The Odd Couple (1968)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Gene Saks

Writers:

Neil Simon (play)
Neil Simon (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 May 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are The Odd Couple...say no more.

Plot:

Two friends try sharing an apartment, but their ideas of housekeeping and lifestyles are as different as night and day.

Plot Keywords:

Sister Sister Relationship | Cooking | Attempted Suicide | Cleanliness | Dating

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Felix Ungar
Walter Matthau	...	Oscar Madison
John Fiedler	...	Vinnie
Herb Edelman	...	Murray (as Herbert Edelman)
David Sheiner	...	Roy
Larry Haines	...	Speed
Monica Evans	...	Cecily Pigeon
Carole Shelley	...	Gwendolyn Pigeon
Iris Adrian	...	Waitress

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Ireland:G | Netherlands:AL | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | UK:PG | USA:G | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

190 Riverside Drive, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

'Neil Simon' based the character of Felix on his older brother, Danny.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Oscar is at the ballpark, the phone rings and he puts his hot dog down. When the man answers the phone, Oscar is typing and the hot dog disappears. When we cut back to Oscar, he is eating it again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Felix Ungar: A room please.
Hotel clerk: You alone? Luggage? How long you want it for?
Felix Ungar: Not very long.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: Hell Comes to Quahog (#5.3)" (2006)

One of the most beautiful comedies

This cordial comedy confronts a few bizarre characters. Especially, of course, the two leading characters. Jack Lemmon plays Felix, a hypochondriac whose wife lost him because she couldn't stand his cleaning and cooking attacks any longer. So he tries to kill himself but every attempt fails. Walter Matthau plays Oscar, his friend, an untidy, unreliable sports-reporter who lives in divorce from his ex-wife in a bachelor apartment. He offers his distressed friend Felix a new home in his apartment. And soon the trouble begins because two such contrary characters can't live together for a long time. Felix turns Oscar's disorderly flat into a clean exhibition flat. He cleans and cooks the whole time. After a short while, Oscar feels persecution mania ... Filmed in a theatrical way and excellent acted. Above all, Jack Lemmon's play is wonderful. He is the perfect clown. He makes us laugh but in a tragi-comic way. Look for the wonderful scene when both men invite their two female neighbours for supper, because Oscar has to touch something more softer than a bowling-ball. While he is preparing the drinks, Felix sits with the two young ladies in the living-room. To get out of this embarrassing situation, he starts to talk about the weather. A minute later, he changes the subject and talks about his ex-wife and children. Suddenly he begins to weep and when Oscar comes back with the drinks, there are three weeping people in the living-room. The film is full of such amusing and at the same time touching scenes. An intelligent, entertaining comedy with much heart. 10 out of 10!