California Suite

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California Suite

PG

Released Dec 15, 1978

1h 43m

Comedy

Drama

LGBTQ+

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50%

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28 Reviews

45%

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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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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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Variety Staff

Variety

Less than successful, veering from poignant emotionalism to broad slapstick in sudden shifts.

Oct 3, 2007

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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

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David Pirie

Time Out

Quick and varied comedy, highly suited to Neil Simon's machine-gun gag-writing.

Jun 24, 2006

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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