Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

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:

Aerobics | Rescue | Maid | Dog | Stranger

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:

The first movie from the Disney company (produced/released under their "Touchstone" company) to receive an "R" rating from the MPAA.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Camera equipment is reflected in the patio doors as various characters run towards the pool where Jerry is drowning.

Quotes:

Dave Whiteman: Max, I think it's time you stopped all this screwing around and started to learn the hanger business.
Max Whiteman: I don't like hangers.
Dave Whiteman: You don't like hangers? It's hangers that clothe you, and it's hangers that feed you!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Facts of Life: Down and Out in Malibu: Part 1 (#9.1)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

CALIFORNIA GIRLS

Infectious fun

This isn't one of Mazursky's better, serious films but it is an awful lot of fun nevertheless and it stays in the memory. It's an American reworking of Renoir's "Boudu sauve des eaux" and in the role of the scampish tramp it has the great Nick Nolte who looks like a disheveled bear. He's the Boudu character rescued by Beverly Hills businessman Richard Dreyfuss who is as genial and as soft as a poached egg and who radiates goodness. He's the kind of man who feels he has to set the world to rights but isn't pushy enough to do it. That can't be said of his jiggly wife, Bette Midler, who is brash, lewd and who seems to be wearing dresses several sizes too small for her. Midler moves like a mini tornado and her performance has some of the energy of her stage shows. Between them, Nolte, Dreyfuss and Midler bring combined wit and intelligence to the material. They seem to be having a right old time and their pleasure is infectious. Mazursky keeps things on a low boil and lets his players have their rein. It's to our advantage.