Plaza Suite is a 1971 American comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Walter Matthau, Maureen Stapleton, Barbara Harris, and Lee Grant. Neil Simon adapted the screenplay from his 1968 play of the same title.
It is essentially an Anthology Film; like the play, it is divided into three acts, all set in Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel in New York City:
- In the first act, Sam (Matthau) and Karen Nash (Stapleton) are a not-so-blissfully wedded couple who are revisiting their honeymoon suite at Karen's insistence, in an attempt to bring the love back into their marriage. The plan backfires when the two become embroiled in a heated argument and Sam eventually walks out, leaving Karen alone to reflect on how much things have changed since they were newlyweds.
- In the second act, Hollywood movie producer Jesse Kiplinger (again Matthau) meets with his old flame, suburban housewife Muriel Tate (Harris). Muriel is aware of his reputation as a ladies' man but has come to the hotel for nothing more than a chat between old friends, while Jesse has other plans in mind and repeatedly attempts to seduce her.
- In the third act, married couple Roy (yet again Matthau) and Norma Hubley (Grant) are on the wedding day of their daughter Mimsey, who has locked herself in the suite's bathroom and stubbornly refuses to come out, so her parents attempt to get her into attending her wedding while the gathered guests await all three to arrive downstairs.
This film features examples of:
- Awful Wedded Life: The Nash marriage is clearly on the rocks, as they revisit their honeymoon suite in an attempt to bring the love back into their marriage.
- Locked in the Bathroom: A bride with cold feet locks herself in the hotel bathroom on her wedding day.
- Runaway Fiancé: The Hubleys' daughter is a bride with cold feet who locks herself in the hotel bathroom on her wedding day.
- Video Credits: At the end of the film, Matthau walks onscreen three times and bows to the camera, each time accompanied by his leading lady from a particular segment. Each of the bows is followed by a freeze frame with captions for the actors' names.
