White Palace
Encyclopedia
White Palace is a 1990 film
starring Susan Sarandon
and James Spader
. It is a romantic drama about the unlikely relationship between a young middle class widower (Spader) who falls in love with a middle-aged working class waitress (Sarandon) in St. Louis, Missouri
. The film was based on a novel of the same title by Glenn Savan (who appears in the film as an extra
with a small speaking part), and was directed by Luis Mandoki
from a screenplay by Ted Tally
and Alvin Sargent
. The original music score is composed by George Fenton
. The film is marketed with the tagline "The story of a younger man and a bolder woman."
The title was originally to have been The White Castle, and the novel even makes reference to a specific real White Castle
location at the intersection of S. Grand Blvd. and Gravois Ave. in south St. Louis, but the restaurant chain refused permission to use its trademarked name in either the novel or the film, and also refused permission to allow any of its restaurants for filming locations.
Instead, an independent diner
at the intersection of North Eighteenth and Olive Streets just west of downtown St. Louis was used – and that address is even given in the film as a plug for the diner. After the film was released the diner's owners sought permission to permanently rename it "White Palace", but were refused by the studio, so the diner was instead renamed "White Knight".
The movie also features Jason Alexander
, Kathy Bates
, Steven Hill
, Jeremy Piven
, and Renee Taylor
, and was shot almost entirely in the St. Louis area, including the Thanksgiving
Dinner scenes, which were filmed in a private home off Conway Road located at #2 Frontenac Place in west St. Louis County
, and Nora's house, which was in the Dogtown
neighborhood of the City of St. Louis northwest of the intersection of Hampton and Manchester Avenues at 1521 W. Billon Avenue.
) has completely shut himself off from the world in the two years since the auto accident death of his wife (Maria Pitillo
). On the way to the bachelor party of his friend Neil (Jason Alexander
) he picks up 50 burgers from a diner, however he realises that the order is six burgers short and returns to White Palace to complain.
Following a heated exchange with the waitress Nora Baker (Susan Sarandon
), he gets his money refunded and returns to the party. He leaves the party drunk and runs into Nora at a bar, he gives her a lift home but crashes his car into her mailbox, he stays the night, and they sleep together.
After visiting his wife's grave on the second anniversary of her death Max returns to the White Palace to see Nora, but misses her. He visits her at home, with the pretext of replacing the mailbox but instead they begin a relationship, with Max becoming more open and relaxed, but reluctant to reveal his relationship to his family and friends. Max attempts to introduce Nora to culture, but she resists, feeling the age difference and their cultural differences put a strain on the relationship.
Nora is angry that Max didn't take her to Neil's wedding, and they argue about why Max won't introduce Nora to his family and friends. Nora's sister Judy (Eileen Brennan
) meets Max the following day and explains to him how they were abandoned as children and how she left Nora in care. Judy explains how Nora was devastated when her son died.
While at the supermarket Max runs into Neil's wife, Rachel (Rachel Chagall
) who invites him and his "mystery woman" to Thanksgiving. At Max's apartment Nora hears a message on his answerphone inviting them to the Horowitz's for Thanksgiving, and the both resolve to attend.
At the dinner with Neil, Rachel, Mrs Baron (Renee Taylor
), and Max's friends and the Horowitz's extended family Nora and Max are made to feel uncomfortable, and following a remark by Neil's father they walk out. After the dinner Nora and Max argue.
Nora quits the White Palace and leaves St Louis. Max finds her house empty and a note explaining to Max why she had to leave. He goes to a brunch and meets Heidi Solomon (Kim Myers
), but Max cannot stop thinking about Nora. He travels to New York to see Judy and she tells Max that Nora is working in a restaurant. Max goes to the restaurant and confesses his love to Nora, where he reveals that he has moved to New York to be with her. They re-unite, kissing tenderly while patrons of the restaurant look on, then Max playfully clears the table of its contents and lays a laughing Nora down on it climbing on top of her and passionately kisses her neck and lips while the whole restaurant cheers and applauds.
1990 in film
The year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
starring Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
and James Spader
James Spader
James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary...
. It is a romantic drama about the unlikely relationship between a young middle class widower (Spader) who falls in love with a middle-aged working class waitress (Sarandon) in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. The film was based on a novel of the same title by Glenn Savan (who appears in the film as an extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
with a small speaking part), and was directed by Luis Mandoki
Luis Mandoki
Luis Mandoki is a Mexican film director working in Mexico and Hollywood.Luis Mandoki studied Fine Arts in Mexico and at the San Francisco Art Institute, the London College of Printing, and the London International Film School...
from a screenplay by Ted Tally
Ted Tally
Ted Tally is an American playwright and screenwriter.-Screenwriter:Born William Theodore Tally in North Carolina, Tally was educated at Yale College and the Yale School of Drama, and has also taught at each of them...
and Alvin Sargent
Alvin Sargent
Alvin Sargent is an American screenwriter. He has won two Academy Awards for his screenplays and has been involved in the writing of all movies to date in the Spider-Man film series.-Life and career:...
. The original music score is composed by George Fenton
George Fenton
George Fenton is a British composer best known for his work writing film scores and music for television, although he also writes music for the theatre. His real name is George Howe but he is better known by his pseudonym of George Fenton.-Selected film and television credits:Fenton has composed...
. The film is marketed with the tagline "The story of a younger man and a bolder woman."
The title was originally to have been The White Castle, and the novel even makes reference to a specific real White Castle
White Castle (restaurant)
White Castle is an American regional fast food hamburger restaurant chain in the Midwestern United States and in the New York metropolitan area, and the first of its kind in the US. It is known for its small, square hamburgers. Sometimes referred to as "sliders", the burgers were priced at five...
location at the intersection of S. Grand Blvd. and Gravois Ave. in south St. Louis, but the restaurant chain refused permission to use its trademarked name in either the novel or the film, and also refused permission to allow any of its restaurants for filming locations.
Instead, an independent diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
at the intersection of North Eighteenth and Olive Streets just west of downtown St. Louis was used – and that address is even given in the film as a plug for the diner. After the film was released the diner's owners sought permission to permanently rename it "White Palace", but were refused by the studio, so the diner was instead renamed "White Knight".
The movie also features Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
, Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates
Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
, Steven Hill
Steven Hill
Steven Hill is an American film and television actor. His two better-known roles are District Attorney Adam Schiff on the NBC TV drama series Law & Order, whom he portrayed for ten seasons , and Dan Briggs, the original team leader of the Impossible Missions Force on CBS's television series...
, Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor....
, and Renee Taylor
Renee Taylor
Renée Taylor is an American actress, Academy Award nominated writer and one-time director, best-known for having played Fran Drescher's outspoken mother, Sylvia Fine, on the TV series The Nanny.- Career :...
, and was shot almost entirely in the St. Louis area, including the Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
Dinner scenes, which were filmed in a private home off Conway Road located at #2 Frontenac Place in west St. Louis County
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
, and Nora's house, which was in the Dogtown
Clayton/Tamm, St. Louis
Clayton-Tamm is a traditionally Irish-American neighborhood located near the western border of St. Louis, Missouri, USA, just south of Forest Park....
neighborhood of the City of St. Louis northwest of the intersection of Hampton and Manchester Avenues at 1521 W. Billon Avenue.
Plot
Twenty-seven-year-old St. Louis advertising executive Max Baron (James SpaderJames Spader
James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary...
) has completely shut himself off from the world in the two years since the auto accident death of his wife (Maria Pitillo
Maria Pitillo
Maria Pitillo is an American actress who has starred in several films; most notably as Audrey Timmonds in Godzilla—a role which garnered her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress...
). On the way to the bachelor party of his friend Neil (Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
) he picks up 50 burgers from a diner, however he realises that the order is six burgers short and returns to White Palace to complain.
Following a heated exchange with the waitress Nora Baker (Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
), he gets his money refunded and returns to the party. He leaves the party drunk and runs into Nora at a bar, he gives her a lift home but crashes his car into her mailbox, he stays the night, and they sleep together.
After visiting his wife's grave on the second anniversary of her death Max returns to the White Palace to see Nora, but misses her. He visits her at home, with the pretext of replacing the mailbox but instead they begin a relationship, with Max becoming more open and relaxed, but reluctant to reveal his relationship to his family and friends. Max attempts to introduce Nora to culture, but she resists, feeling the age difference and their cultural differences put a strain on the relationship.
Nora is angry that Max didn't take her to Neil's wedding, and they argue about why Max won't introduce Nora to his family and friends. Nora's sister Judy (Eileen Brennan
Eileen Brennan
Eileen Brennan is an American actress of film, television, and theater. Brennan is best known for her role as Doreen Lewis in Private Benjamin for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She reprised the role in the TV adaption and won a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy...
) meets Max the following day and explains to him how they were abandoned as children and how she left Nora in care. Judy explains how Nora was devastated when her son died.
While at the supermarket Max runs into Neil's wife, Rachel (Rachel Chagall
Rachel Chagall
Rachel Chagall is an American actress, who specialized in comedic roles. She best known for roles as Gaby on the film Gaby: A True Story , , for which she was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama , and as Val Toriello on The Nanny .- Life and career :Born as...
) who invites him and his "mystery woman" to Thanksgiving. At Max's apartment Nora hears a message on his answerphone inviting them to the Horowitz's for Thanksgiving, and the both resolve to attend.
At the dinner with Neil, Rachel, Mrs Baron (Renee Taylor
Renee Taylor
Renée Taylor is an American actress, Academy Award nominated writer and one-time director, best-known for having played Fran Drescher's outspoken mother, Sylvia Fine, on the TV series The Nanny.- Career :...
), and Max's friends and the Horowitz's extended family Nora and Max are made to feel uncomfortable, and following a remark by Neil's father they walk out. After the dinner Nora and Max argue.
Nora quits the White Palace and leaves St Louis. Max finds her house empty and a note explaining to Max why she had to leave. He goes to a brunch and meets Heidi Solomon (Kim Myers
Kim Myers
Kimberly S. "Kim" Myers is an American television and film actress.Her breakthrough role was in the 1985 horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge as Lisa Webber...
), but Max cannot stop thinking about Nora. He travels to New York to see Judy and she tells Max that Nora is working in a restaurant. Max goes to the restaurant and confesses his love to Nora, where he reveals that he has moved to New York to be with her. They re-unite, kissing tenderly while patrons of the restaurant look on, then Max playfully clears the table of its contents and lays a laughing Nora down on it climbing on top of her and passionately kisses her neck and lips while the whole restaurant cheers and applauds.
Main cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Susan Sarandon Susan Sarandon Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her... |
Nora Baker |
| James Spader James Spader James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary... |
Max Baron |
| Jason Alexander Jason Alexander Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998... |
Neil |
| Kathy Bates Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe... |
Rosemary |
| Eileen Brennan Eileen Brennan Eileen Brennan is an American actress of film, television, and theater. Brennan is best known for her role as Doreen Lewis in Private Benjamin for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She reprised the role in the TV adaption and won a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy... |
Judy |
| Steven Hill Steven Hill Steven Hill is an American film and television actor. His two better-known roles are District Attorney Adam Schiff on the NBC TV drama series Law & Order, whom he portrayed for ten seasons , and Dan Briggs, the original team leader of the Impossible Missions Force on CBS's television series... |
Sol Horowitz |
| Rachel Chagall Rachel Chagall Rachel Chagall is an American actress, who specialized in comedic roles. She best known for roles as Gaby on the film Gaby: A True Story , , for which she was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama , and as Val Toriello on The Nanny .- Life and career :Born as... |
Rachel |
| Corey Parker Corey Parker (actor) Corey Parker is an American actor and acting coach.-Biography:Corey Parker was born in New York City, the son of acting coach Rochelle "Rocky" Parker... |
Larry Klugman |
| Renee Taylor Renee Taylor Renée Taylor is an American actress, Academy Award nominated writer and one-time director, best-known for having played Fran Drescher's outspoken mother, Sylvia Fine, on the TV series The Nanny.- Career :... |
Edith Baron |
| Jonathan Penner Jonathan Penner Jonathan Lindsay Penner is an American actor, writer and film producer known for starring in The Last Supper and the television series Rude Awakening and The Naked Truth, as well as for appearing on the television show Survivor.-Life and career:Penner was born in New York City... |
Marv Miller |
| Barbara Howard Barbara Howard Barbara Howard is an American actress, who remains best known for her roles in the film Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and in the television series Falcon Crest as Melissa Agretti's cousin Robin Agretti. She is currently working as a psychotherapist.-External links:... |
Sherri Klugman |
| Kim Myers Kim Myers Kimberly S. "Kim" Myers is an American television and film actress.Her breakthrough role was in the 1985 horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge as Lisa Webber... |
Heidi Solomon |
| Mitzi McCall Mitzi McCall Mitzi McCall is an American actress married to actor Charlie Brill. She performed on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Other credits include guest appearances on Life Goes On, The Twilight Zone, Silk Stalkings , and voice work on many cartoons... |
Sophie Rosen |