Plaza Suite (1971)

The plays of Neil Simon have not always transferred successfully to the screen, often due to the difficulty in "opening up" the usual one-set properties for the film. It's a surprise, therefore, that Plaza Suite -- which is entirely built around the one-set concept -- works so well. True, director Arthur Hiller has managed to sneak in some "outside" segments, but most of the action still takes place indoors. A large portion of the credit for its success goes to Walter Matthau, playing three different yet recognizably "Matthau-ian" characters and imbuing them with the arrogance, anger, and snarl that are part of his charm -- as well as several shakes of sympathy and vulnerability when appropriate. He is well served by his leading ladies, with Maureen Stapleton touching, Barbara Harris hysterical, and Lee Grant carefully over-the-top. (Viewers are well advised to pay special attention to Harris; one of our most gifted comic actresses, she rarely received the roles she deserved.) There's always a problem with "anthology" films, in that some sequences will seem stronger and some weaker than others. How one rates these three probably depends upon one's taste. Suffice it to say that the first has a lovely rueful quality to it, the second a lightheartedly sexiness, and the third a professional zaniness. Take your pick or enjoy all three. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide