The Fortune Cookie (1966)

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Billy Wilder (written by) &
I.A.L. Diamond (written by)

Release Date:

19 October 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

SOME PEOPLE WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY!

Plot:

A crooked lawyer persuades his brother-in-law to feign a serious injury.

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Football | Cameraman | Law | Insurance

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Harry Hinkle
Walter Matthau	...	Willie Gingrich
Ron Rich	...	Luther 'Boom Boom' Jackson
Judi West	...	Sandy Hinkle
Cliff Osmond	...	Purkey
Lurene Tuttle	...	Mother Hinkle
Harry Holcombe	...	O'Brien
Les Tremayne	...	Thompson
Lauren Gilbert	...	Kincaid
Marge Redmond	...	Charlotte Gingrich
Noam Pitlik	...	Max
Harry Davis	...	Dr. Krugman
Ann Shoemaker	...	Sister Veronica
Maryesther Denver	...	Nurse
Ned Glass	...	Doc Schindler
Sig Ruman	...	Professor Winterhalter
Archie Moore	...	Mr. Jackson
Howard McNear	...	Mr. Cimoli
William Christopher	...	Intern (as Bill Christopher)
Bartlett Robinson	...	Specialist #1
Robert P. Lieb	...	Specialist #2
Martin Blaine	...	Specialist #3
Ben Wright	...	Specialist #4
Dodie Heath	...	Nun
Herbie Faye	...	Maury, the Equipment Man
Billy Beck	...	Maury's Assistant
Judy Pace	...	Elvira
Helen Kleeb	...	The Lawyers' Receptionist
Lisa Linsky	...	Ginger Gingrich (as Lisa Jill)
John Todd Roberts	...	Jeffrey Gingrich
Keith Jackson	...	Football Announcer
Herbert Ellis	...	TV Director (as Herb Ellis)
Don Reed	...	Newscaster
Louise Vienna	...	Girl on TV
Robert DoQui	...	Man in Bar (as Bob DoQui)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Anderson	...	Abraham Lincoln (uncredited)
Jim Brown	...	Running Back - Number 32 (archive footage) (uncredited)
Leroy Kelly	...	Running Back #44 (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jon Silo	...	Tailor (uncredited)

Directed by
Billy Wilder

Writing credits
Billy Wilder		(written by) &
I.A.L. Diamond		(written by)

Produced by
I.A.L. Diamond	....	associate producer
Doane Harrison	....	associate producer
Billy Wilder	....	producer

Original Music by
André Previn		(as Andre Previn)

Cinematography by
Joseph LaShelle		(as Joseph La Shelle)

Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Art Direction by
Robert Luthardt

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Makeup Department
Loren Cosand	....	makeup artist
Alice Monte	....	hair stylist
Jack Petty	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Patrick J. Palmer	....	unit manager
Allen K. Wood	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack N. Reddish	....	assistant director
Michael S. Glick	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Frank Agnone	....	property master
Duncan A. Spencer	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Wayne Fury	....	sound editor
Robert Martin	....	sound
Buddy Myers	....	sound re-recordist
Terrance Emerson	....	sound cable (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sass Bedig	....	special effects

Stunts
Howard Curtis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Moio	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Felix Barlow	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Elmer Faubion	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Robert Hoffman	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bill L. Norton	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Al St. Hilaire	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Arrico	....	wardrobe (as Chuck Arrico)
Paula Giokaris	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor

Other crew
Marshall J. Wolins	....	script supervisor (as Marshall Wolins)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The
• Phalanx-Jalem

Distributors

• United Artists (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Magnetic Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Included in "The Billy Wilder Gift Set")

Also Known As:

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:U (video rating) | West Germany:12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Singapore:PG | USA:Approved | New Zealand:G | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Municipal Stadium - 1085 W. Third Street, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

Production was halted for weeks after Walter Matthau had a heart attack. He had slimmed from 190 to 160 pounds by the time filming was completed, and had to wear a heavy black coat to conceal the weight loss.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the football game in which Harry is injured, the Browns are playing the Minnesota Vikings. On Boom-Boom's punt return, however, the opponents are the Philadelphia Eagles.

Quotes:

Doc Schindler:I'm looking for a freckle!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mars Needs Women (1967) (TV)

Soundtrack:

You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To

One of the greatest films of all time. Don't miss it!

I absolutely love Walter Matthau. He is one of the greatest comic actors ever to grace the screen. His ability to turn a Jewish complaint into a laugh has a life of its own (like Woody Allen) and Lemmon of course is the perfect foil. This is why they were "The Odd Couple." In fact, this movie includes three of the greatest film makers to ever work/play in Hollywood: Bill Wilder, Jack Lemmon and Matthau. See this movie to have fun with the perfect comedic chemistry of Lemmon and Matthau and also to enjoy the intelligent humor of Wilder's writing. As those of us who have ever created a film or written a story or music know, such endeavors are always an experiment; there's always the (big) chance that what you're busting your butt on will just lay there in the end. Well, when they came up with this story formula, with Matthau as scheister and Lemmon as border line skeptic/fool for love, it just hit, you know? As in, it's a classic winner! Hollywood comedy literally doesn't get any better. The proof? Study up on your dark comedy history: It started with Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest), was carried on with Wilder (this film) and every single piece of satire that has been written since these masterpieces of comedy owes itself to them.