The Californians (2005)

Slick, smug developer Gavin Ransom has a dream: make millions by blanketing the coastal hills of northern California with flamboyant, mini mansions. His sister Olive a raving ... See full summary »

Director:

Jonathan Parker

Writers:

Jonathan Parker, Catherine DiNapoli,

Stars:

Noah Wyle, Illeana Douglas, Kate Mara

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Noah Wyle	...	Gavin Ransom
Illeana Douglas	...	Olive Ransom
Kate Mara	...	Zoe Tripp
Cloris Leachman	...	Eileen Boatwright
Joanne Whalley	...	Luna
Keith Carradine	...	Elton Tripp
Valerie Perrine	...	Lenora Tripp
Jane Lynch	...	Sybill Platt
Michael Panes	...	Marion Pardon
Erika Luckett	...	Mary Ann
Will Marchetti	...	Mayor
Charles Martinet	...	City Councilman
Richard Gross	...	Contractor
Jarion Monroe	...	Architect
Elisabeth Nunziato	...	Real Estate Broker

Storyline

Slick, smug developer Gavin Ransom has a dream: make millions by blanketing the coastal hills of northern California with flamboyant, mini mansions. His sister Olive a raving environmentalist, thinks otherwise, and aims to stop her brother's land gobbling plans. When Zoe Tripp a striking beautiful folk singer, joins Olive's cause, Gavin gets thrown for a loop, falling hard for the striking young woman with the golden voice. Caught between Olive's righteousness and Gavin's affection, the idealistic and innocent Zoe, coached by her parents and a maternal environmentalist must choose between a cause she's grown up supporting, or the affections of a man who stands for everything she believes is wrong.

---

Plot Keywords:

based on novel

---

Taglines:

All is fair in love and real estate.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

A kaliforniaiak

Filming Locations:

Kentfield, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Parker Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Activist: Gavin Ransom, when will you stop cutting down trees?
Gavin Ransom: When people stop living in houses.

---

Connections

Remake of The Bostonians (1984)

---

Soundtracks

"Ivory Towers"
(uncredited)
Sung by Illeana Douglas

User Reviews

Exceptionally good cast in a pointless project. Why?

It is difficult to believe that this discerning cast would have involved themselves in this project if the initial reading proved to be as unsatisfying as the finished work.

Another work, John D. McDonalds' book "Condominium", for example, dealt with similar subject matter but with an intelligence and style that allowed the protagonists to be understandable and even sympathetic characters in spite of their flaws. In "The Californians" the characters appeared unaware of the importance of the world around them while wandering aimlessly through their own, increasingly trivial, lives.

To paraphrase Rudyard Kipling:

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs

and blaming it on you ... chances are you haven't grasped the

situation! "