Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

Director:

Paul Mazursky

Writers:

René Fauchois (play)
Paul Mazursky (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

31 January 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

See what happens when a dirty bum meets the filthy rich.

Plot:

Beverly Hills couple Barbara and Dave Whiteman are very rich but not happy Dave is a hard working business man...

Plot Keywords:

Son | Rescue | Aerobics | Dog | Maid

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Nick Nolte	...	Jerry Baskin
Bette Midler	...	Barbara Whiteman
Richard Dreyfuss	...	David 'Dave' Whiteman
Little Richard	...	Orvis Goodnight
Tracy Nelson	...	Jenny Whiteman
Elizabeth Peña	...	Carmen
Evan Richards	...	Max Whiteman
Donald F. Muhich	...	Doctor von Zimmer
Paul Mazursky	...	Sidney Waxman
Valerie Curtin	...	Pearl Waxman
Jack Bruskoff	...	Mel Whiteman
Geraldine Dreyfuss	...	Sadie Whiteman
Barry Primus	...	Lou Waltzberg
Irene Tsu	...	Sheila Waltzberg
Michael Yama	...	Nagamichi

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:6 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

802 N. Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

When the alarm goes off and police helicopters hover over Dave Whitman's (Richard Dreyfuss) house, his son runs out of the house with a video camera and says, "Close encounters of the fourth kind, take one," a reference to Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), starring Richard Dreyfuss.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the end of the film during the pool scene when they've all jumped in, if you look closely you will see Max Whiteman in the pool. But just a a couple of minutes later, he appears on screen with his friends and then jumps into the pool with them.

Quotes:

Dave Whiteman: Hey. You, uh, haven't said anything about the car.
Jenny Whiteman: It's nice.
Dave Whiteman: Yeah? You don't think it's, uh, too Beverly Hills?
Jenny Whiteman: Daddy, you work very hard for your money. You don't have to justify anything.
Dave Whiteman: I know, it's just that, you know... maybe I'm feeling a little guilty.
Jenny Whiteman: Guilt sucks.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dear John: Down and Out in Rego Park (#3.9)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

A Rich, Bette, and a 'bum' in Beverly Hills

The fact that this movie was nominated for awards and only took one of the 4 or 5 nominations, is just perplexing. Bette was fun and did a good job, she was nominated. Dreyfus, was superb as Dave Whiteman, tongue-in-cheek, I love it! Richard Dreyfus was not nominated. But 'Nolte' as the Bum Baskin, 'Jerry', should have at least been nominated, that is absurd that he wasn't, in light of a 'capitol' performance! I had not seen this movie in many years. I had seen so many others and thought about viewing this again, when I finally bought the DVD, I was blown away! This movie hasn't lost and inch of it's original comedic height.

Nolte (Jerry Baskin) looked as if with every step he took, that he was about to fall off the end of the earth. He looked like a street guy with atrophy in his muscles, from sleeping on sidewalks. He played down and out and 'bum' to the very edge. It was the best bum in any story that I have seen or could remember. I was interested in following this character through more than one or two scenes. For instance, in the park, staggering through after the absence was felt in regard to his 'Little tan dog' he bellowed out questions to passers by then, found himself at the mall. While inside, he abruptly inquired to the patrons interrupting their conversations and meals with no awareness or understanding as to what's going on with anyone, but himself.

Then afterward when he's escorted out by two mall security guardsmen, his reactions, words and inflections were just 'picture' perfect. I have worked in places where there were many a transient at times and 'Nolte' being that character, with his attitude and abilities, just became, 'King'. In addition the two lead characters have something in common...dog problems! 'Matise'(Mike the dog) steals part of the show and chews on it a little. It was a riot when he got 'insensed' at 'Little Richard' and became a little anxious!! This little fellow, is a double-threat...'cute' and 'funny' too. He is a great supporting k-9 cast member. Mike does a great job as the family pet who ends up as jerry's little side kick.

Not too far down the line, the introduction to 'the family' through Dave was a classic cinema moment in modern times. He 'up-ends' the whole apple cart, here. The even funnier parts are how things eventually turn and shift for Ole' Dave. I enjoyed the politically incorrect wit and sharp comedic retorts. The characters are developed to a 'T' and they interact and play out in absolute excellence. I would only recommend this to people that will understand and enjoy a hard driving politically incorrect film, with the enjoyable cynicism that this has. But even for those not well versed in movie intellect, this one is hard to miss, it really drives it home! It's infectious and in a way very timeless in some of the overtones.

I rate it a Ten. (****)