Down and Out in Beverly Hills

Mazursky, a master of creating interesting and somehow lovable characters, transplants Boudu, the bum from France to posh and glitzy Beverly Hills, changes his name to Jerry and drops him into Dave and Barbara Whiteman's swimming pool, instead of the Seine. The result is a story more contemporary and richly textured than Renoir's 1931 film, which was based on a French play of the same name by Rene Fauchois. By structuring the story around the rich of Beverly Hills, Mazursky was able to draw on his own experiences of living in the area and comment not only on that lifestyle, but also on the people who live in Beverly Hills: their guilt, problems, hang-ups. Through the excellent production design of Pato Guzman, who also co-produced, Mazursky was also able to paint a picture of the ambience, mainly through the use of colors, of Southern California.

Down and Out in Beverly Hills is the story of Jerry Baskin (Nick Nolte), a bum who wanders the streets of Beverly Hills with a shopping cart and his only companion, a mangy-looking little dog

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n though his wealth has allowed him to assimilate. Mazursky, a character-oriented director, relies on the talents of his performers to give his characters a richness and depth that is crucial. Nick Nolte's portrayal of Jerry is quite effective. He carries the same scowling look from bum to "mainstream" citizen. His portrayal of the bum is especially effective because he can almost be smelled right through the screen. He delivers his lines, whether they be lies or genuine feelings, with convincing accuracy. Richard Dreyfuss, an Academy Award winner for best actor in Goodbye Girl, offers an equally fine performance in Down and Out in Beverly Hills. Dave's guilt is countered by his pride in his achievements, and this creates an uncomfortable feeling with his new status. Dreyfuss is able to keep Dave's feelings of frustration, anger and guilt in check until he virtually explodes at a party in a tumultuous storm. Here Dreyfuss is allowed to go wild, much to the audience's delight. Bette Midler as Barbara is simply wonderful. Her mannerisms--the way she walks, talks, sits, stands and holds the steering wheel of her Mercedes convertible to protect her nails, all exude Beverly Hillsness. A woman driven toward conformity, Ba
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Beverly Hills, Saved Drowning, Elizabeth Pena, Southern California, Nelson Whiteman, Portraits Whitemans, Richard Dreyfuss, Midler Dave's, Hills Dave's, Pato Guzman, beverly hills, southern california, whiteman household, saved drowning, mazursky's beverly, mazursky's beverly hills, boudu saved drowning, boudu saved, own experiences living, frustration anger, bette midler, color scheme, richard dreyfuss,
Approximate Word count = 2212
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)