The cast and crew of “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” had a reunion of their own last week in honor of the beloved comedy’s 25th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, Vogue’s Keaton Bell sat down with director David Mirkin, screenwriter Robin Schiff, stars Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow, who played the titular roles of Romy White and Michele Weinberger, respectively, and Post-it Note inventor Arthur Fry to compile an oral history of the sleeper hit, which originally hit theaters on April 25, 1997.
Set in California and Arizona, the quirky comedy tells the story of longtime BFFs Romy and Michele, who relocate to Venice Beach following their graduation from Tucson’s Sagebrush High (class of ‘87!). Though they are living their best lives in the City of Angels, when their 10-year reunion rolls around, they decide to up their game a bit in order to dazzle their former classmates because, as Romy says, “What’s the point of going if we’re not going to impress people?” As such, they borrow a Jaguar convertible, snag a then cutting-edge flip phone, don fancy suits and create a fictional backstory for themselves, regaling their former classmates with the news that they invented the Post-it Note.
According to Vogue, the film fared reasonably well at the box office upon its initial release, “grossing $29 million against a $17 million budget.” But its true success was found via VHS and DVD rentals and repeated airings on cable TV, which turned it into a veritable cult favorite, with new audiences discovering it every year. Even two and a half decades later, devotees are still grabbing chunky platform heels and fur-lined frocks to dress up as Romy and Michele for Halloween. And the fabulous Venice apartment building where the duo live in the movie, a four-story brick structure situated on the bustling boardwalk just steps from the sand at 417 Ocean Front Walk, has become a regular stomping ground for fans.
Known as Venice Suites in real life, the site was built in 1921 and initially operated as an extended stay hotel named the Winn Apartments. Commissioned by former attorney and judge John R. Winn and his wife, Lulu, each of the property’s 32 units boasted a kitchenette and a private bath and was available for both short and long-term occupancies.
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Image Credit: Venice Suites The Winn was erected in conjunction with a succession of other similar-looking brick apartment houses situated along the same stretch of sand in order to accommodate the massive rise in tourism brought about by Abbot Kinney’s development of Venice in 1905. Previously uninhabited marshland, Kinney transformed the seaside enclave into a resort city that he dubbed “Venice of America.” A wonderland of rides, canals, Italian Renaissance-style buildings, a pier, shops, restaurants and pools, the area promptly became one of Southern California’s most prominent attractions. Per Hollywood & The Best of Los Angeles Alive, “For 15 years Venice was the brightest, liveliest and most popular destination for Angelenos out to have fun.”
Sadly, things went into decline following Kinney’s death in 1920. The pier burned down shortly thereafter and in 1925 Venice was annexed to the City of Los Angeles. Government officials promptly began overhauling the area. Shops were closed, rides dismantled and a vast majority of the picturesque canals filled in. Abbot’s vision was all but lost to time. As such, there was no longer a need for the many hotels that dotted the shoreline and most were razed. The Winn continued on, however, eventually going by the name “Biltmore Apartments” and then “Biltmore by the Sea” before becoming “Venice Suites.”
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Image Credit: Venice Suites Boasting an Italianate façade, the structure handsomely towers above the bustling boardwalk below. Guests enter the lobby by way of a marble staircase framed by walls depicting scenes of ocean life painted on colorful tiles. A massive mural also covers the building’s north side, illustrating an idyllic day at the beach with brilliant blue skies, a smattering of palm trees and a gorgeous orange sunset.
The lodging has undergone several renovations since its early days, most recently in 2000 to the tune of $2.5 million. Current amenities include fully stocked kitchens in each room, onsite laundry facilities, premium cable TVs, free WiFi and a rooftop deck with a BBQ and panoramic views of the ocean and boardwalk. The hotel is also within walking distance to just about every attraction Venice has to offer, such as the popular Abbot Kinney shopping district, the small enclave of canals that remain intact and the infamous Muscle Beach.
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Matt Lait checked into the property in 2004 as part of a travel story about the seaside city and had this to say, “Make no mistake about it, this place is not for those who like to be pampered. There’s no bellhop, no room service. The parking lot is blocks away. But what you do get is a clean, fully furnished room with a kitchenette and a front door that opens up to the beach and street theater that has made Venice a renowned tourist attraction.”
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Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures -
Image Credit: Google A classic representation of the Venice lifestyle, it is no surprise the hotel was chosen to portray the on-screen home of proud Dogtown residents Romy and Michele.
Production designer Mayne Berke made a few minor alterations to the structure for the shoot, outfitting the window trim and fire escape with a pastel green trim and installing a rounded green awning above the front staircase. The changes were very much in line with the whimsical personalities of the two main characters. Of his process, Berke explained to Vogue, “I’ve been told repeatedly over the years that I’m a colorist. I pictured Romy and Michele as sherbet colors, specifically purple and orange. I set about designing the entire picture with a palette centered around those kinds of poppier candy tones.”
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Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures -
Image Credit: Venice Suites Only the exterior of Venice Suites appeared in the movie. The charming bohemian interior of Romy and Michele’s top-floor apartment was a set designed by Berke. The hotel’s actual rooms are much more serene and pared-down than what was seen onscreen.
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Image Credit: Sony Pictures Television Though “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” is Venice Suites’ most significant claim to fame, the building has a few additional credits to its name.
The structure plays the home of kidnapped roller skater Rita Morgan (Lory Walsh) in the season four episode of “Charlie’s Angels” titled “Angels on Skates.”
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Image Credit: Amazon Studios And in the season one episode of “Bosch” titled “Chapter Ten: Us and Them,” Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) takes his daughter, Maddie (Madison Lintz), for a quick visit to Venice, during which they venture along the boardwalk past Venice Suites.