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 sign which arguably speaks for the city itself. The movie is both a romantic comedy and a satire on life and culture in Los Angeles.
Steve Martin plays Harris K. Telemacher, a news meteorologist living in Los Angeles. He has been in a meaningless relationship with his girlfiend Trudi, played by Marilu Henner, and wants to find some meaning and magic in his life. At a luncheon with a group of friends, he meets Sara McDowell, a journalist from London played by Victoria Tennant, with whom he immediately falls in love. Driving home that night, his car breaks down on the freeway and he pulls over into the shoulder, only to realize that a freeway sign is talking to him. The sign will offer Harris cryptic advise on his love life throughout the movie. While he begins to fall for Sara, she feels she has a commitment to her ex-husband, Roland, played by Richard E. Grant. Afraid a relationship with Sara is impossible, Harris decides to go out with the ditzy-blonde Sandee (spelled "SanDeE*"), a girl he met at a clothing store played by Sarah Jessica Parker. After the date with Sandee, Harris learns that his girlfriend has been cheating on him for three years with his agent, setting him free. He decides to pursue his love interest in Sara, but this is still complicated by his relationship with Sandee and Sara's obligation to Roland. In the end he succeeds, with more help from the freeway sign.
Trivia
The Enya songs, "On Your Shore", "Exile" (both from Watermark) and "Epona" (from The Celts) were featured strongly in the film, and increased its emotional appeal. The French chanson "La Mer" by Charles Trenet, known in English as "Beyond the Sea", is also a repeated motif in the film, as is Do Wah Diddy Diddy (first recorded by The Exciters but best known through Manfred Mann). Oddly enough, a soundtrack for this film was never released.
The movie opens with a hotdog stand dangling under a helicopter flying by a pool, with the sunbathing women waving as it passes. This could be a reference to Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita", which opens with a helicopter carrying a statue of Jesus into the Vatican, and stopping by a group of sunbathing women on a rooftop.
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' boxer neighbour.
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