White Palace (1990)

Still getting over the death of his wife, a young advertising executive meets an older waitress, a woman who might set him free.

Director:

Luis Mandoki

Writers:

Glenn Savan (novel), Ted Tally (screenplay)

Stars:

Susan Sarandon, James Spader, Jason Alexander

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Susan Sarandon	...	Nora Baker
James Spader	...	Max Baron
Jason Alexander	...	Neil
Kathy Bates	...	Rosemary
Eileen Brennan	...	Judy
Steven Hill	...	Sol Horowitz
Rachel Chagall	...	Rachel (as Rachel Levin)
Corey Parker	...	Larry Klugman
Renée Taylor	...	Edith Baron (as Renee Taylor)
Jonathan Penner	...	Marv Miller
Barbara Howard	...	Sherri Klugman
Kim Myers	...	Heidi Solomon (as Kim Meyers)
Hildy Brooks	...	Ella Horowitz
Mitzi McCall	...	Sophie Rosen
K.C. Carr	...	Stripper

Storyline

Max Baron (James Spader) is a 27-year-old high-flying advertising executive still recovering from the death of his wife. One night he is in a bar when he meets Nora Baker (Susan Sarandon), a 43-year-old waitress with a fixation on Marilyn Monroe. The couple gradually fall in love, though age and social differences mean that the path of true love is strewn with problems.

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Plot Keywords:

older woman younger man relationship | woman over 40 | love | advertising executive | waitress | 

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Taglines:

The story of a younger man, and a bolder woman.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is notable for some steamy sex scenes between its leads James Spader and Susan Sarandon the latter of whom before had attracted sex symbol controversy with her early 1980s films Atlantic City (1980) and The Hunger (1983). Sarandon was seen in Louis Malle's Atlantic City (1980) where she washed topless with lemons in front of an open window whilst in The Hunger (1983), Sarandon performed a same-sex love scene with French actress Catherine Deneuve.

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Goofs

In the final scene where Max and Nora are talking at the restaurant, their hairstyles change mid-conversation.

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Quotes

Nora: Wait a minute, we get naked with each other and touch each other and you get inside of me and you can't tell me how much rent you pay. Your landlord knows, you're not even fucking him.

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Connections

Features Love Connection (1983)

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Soundtracks

Guardian Angel
Performed by The Centurian Players
Written by David Lee

User Reviews

Unlikely but hopeful romance

It was interesting to me that it was more of a problem that she was such a slob than that she was significantly older than him. If anyone can carry off a believable and appealing older woman/younger man romance to a mass audience, it's Susan Sarandon. No other actress combines her ripe, open sexuality with such an accessible and self-assured personality. She makes sexiness respectable. James Spader does less well, not so much because of a faulty performance, but because he seems unable to break through a preternatural reserve. It served him well in "Sex, Lies and Videotape" but a little more emotionality is called for here. The sex scene when he is writhing in the throes of passion and finds a half-eaten sandwich under the bed is hilarious, not to mention the pivotal scene when he gives her a dustbuster as a gift. The future for this couple might seem unlikely, but I don't think it's any less likely than that of most movie lovers.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

The White Castle

Filming Locations:

1521 West Billon Avenue, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,078,697, 21 October 1990

Gross USA:

$17,487,531

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,487,531

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Mirage Enterprises, Double Play

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1