Down And Out In Beverly Hills (1986)

Rescued from drowning in the swimming pool of a nouveau riche Beverly Hills businessman (Richard Dreyfuss), a homeless bum (Nick Nolte) proceeds to turn the entire household upside down. Based on the play BOUDU SAUVE DES EAUX by Rene Fauchois (previously filmed in 1932 by Jean Renoir) and directed by Paul Mazursky (BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE). It's funny what time does to your perception of a movie. When I first this film on its initial release, I thought it was positively hilarious. While I still found much to enjoy this time around, I found the movie strained and more than a bit smug. Has my sense of humor changed or was the movie always this way? Mazursky gives the movie a silly bourgeois Hollywood ending rather than the free spirited "thanks but no thanks" ending of the Renoir version. Still fun even if its lost some of its luster. With Bette Midler, Little Richard (who gets to sing), Elizabeth Pena, Tracy Nelson, Michael Yama, Dorothy Tristan, Irene Tsu and a scene stealing dog called Mike.