The 1978 Neil Simon farce, “California Suite,” directed by Herbert Ross, is composed of four unrelated stories, all taking place at the Beverly Hills Hotel; it’s sort of “Grand Hotel” for our times.
Michael Caine and Maggie Smith portray a British actress, Diana Barnes, and her antique-dealer husband who finally face some hard interpersonal truths (he’s bisexual), when they arrive from London to attend the Academy Award ceremonies.
As the hard-drinking, hard-talking actress, Maggie Smith won a second (Supporting) Oscar for playing a disenchanted British actress, who complains that “acting doesn’t win Oscars; what I need is a dying father.”
Jane Fonda and Alan Alda play a divorcing couple in the most melodramatic tale of the four.
The third, unfunny act involves Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor play doctors whose vacation turns into a disaster.
Elain May plays a jealous wife who unexpectedly discovers hubby Walter Matthau with a prostitute.
Oscar Nominations: 3
Supporting Actress: Maggie Smith
Screenplay (Adapted): Neil Simon
Art Direction-Set Decoration: Albert Brenner; Marvin March
Oscar Awards: 1
Supporting Actress
Oscar Context:
Oliver Stone won the Screenplay Oscar for the thriller, “Midnight Express.” The Art Direction award went to Warren Beatty’s comedy, “Heaven Can Wait.”