan Cahill	....	music coordinator (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	music engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Richard Belyeu	....	transportation (as Ric Belyeu)
Frank Khoury	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Emanuel Azenberg	....	producer: Broadway play
Frank Bueno	....	assistant to producer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Robert Fryer	....	producer: Broadway play
Regina Gruss	....	unit publicist
Karen Hale Wookey	....	script supervisor (as Karen Wookey)
Don Henry	....	auditor
Mary Cay Hollander	....	production secretary
Garrett Lewis	....	pictorial consultant
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Howard R. Schuster	....	financing (uncredited)

Thanks
Burton L. Slatkin	....	special thanks: president, Beverly Hills Hotel Corporation

Production Companies

• Rastar Films

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1978) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2002) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Neil Simon's California Suite" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Australia:M | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

21932 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Rastar Films

Trivia:

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.

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? I know this is an awkward time to bring it up, but I must know, for our future.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References The 50th Annual Academy Awards (1978) (TV)

Too few scenes with Maggie Smith and Michael Caine

I think the movie contains funny parts, but some scenes are not that interesting, for example Alan Alda talking way too much stuff. So I think it's only about average. I must say, though, that Michael Caine and Maggie Smith did great work. They are a nice couple and really fit together very well. In my opinion their scenes are the best of the movie. I love their funny and sarcastic conversations - it's entertaining and one of the reasons I actually watched the movie until the end. I'm just a little disappointed that they don't show up as often as I'd like. It would've been more interesting that way. Of course there are lots of other big names in that movie, e.g. Walter Matthau, Alan Alda and Jane Fonda, but I must really underline Maggie Smith's and Michael Caine's good performances.