California Suite [Region 2] dvd movie.|
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Features • PAL In Theaters : 15 December, 1978 |
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California Suite [Region 2] description The West Coast answer to Neil Simon's Plaza Suite, this film (written by Simon and directed by Herbert Ross) has a high Hollywood gloss. Instead of the omnibus form of the film of the New York version, this film (set at the Beverly Hills Hotel) intertwines the stories (à la Grand Hotel) of several different sets of guests, including Alan Alda and Jane Fonda and Walter Matthau and Elaine May, on one particularly eventful weekend. The story that works best involves Maggie Smith and Michael Caine as an Oscar-nominated actress and her straying, gay husband who come to an understanding (Smith won the Oscar for this film). The least effective is a slapsticky battle between well-to-do but competitive doctors played by Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor. --Marshall Fine |
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| ♥♥♥♥♥ | Lukewarm comedy .... Zzzz Zzzz Zzzz |
| Others touted the outrageous comedy theme of this film which prompted me to buy it. Boy, was I disappointed. Thank goodness I bought a used copy for only a few bucks, so the financial pain was minimal.
In brief, the film covers four independent filmettes featuring guests at the California hotel. I guess the best selection was the one featuring Alan Alda and Jane Fonda as divorcees fighting over custody of their teenage daughter. But "best" is a relative matter. This one figures a sharp-tongued professional woman taking snide shots at her ex-husband every chance she gets. Once in a while he responds, but for the most part he simply tolerates her air of superiority. (yawn) The selection with Michael Caine and his film star wife started okay, but quickly drowned itself in an emotional stew over a lost award nomination (she won the nomination but not the award). Then we discover that Michael has more of an interest in the leading man than he does in his wife. Holy soap box, Batman! I love most anything with talented actor Walter Matheau. But this was probably the least inspiring of his efforts that I have seen. The whole of the plot revolves around him trying to hide the "drunk into a coma" prostitute he had in his hotel room from his wife when she arrives the next morning. Walter should have just dumped sleeping beauty out a window and shortened this painful performance. Want to see Walter at his best? Watch "Hopscotch". Lastly we come to Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor. A combo that can't miss, right? Well, this one misses - by a mile. If these guys are friends, I wonder what they call enemies. The whole scenette was one argument or fight after another. In real life, had they been friends, this hotel vacation would have finished that. The potential was there for some good comedy (it IS Bill and Richard), but the segment is as empty as last night's beer bottle. Neil Simon is well known for his comic irony to real life situations. And I generally enjoy most of his work. However, I wouldn't be able to recognize this one as his except for the printing on the DVD cover. If you want to see some of his good work, try "Out to Sea", "The Out Of Towners", or "The Odd Couple". Sorry, but I don't think I can recommend this one. The best part of the movie was when it ended. Good for one viewing only, then it will gather dust on the shelf. ~P~ |
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