I have seen this movie several times, as I am a fan of Neil Simon. In my opinion, this is half a good movie. When Jane Fonda, Alan Alda, Maggie Smith, or Michael Caine are on the screen, the film is magical for me. Jane gives a really good performance as an Ice Queen, and I understand Alan more and more as their scenes progress. Maggie Smith and Michael Caine are the real stars in this movie. If the producers thought they had a better chance of getting Maggie an Oscar by making her a supporting actress, they got what they wanted, but I really believe it was a leading performance. I did my first spit take ever when Maggie and Michael were discussing the guacamole he was eating. When she asked what the disgusting green slime he was eating I started drinking a soda and when he answered, "I'm not sure, but it tastes like they ran the front lawn through a blender" I lost it. And yet, at the end of their story, when Maggie Smith asks Michael to not close his eyes, to "let it be me", I was truly touched. I found out several years later that that line was the inspiration for one of my favorite Country songs, "Don't Close Your Eyes" sung by Keith Whitley. The other two stories in the film I didn't care for, The Walter Matthau story, was too much like a Sixties leering sex farce, and the Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby story was actually embarrassing to me. I really felt like I was watching an scene out of a film from the 1930's where African-Americans took roles beneath them as it was a way to make a living. That is just one man's opinion and I am not trying to offend anyone. So the title of this review is the was I really feel.
Review of California Suite
