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''Down and Out in Beverly Hills'' is a 1986 comedy film directed by Creator/PaulMazursky and starring Creator/NickNolte, Creator/RichardDreyfuss, and Creator/BetteMidler.

It tells the story of Jerry Baskin (Nolte), a homeless man who befriends the wealthy-but-stressed-out Dave Whiteman (Dreyfuss) and his equally stressed-out family after trying to drown himself in their pool.

This was the first Disney-produced movie (via Creator/TouchstonePictures) to get an R rating. The subsequent TV series in 1987 attained another first; it was the first series to be cancelled by Creator/{{Fox}}.

Not to be confused with the 1998 film ''Film/SlumsOfBeverlyHills''.

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!!This film contains examples of:

* AdoptedToTheHouse: The Whitemans invite Jerry to stay with them while he gets his head together.
* AmbiguouslyGay: It's not entirely clear if Dave's son Max is gay or, according to Jenny, is just going through an androgynous phase. (He does, however, stare a little ''too'' long at Jerry's naked body while he's toweling off.)
* BerserkButton: Jerry [[IBangedYourMum "diddling"]] Dave's daughter Jenny is the last straw, after "diddling" his wife ''and'' his adulterous maid.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Played with. Jerry admits he's been playing a part for the Whitemans, asking, "What did you want to hear? ''Real'' pain? ''Real'' sorrow?"
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: At one point, Dave yells, "Call 911! Call 911!", while running ''with his own phone in his hand''.
* ComingOutStory: Gay or just androgynous, Max comes out to his dad, [[LipstickMark kissing him on the cheek]].
* DarkerAndEdgier: From a meta-standpoint. This was the first R-rated Disney film, under their brand-new label Touchstone Pictures.[[note]]The film was released under the studio’s original name, Touchstone Films.[[/note]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Barbra, played by Bette Midler, of course.
-->'''Dave:''' I ate ''garbage'' last night, Barbra -- and I ''loved'' it.\\
'''Barbra:''' Good! You can eat garbage ''again'' tonight!
* DrivenToSuicide: In the beginning of the film, Jerry tries to drown himself in the Whitemans' pool after being abandoned by his little dog Kerouac.
* TheEighties: Not as obvious as most films of the era, though Max's andro get-up just screams "80's glam rock", and Barbara is rocking the EightiesHair.
* EthnicMenialLabor: The Whitemans have a Latina maid named Carmen. Dave has been carrying on an affair with her for several years.
* EvenTheDogIsAshamed: Or embarrassed, judging by Matisse's reaction to Barbra's orgiastic moaning to Jerry's ''shiatsu''.
* LeFilmArtistique: The only way Max can communicate with his parents, it seems.
* ForeignRemake: Of Creator/JeanRenoir's 1932 French comedy ''Film/BouduSavedFromDrowning''.
* GainaxEnding: It ''seems'' like a HappyEnding, but David takes a moment to pause and wonder if it's such a bright idea to let Jerry back into the fold before heading in.
* GoodAdulteryBadAdultery: Dave is having an affair with Carmen. Barbra knows but says nothing. Hilariously inverted when Carman mouths "Stop it!" when she sees Dave is having sex with Barbra.
* ImmodestOrgasm: Barbra has one when giving a deep tissue ''shiatsu'' massage from Jerry.
-->'''Orvis:''' ''(hearing)'' Good God almighty!
* InventorOfTheMundane: Dave didn't invent them, but his wealth comes from being a clothes hanger magnate.
* IronicEcho: At the start of the movie, Dave saves Jerry from drowning in his swimming pool. At the end of the movie, Dave ''tries to drown Jerry'' in his swimming pool.
* ItCameFromBeverlyHills: It's in the title.
* KavorkaMan: Jerry eventually beds every female in Dave's household. It's hinted that if Jerry were inclined, he could easily have Max too.
* LargeHam: Music/LittleRichard being his Little Richard-est.
* MeaningfulName: Dave's last name is Whiteman. When a homeless Native American calls him "white man", he puzzles "How did you know my name?"
* MysteriousPast: Jerry admits he's an accomplished liar, and yet he is intelligent and plays Music/ClaudeDebussy flawlessly on a piano, [[UnreliableNarrator so it's hard to tell what he says is true or false]].
* NewWave: Max and his friends in androgynous mode look like a young Music/CultureClub.
* OffTheWagon: Dave noting this with a drunk Barbra.
-->'''Dave:''' I thought we weren't going to drink anymore.\\
'''Barbara:''' ''(drunk)'' Well, Dave. Yeah, it's true. I ''am'' a vegetarian. But I hear... that vodka... comes from a potato!
* PapaWolf: Dave tries to drown Jerry after he slept with his daughter.
* PetTheDog: Jerry to the neighbor's Iranian son. It earns him $500, though he didn't do it thinking he'd be rewarded.
* PrettyInMink: In the film posters, Barbara is wearing a full length fox fur coat over her shoulders.
* TheRemake: The film is an American remake of the French farce ''Film/BouduSavedFromDrowning''.
* RuleOfPool: Played absolutely straight during the climax, with Music/LittleRichard singing "Tutti Fruitti" while on the piano.
* ShownTheirWork: Newly radicalized Carmen espouses her new Communist beliefs to one of the Chinese executives at a party. The latter dismisses her ranting as Marxist-Leninist bullshit, showing the differences between Sino-Russo Communism.
* SuspiciouslyAproposMusic: "Once in a Lifetime" is the film's theme, mirroring Dave's disillusionment with wealth.
-->You may find yourself living in a shotgun shack\\
And you may find yourself in another part of the world\\
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile\\
You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife\\
You may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"
* ThemeNaming: Jerry's first dog is named after Creator/JackKerouac. His second dog is named after [[SmallReferencePools/{{Art}} Henri Matisse]].
* WasItAllALie: The Whiteman family ask Jerry if he actually liked them or was just manipulating them. Even Jerry doesn't really know.
* WhiteMansBurden: Dave thinks he's helping Jerry[[note]]who is white but definitely underprivileged[[/note]] in this way. Jerry makes him regret it.
* YouNeedToGetLaid: How Jerry makes Barbra less bitchy and gets anorexic Jenny to eat normally.
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