California Suite

If it was a film only with Michael Caine and Maggie Smith's storyline... It was the only interesting thing about the whole movie and the two were the only good actors.

Loved Michael Caine, Maggie Smith and Jane Fonda. The rest of the cast should have stayed home.

Four stories of a stay in one hotel over the course of a few nights. While we jump from story to story and back again, this is more or less an anthology film, as none of the characters ever interact or intersect with the characters from the other stories. Unlike some anthology films, all the stories are directed by one person as well. The stories are uneven, with the Smith/Caine story (for which Smith won an Oscar) being the most intriguing and the slapsticky Pryor/Cosby story being the worst.

Great cast

https://esperwatchesfilms.tumblr.com/post/645391408954523648/california-suite-1978

"California Suite" is watchable, but everything seems a little overdone, from the witty exchanges to the comic pratfalls.

15 points for Maggie Smith and Michael Caine. 5 each for Jane Fonda and Elaine May, it can have a score of 25. Some great dialogue. especially for the visitors from London, I quite enjoyed their bitchy back and forth, but other than that the film left much to be desired.

Maggie Smith is a delight, and that's pretty much all there is to say.

This film should have been much better. The script might just be a tad overwritten, as nobody in real life talks the way Fonda/Alda does. Just way too many snappy retorts to be believable. On the light hearted side, Cosby/Pryor overdo it as well, a touch, with the zany slapstick. Good for a one time watch.

amazing script, great performance from Maggie Smith "you are worse than a hopeless romantic, you are hopeful!":)

a neil simon script which features an ensemble cast and some great wit, but sadly this movie does not equal the sum of it's parts. i did enjoy it a bit, but i'm not surprised that this one fell through the cracks.