The Hotel New Hampshire (film)

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The Hotel New Hampshire is a 1984 comedy-drama film directed by Tony Richardson, based on John Irving’s 1981 novel. It features Jodie Foster, Beau Bridges, Rob Lowe, Nastassja Kinski, Wilford Brimley, Amanda Plummer, Matthew Modine, and Seth Green in his film debut. The story follows the Berry family, who run a quirky hotel and survive a string of wild and tragic events.

Plot in brief: In the 1950s, Win and Eve Berry open a hotel called the Hotel New Hampshire near their children’s prep school. Their kids—John, Franny, Frank, Lilly, and Egg—grow up surrounded by oddball friends, romance, and misadventures. After many twists of fate, the family moves to Vienna to run Freud’s guesthouse, renaming it the Hotel New Hampshire. A radical plot and a deadly explosion disrupt their lives, bringing heartbreak and loss. The tale blends dark comedy with fairy-tale elements as the family tries to carry on. In the end, Lilly writes a novel that attracts attention, Franny’s acting career begins, and John’s complicated relationship with Susie the bear-like companion continues as the family learns to endure together.

Production notes: The film is a UK-Canada-US co-production filmed mainly in Montreal and Tadoussac, Quebec. Tim Hutton was the original male lead before Rob Lowe was cast. Jodie Foster refused to appear nude in a rape scene. The soundtrack was initially considered to be by Queen, but a classical score was used instead; the band’s song Keep Passing the Open Windows appears on The Works album and recurs in the film as a rallying line for the family.

Reception and legacy: The Hotel New Hampshire had a budget of about $5.5 million and grossed around $5.1 million, making it a box office disappointment. Critics were mixed, praising the screenplay, performances, and faithful adaptation, while American critics were harsher than British ones. The film developed a small but enduring cult interest among fans of John Irving’s work. It was released on Region 1 DVD in 2001 and on Blu-ray in 2016.