The movie was based on a summer holiday taken by Bernie Brillstein when he rented a house at the beach in Southern California. "I have five children and I weigh 240 pounds," said Brillstein. "Being heavy in California is not a terrific thing. Being heavy on the beach is worse. The house on the left was occupied by two elderly sisters, one of whom had a 6-foot-4 inch retarded son who was out of "Arsenic and Old Lace". The house on the right was out of "Death in Venice", occupied by a chic group of homosexuals who had 28 inch waists and wore peach sweaters."