Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

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. (****)

Fmovies: 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.

Quite fabulous, actually, and very well done how one man unintentionally changes the lives of so many people. It truly is laugh-out-loud hilarious at times. A very good cast does a wonderful job in creating a feel-good comedy classic! The dog, Matisse, steals the show, though!

Down and Out in Beverly Hills fmovies. When Nick Nolte was arrested for DUI in 2002 and they published his mug shot picture I thought it was Jerry Baskin. I first saw this film during it's initial theatrical release and found it very amusing. This is a re-telling of playwright René Fauchois' Boudu sauvé des eaux that was made into a film in 1932. In this story the rescued drowning man is played by Nick Nolte who is a down and out former actor who is homeless and had but one friend, his stray dog. He can't find his dog and wanders into the backyard of a Beverly Hills dysfunctional and affluent family where he plans to end it all by drowning in their swimming pool. Homeowner Richard Dreyfuss comes to the rescue and the homeless man, Jerry becomes a wanted and unwanted guest in their home. Bette Midler is Dreyfuss' wife, Tracy Nelson is the daughter, Evan Richards is the son, Elizabeth Pena is the maid and Little Richard is the next-door-neighbor. A fun situational comedy, the screenplay was written by Paul Mazursky and Leon Capetanos who collaborated on several films with Mazursky. Mazursky is a multi-talented director/writer/producer/actor who also appears in this film. He got wrote and produced I Love You Alice B. Toklis and then went on to big success as the director of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. In the 70's he had some other notable films that he directed including Harry and Tonto and An Unmarried Woman but his only film of note in the 80's was Moscow on the Hudson and after Down and Out in Beverly Hills directed only seven other films of little note and his writing creativity seems to have stalled to as he only wrote four more screenplays in the past 20 years. Cinematographer Donald Mcalpine is this film's photographer. He's had recent success with Chronicles of Narnia. Some of his other films include Mrs. Doubtfire, Predator, My Brilliant Career and Breaker Morant. Andy Summers of the rock band the Police provides the music score. The Talking Heads song Once in a Lifetime which was 6 years old was used as the theme song of the film and it suddenly became a charting single. This is a good film if you've never seen it and a good look back to the 80's. I would give it an 8.0 out of 10.

I may not know what's funny, but I know what I like. I thought this movie was absolutely hilarious. I don't know, or care if it is supposed to be a satire or not. Between the son and the dog and the neighbor and the anorexic daughter and the maid, not to mention the three main characters, there are many funny moments. Nick Nolte, insinuating himself on this dysfunctional family, headed by Richard Dreyfuss and Bette Midler, appears to steer them all in the right direction, with plenty of nice moments along the way.

Nick Nolte is "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," a 1986 film directed and co-written by Paul Mazursky and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler, Elizabeth Pena, Little Richard, and Tracy Nelson. Nolte is Jerry, a street person so low even his dog leaves him for a kind jogger. While searching for his dog, he stumbles onto the property of Dave and Barbara Whiteman - Whiteman is a clothes hanger king living the good life in Beverly Hills. Filling his pockets with rocks, Jerry attempts suicide by diving into the Whiteman pool, but is saved and ultimately taken in by Dave. Jerry isn't particularly grateful - he wants Courvoisier instead of the alcohol offered him, and, given dinner, questions the meat on the turkey. Dave, guilty about his wealth, bored with his life, and wanting to do some good, buys Jerry clothes and lets him live at the mansion. He even offers Jerry jobs, which Jerry doesn't accept. Jerry's history is on the vague side - he speaks of doing the concert piano circuit, he is recognized in a restaurant by as a writer, maybe he did some acting...hard to know. Before long, he's taken over the entire household, becoming the only one in the house that the Whiteman's psychologically disturbed dog, Matisse, can tolerate, Barbara Whiteman's masseuse and the man who finds her G-spot, the lover of housekeeper Carmen (Pena) after Dave goes back to sleeping with Barbara, the man who gets the Whiteman's anorexic daughter (Nelson) to fall in love with him and start eating; and the man who convinces the androgynous Whiteman son to come out to his parents. Too late, Dave realizes he's Dr. Frankenstein, and Jerry is the monster.

This is an entertaining film with dark undertones and good performances, particularly from Nolte, Dreyfuss, Midler, Pena and Mike (Matisse the dog). Little Richard is a riot as a neighbor. Nolte is in great shape here, as is Midler, who looks fantastic. The party scene toward the end of the film where Dreyfuss chases Nolte throughout the house and grounds is quite funny. The ending isn't the best, but it's a fun watch anyway.