Movies - L.A. Story

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	Movies - L.A. Story

L.A. Story is a 1991 movie directed by Mick Jackson and written by Steve Martin. Set in Los Angeles, California, it tells the story of Harris K. Telemacher, an L.A. weatherman (played by Martin) who falls in and out of love with the aid of a talking freeway variable message sign which arguably speaks for the city itself. The film is a bit fantastical but also a loving satire of L.A. culture. Some of the more noted lines/scenes:

Harris Telemacher's one-note job as the "wacky" weatherman ("Today, it's sunny! Tomorrow, it's—sunny! Next day, it's sunny!")
Harris' self-reflection: "I was deeply unhappy, but I didn't know it, because I was so happy all the time."
Sarah Jessica Parker
portrays Martin's wannabe-spokesmodel girlfriend, a bouncy big-haired gum-chewing lovable ditz who spells her name SanDeE* ("Big S, small a, small n, big D, small e, Big E ... and a star") and takes Martin for a "cleansing high colonic" on their first date.
A mini-ballet of suburb-dwellers waltzing out of a row of homes to pick up their morning papers
Martin's madcap "shortcuts" through alleys and sidestreets to avoid traffic
The often quoted classic:

Guy with neck-support: I'll have a decaf coffee.

Trudi: I'll have a decaf espresso.

Movie critic: I'll have a double decaf cappuccino.

Policeman: Give me decaffeinated coffee ice cream.

Harris: I'll have a half double decaffeinated half-caf, with a twist of lemon.

Trudi: I'll have a twist of lemon.

Guy with neck-support: I'll have a twist of lemon.

Martin getting into his car, driving twenty feet, and getting out to go to his neighbor's house
Orderly robberies at the ATM: "Hi. My name is Bob. I'll be your robber today."
Lovemaking dialogue between Harris & SanDeE*. He: "Your...your breasts feel weird. / She: "Oh, that's 'cause they're real."
A casual L.A. freeway shootout
Patrick Stewart as a snobby maitre d' who screens Harris' credit before deigning to make a dining reservation.

The movie bears some resemblance to William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
, and occasionally references his Hamlet. Other cast members include Victoria Tennant, Richard E. Grant, Marilu Henner, Woody Harrelson, Patrick Stewart, Rick Moranis, and Kevin Pollak.

John Lithgow was originally in the film, but almost all of his performance was removed during editing. Only one scene with Lithgow remains; he is the man Harris sees talking to the freeway sign near the beginning of the film. His character's name, Harry Zell, is also mentioned in the film. In 1992, Lithgow hosted a featurette on Showtime where he presented his deleted scenes from the film.

Scott Bakula's scenes from the film were also removed during editing. He was to play Harris' neighbor, who was a boxer.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for L.A. Story ]

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