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California Suite

Play trailer Poster for California Suite PG Released Dec 15, 1978 1h 43m Comedy Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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50% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Four comedic scenarios play out at a hotel in this adaptation of the Neil Simon play. Divorced couple Hannah (Jane Fonda) and Bill (Alan Alda) argue over custody of their daughter; an actress (Maggie Smith) frets over her Oscar nomination as her gay husband (Michael Caine) comes out of the closet; a businessman (Walter Matthau) finds a comatose prostitute in his bed, and two competitive doctors (Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby) settle their differences with a free-for-all tennis game.
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California Suite

California Suite

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Critics Consensus

Maggie Smith's acidic turn is the standout in this stacked ensemble, but broad characterizations and an unsure tone make for a disappointingly uneven adaptation of Neil Simon's episodic play.

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Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety Less than successful, veering from poignant emotionalism to broad slapstick in sudden shifts. Oct 3, 2007 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Means middle-class angst covered with a thin veneer of snappy one-liners and presented in the most anonymous directorial style imaginable. Oct 3, 2007 Full Review David Pirie Time Out Quick and varied comedy, highly suited to Neil Simon's machine-gun gag-writing. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review George Anderson Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Uneven but entertaining Neil Simon comedy dealing with five couples a the Beverly Hills Hotel. Maggie Smith is the best thing in the film. Rated: B Jul 8, 2025 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …Michael Caine and Maggie Smith shine, but there’s an archness to Neil Simon’s writing that makes some of California Suite hard to watch; there’s a vanilla feel to the characters that makes these movies very much of their time rather than for the ages…. Rated: 2/5 Jun 19, 2024 Full Review Melvin Frankel Gay Community News (Boston) California Suite gets stranded midway between hard social commentary and the aim to please those [Simon]'s criticizing. Aug 19, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kyle M You have an amazing cast ensemble from a much earlier time with signature energies as they try to turn around a questionably aimless screenplay, even though each story has a strong scene till realizing that Neil Simon ran out of narrative fuel. (B-) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/23/25 Full Review Audience Member One of the worst films I've sat through. The cast are doing their best with completely unbelievable dialogue. The slapstick is embarrassing. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/14/24 Full Review Audience Member Structurally a bit lumpy and overall imperfect, the polar opposite of Jane Fonda in that one scene 👀 Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review steve d There are a million stories and characters, but not one of them are interesting. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review jona i Hilarious! Incredible cast. And Maggie Smith effortlessly spins from hilarious to tragic--magnificent! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review ashley h California Suite is a disappointing film. It is about the misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Jane Fonda and Alan Alda give terrible performances. The screenplay is badly written. Herbert Ross did a horrible job directing this movie. I was not impressed with this motion picture. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
California Suite

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Cast & Crew

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Herbert Ross

Director

Alan Alda

Bill Warren

Jane Fonda

Hannah Warren

Maggie Smith

Diana Barrie

Michael Caine

Sidney Cochran

Bill Cosby

Dr. Willis Panama.

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California Suite

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Movie Info

Synopsis Four comedic scenarios play out at a hotel in this adaptation of the Neil Simon play. Divorced couple Hannah (Jane Fonda) and Bill (Alan Alda) argue over custody of their daughter; an actress (Maggie Smith) frets over her Oscar nomination as her gay husband (Michael Caine) comes out of the closet; a businessman (Walter Matthau) finds a comatose prostitute in his bed, and two competitive doctors (Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby) settle their differences with a free-for-all tennis game.
Director
Herbert Ross
Producer
Ray Stark
Screenwriter
Neil Simon
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Rastar Films
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 15, 1978, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 14, 2010
Runtime
1h 43m
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