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 | Romance

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:

Apartment | Cooking | Poker | Suicide | Sister Sister Relationship

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matty Alou	...	Himself (uncredited)
Bill Baldwin	...	Sports Announcer (uncredited)
Al Barlick	...	Home Plate Umpire (uncredited)
John C. Becher	...	Hotel clerk (uncredited)
Ted Beniades	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Billie Bird	...	Chambermaid (uncredited)
Patricia D. Bohannon	...	Bowler (uncredited)
Ken Boyer	...	Himself (uncredited)
Heywood Hale Broun	...	Himself (sports writer) (uncredited)
Jerry Buchek	...	Himself (uncredited)
Roberto Clemente	...	Himself (uncredited)
Tommy Davis	...	Himself (uncredited)
Augie Donatelli	...	First Base Umpire (uncredited)
Jack Fisher	...	Himself (uncredited)
Ann Graeff	...	Scrubwoman (uncredited)
Bud Harrelson	...	Himself (uncredited)
Cleon Jones	...	Himself (uncredited)
Ed Kranepool	...	Himself (uncredited)
Vernon Law	...	Himself (uncredited)
Jack Lightcap	...	Public Address announcer (uncredited)
Bill Mazeroski	...	Himself (uncredited)
Joe Palma	...	Butcher (uncredited)
Angelique Pettyjohn	...	Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
Harry Spear	...	Janitor (uncredited)
Ralph Stantley	...	Cop (uncredited)
Maury Wills	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Gene Saks

Writing credits
Neil Simon		(play)
Neil Simon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Howard W. Koch	....	producer

Original Music by
Neal Hefti

Cinematography by
Robert B. Hauser

Film Editing by
Frank Bracht

Art Direction by
Hal Pereira
Walter H. Tyler		(as Walter Tyler)

Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton		(as Robert Benton)
Ray Moyer

Costume Design by
Jack Bear

Makeup Department
Nellie Manley	....	supervisor hair stylist
Jack Petty	....	makeup artist
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
William Davidson	....	unit production manager (as William C. Davidson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hank Moonjean	....	assistant director

Sound Department
John R. Carter	....	sound recordist (as John Carter)
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank J. Calabria	....	additional photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John A. Anderson	....	wardrobe: men (as John Anderson)

Other crew
Luanna S. Poole	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Films Paramount (1968) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Paramount-Films (1968) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1976) (1980) (Finland) (TV)

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:

Factual errors: The copyright date is shown as MCMXLVII (1947) instead of MCMLXVII (1967) as the copyright year for the film during the opening credits.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Felix Ungar: A room, please.
Hotel clerk: You alone?
[Felix nods]
Hotel clerk: Luggage?
[Felix shakes his head]
Hotel clerk: How long do you want it for?
Felix Ungar: Oh, not very long.
Hotel clerk: Five dollars.
[Felix isn't paying attention]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 2004 (2004) (TV)

my long-time favorite

"The Odd Couple" is one of those movies that far surpasses its reputation. People all know it, they hum the theme song, they complain of living with a sloppy "Oscar" or a fastidious "Felix"...but they're under-selling the film without knowing it. This isn't just about a neat guy living with a sloppy guy; it's a portrait of two friends helping each other through the agony of divorce. It's also damn funny from start to finish, but it's the kind of comedy that arises from realistic, stressful, and just plain awful situations. So, some viewers have actually found the film to be a bit uncomfortable, but I think its verisimilitude is its strength. Besides, Matthau's bulldog face just cracks me up! My favorite comedy, by a country mile.