Down and Out in Beverly Hills | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | Paul Mazursky |
Produced by | Paul Mazursky Pato Guzman, Geoffrey Taylor |
Written by | Paul Mazursky Leon Capetanos |
Starring | |
Music by | Andy Summers |
Cinematography | Donald McAlpine |
Edited by | Richard Halsey |
Production
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Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
Release date
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January 31, 1986 |
Running time
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103 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $14 million |
Box office | $62,134,225 |
Down and Out in Beverly Hills | |
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Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
Released | 1986 |
Recorded | 1986 |
Genre | Soundtrack |
Length | 30:35 |
Down and Out in Beverly Hills is a 1986 American comedy film based on the French play Boudu sauvé des eaux, which had previously been adapted on film in 1932 by Jean Renoir. Down and Out in Beverly Hills was directed by Paul Mazursky, and starred Nick Nolte, Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfuss. The film is about a rich but dysfunctional couple who save the life of a suicidal homeless man. Musician Little Richard also makes an appearance, and contributed the song "Great Gosh a'Mighty" to the soundtrack.
Released by Touchstone Pictures, a film label of The Walt Disney Studios, Down and Out in Beverly Hills has the distinction of being the first R-rated film ever released by Disney.
David "Dave" Whiteman (Dreyfuss) and his wife, Barbara (Midler), are a couple whose 20-year marriage is unfulfilling. Dave is having an affair with the live-in maid (Elizabeth Peña), while Barbara tries to relieve her constant feelings of anxiety by experimenting with various New Age therapies.
A "down and out" homeless man named Jerry Baskin (Nolte) wanders into the backyard of the Whitemans' Beverly Hills home, and tries to drown himself in the pool. Dave helps Jerry get back on his feet. The family is initially disgusted by Jerry, but they end up growing fond of him after getting to know him better.
The movie was a financial success, on a budget of $14,000,000, the film grossed $62,000,000 in the US alone. The critical response for the film was mostly positive; it currently holds an 84% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 25 reviews.
While not included on the soundtrack album, the film uses a remix of the Talking Heads song "Once in a Lifetime", as featured in their 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense and its companion album, in both the film's opening and closing credits.