Dennis Christopher

Glynnis O'Connor

Seymour Cassel

Dorothy Tristan

John Calvin

Todd Susman

Tanya Roberts

Alice Playten

Ned Wynn

James Van Patten

Stacey Nelkin

Johnny Fain

Tom McFadden

Tom Rosqui

Marshall Efron

Barton Heyman

Kirsten Baker

Shannon Terhune

Vivian Bonnell

James Staley

Bonnie Bartlett

Carol O'Leary

Ernest Misko

Buddy Kling

Rene Lea

Becky Nelson

Cheri Capps

Walt Schlim

Charles Graffeo

Mike Moder

Sidney Levin

Lou Arkoff

Urve Kuusik

William S. Beasley

Ray De La Motte

Ted T. Sugura

Aaron Pazanti

Timothy Ray

Rick Borchardt

James F. Boyle

Peter Davidian

Vince Garcia

Robert L. Anderson

Patrick Mitchell

Gregg H. Bilson

Craig Raiche

Michele Dittrick

Jack Monroe

Kathy Thomas

Andrea Nachman

Gary Gillingham

Rick Mercier

Steve Lloyd

Ricky Alexandros

Michael Tronick

Janet Weinberg

Cliffe Oland

Joy Wilson

Mark Conte

Bill Berry

Ray West

Eddie Nelson

George Porter

Howard Steele

John D. Hancock

Samuel Z. Arkoff

Chris Whittaker

Fred Karlin

Bobby Byrne

Herbert H. Dow

Roy E. Peterson

Harriet B. Helberg

William Hiney

Dorothy Byrne

Tom Ellingwood

Comedy

Drama

Romance

California Dreaming

Cinema 77

Taft Organization

American International Pictures

United States of America

**_The Southern California beach scene in the late 70s_**

A nerdy guy from Chicago (Dennis Christopher) moves to the coast of SoCal where he makes friends with the owner of a local hangout (Seymour Cassel) and gets to stay at his house, but this annoys his college-age daughter (Glynnis O’Connor). In the meantime, the youth tries to fit in with the ‘hip’ surfers (John Calvin, John Fain and Jimmy Van Patten).

Shot in October, 1977, but not released until early 1979, "California Dreaming" is a coming-of-age dramedy that takes Sam Elliott’s “Lifeguard” from a few years earlier and adds comedic touches. I wouldn’t relate this to those goofy 60’s beach flicks because it’s more realistic. People forget that the originator of the “beach party film” genre was 1959’s “Gidget” (the movie with Sandra Dee, not the TV series with Sally Field), which was a beach drama with moving depth and not zany at all. Sure, this one features a little amusing goofiness, but it’s mostly a believable story.

Dorothy Tristan has a significant role as Duke’s ex-wife, Fay. She was director John Hancock’s wife from 1975 until her death in 2023. Speaking of John, he helmed the artistic “Let's Scare Jessica to Death” from the early 70s, so he wasn’t exactly a slouch.

This obviously influenced one of the greatest coming-of-age flicks, “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” released a few years later. It’s not as good, but not far off either. It’s superior to the overrated “Back to the Beach” (1987).

While the movie has a warm, amusing heart underneath it all, there’s some top nudity and sexual talk/situations corresponding to the milieu. So stay away if that offends you.

It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot at Avila Beach, California, which is 195 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Other nearby locations include: Morro Bay to the north and the theater in San Luis Obispo, which is just southeast of Morro Bay; meanwhile studio work was done in Los Angeles. 

GRADE: B-/B

English

California Dreaming (1979) Original Trailer [FHD]