White Palace (1990)

60% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(4,469 ratings)

Screenwriters Ted Tally and Alvin Sargent adapted the novel by Glenn Savan into this intelligent comedy-drama about a May-December romance where the woman is the senior partner. James Spader is Max Baron, a 27-year-old St. Louis advertising executive who has completely shut himself off from the… More Screenwriters Ted Tally and Alvin Sargent adapted the novel by Glenn Savan into this intelligent comedy-drama about a May-December romance where the woman is the senior partner. James Spader is Max Baron, a 27-year-old St. Louis advertising executive who has completely shut himself off from the world in the two years since the auto accident death of his wife. When he meets free-spirited, 43-year-old burger joint waitress Nora Baker (Susan Sarandon), his attraction to the earthy, outspoken woman is immediate and overpowering. The difference in age isn't their only obstacle happiness: Nora's into Marilyn Monroe, drinking beer, and lives in Dogtown, the city's low-rent district, while Max is cultured, sophisticated, and wealthy. Despite their differences, Max and Nora are alike in their suffering and in their deep need for connection, but their charged relationship is put to the emotional test when it becomes clear that Max is hiding his affair with Nora from his upper middle-class, Jewish social circle. White Palace co-stars Renée Taylor, Eileen Brennan, Kathy Bates, Jason Alexander, and Corey Parker. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Luis Mandoki
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Oct 19, 1990 Wide
On DVD: Jan 15, 1999
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly
Not a great movie but sexy as hell.
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
Decent but predictable steamfest.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A convincing psychodrama about the redemptive power of love which can even overcome deep-seated class differences.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Despite excellent performanes, the film moves so slow you'll have nodded off by the time the good bits come
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Worth it for Spader and Sarandon.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Lanning :

First off, for all you flixsters who live in the Seattle area, I gotta envy you all being able to read Paula Nechak movie reviews all the time. Team flixster scoring her reviews is wonderful. I've read many synopses on this site, but I have to say that this one about… More
First off, for all you flixsters who live in the Seattle area, I gotta envy you all being able to read Paula Nechak movie reviews all the time. Team flixster scoring her reviews is wonderful. I've read many synopses on this site, but I have to say that this one about White Palace is the most interesting one I've ever run across. I definitely agree with Nechak's assessment of the fairytale element of this movie. It's hard to imagine this pair making a permanent match. But it's Hollywood, baby, so what happens . . . happens. Had to add Sarandon to my favorite actor list right away. Stunning. She always is; she should have been on my list earlier. Eileen Brennan, in a small role, is mesmerizing. Not to mention that this was Spader when he had his stuff. A great movie, especially thanks to Susan Sarandon. Definitely, as Nechak says, Oscar-worthy work. Reminds me so much of Atlantic City.
Dean M

The superb performances from Susan Sarandon and James Spader sweep us along in this often sexy love story with a difference.
Lauren D

Firstly I will say that I wouldn't have heard or watched this had James Spader not been in it. And I'm pretty biased with Spader movies, because he's James Spader. So that's why it has such a high rating. Romance in any form (except gay romance!) bores the hell… More
Firstly I will say that I wouldn't have heard or watched this had James Spader not been in it. And I'm pretty biased with Spader movies, because he's James Spader. So that's why it has such a high rating. Romance in any form (except gay romance!) bores the hell out of me, and I never go anywhere near it. I don't like Susan Sarandon either. But, I figured it's got James Spader in it, so even if it's boring as hell, there's James Spader. So, the plot isn't interesting to me, and honestly the whole movie was pretty lame, but as I keep saying: JAMES SPADER. I don't really know what to say about it, but it probably isn't worth watching unless you're majorly obsessed with James Spader like I am.
Leo L

Love this movie!

Cast

            Susan Sarandon as Nora Baker

            James Spader as Max Baron

            Jason Alexander as Neil Horowitz

            Kathy Bates as Rosemary Powers

            Eileen Brennan as Judy

            Steven Hill as Sol Horowitz

            Rachel Levin as Rachel Horowitz

            Corey Parker as Larry Klugman

            Renée Taylor as Edith Baron

            Jonathan Penner as Mary Miller

            Barbara Howard as Sheri Klugman

            Jonathan Ames as Restaurant Customer

            Michael Arnett as Country Western Singer

            Robert Bourgeois as Bachelor Party Man

            Bart Braverman
            
            Hildy Brooks as Ella Horowitz

            Cathy Carr as Stripper

            Joan Crosby
            
            Vernon Dudas as Jimmy the Bartender

            Judi M. Durand
            
            Greg Finley
            
            John Flack as Advertising Executive

            Spiros Focás
            
            Patrick S. Harrigan as Mr. Goodman

            Lance Harshbarger as Bachelor Party Man

            Rosanna Huffman
            
            Harvey Jason
            
            Maryann Kopperman as Reba Parker

            Fannie Belle Lebby as Marcia

            Janet Lofton as Supermarket Checker

            Mitzi McCall as Sophie Rosen

            David McCharen
            
            Kim Meyers as Heidi Solomon

            Wilma Myracle as Helen

            William Oberbeck as Eddie Lobodiak

            Maria Pitillo as Janey

            Jeremy Piven as Kahn

            Robert Plunket as Director

            Paige Pollack
            
            Joseph Roseblum as Rabbi

            Glenn Savan as White Palace Customer

            Gary Schwartz
            
            Jordan Stone as Bachelor Party Man

            Suzanne Stone
            
            Griffin Dunne
            
            Javier Grajeda
            
            Jan Rabson
            
            Barbara Iley
            
            K.C. Carr
            
            Kim Myers
            
            Rachel Chagall
            
See full cast