Kotch (1971)

Director:

Jack Lemmon

Writers:

John Paxton (screenplay)
Katharine Topkins (novel)

Release Date:

17 September 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Joseph Kotcher, a retired traveling salesman, lives with his son Gerald and daughter-in-law Wilma in Los Angeles...

Plot Keywords:

Senility | Teenage Pregnancy | Old Age | Gas Station Restroom | One Word Title

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Walter Matthau	...	Joseph P. Kotcher
Deborah Winters	...	Erica Herzenstiel
Felicia Farr	...	Wilma Kotcher
Charles Aidman	...	Gerald Kotcher
Ellen Geer	...	Vera Kotcher
Donald Kowalski	...	Duncan Kotcher
Dean Kowalski	...	Duncan Kotcher
Arlen Stuart	...	Mrs. Fisher
Jane Connell	...	Miss Roberts
James Brodhead	...	Mr. Weaver (as James E. Brodhead)
Jessica Rains	...	Dr. McKernan
Darrell Larson	...	Vincent Perrin
Biff Elliot	...	Motel Manager
Paul Picerni	...	Dr. Ramon Caudillo
Lucy Saroyan	...	Sissy
Kim Hamilton	...	Emma Daly
Tamar Cooper	...	Nurse
Amzie Strickland	...	Nurse Barons
Paul Fierro	...	Pablo
Larry Linville	...	Peter Stiel
Penny Santon	...	Mrs. Segura
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Janya Braunt	...	Mrs. Pugh (uncredited)
Dee Carroll	...	Dorothy Ballinger (uncredited)
Jack Lemmon	...	Sleeping Bus Passenger (uncredited)

Directed by
Jack Lemmon

Writing credits
John Paxton		(screenplay)
Katharine Topkins		(novel "Kotch")

Produced by
Richard Carter	....	producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ralph E. Winters

Casting by
Barbara Gallagher

Art Direction by
Jack Poplin

Set Decoration by
William Kiernan

Costume Design by
John A. Anderson		(as John Anderson)

Makeup Department
Jean Austin	....	hairdresser
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Leon Chooluck	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Dismukes	....	assistant director
Harry Hogan III	....	assistant director

Art Department
Richard M. Rubin	....	properties

Sound Department
Richard Portman	....	re-recording supervisor
Jack Solomon	....	sound
Frank E. Warner	....	sound effects

Special Effects by
Jack Erickson	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Adams	....	key grip
Eric Anderson	....	first assistant camera
Ruth Carter	....	location still photographer
James R. Connell	....	camera operator
Tim Griffith	....	gaffer
Hal Shiffman	....	second assistant camera
Robert Willoughby	....	special still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Irving Rosenblum	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Maria Luisa Alcaraz	....	production coordinator (as Maria-Luisa Alcaraz)
Alan DeWitt	....	dialogue director
Susan Dworsky	....	special properties
Henry L. Jaffe	....	consultant (as Henry L. Jaffe M.D.)
Jeremy Lepard	....	title designer
Joseph Mazzuca	....	script supervisor (as Joe Mazzuca)
Art Sarno	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• Kotch Company Productions

Distributors

• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (USA) (TV)
• Magnetic Video (1980) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  locations (as Cinemobile Systems)
• Pacific Title  titles executed by
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  interior filming
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  sound recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs, California, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Ellen Geer playing Vera Kotcher, the late wife of Kotch (Walter Matthau), actually later played the director Jack Lemmon's ex-wife in The Odd Couple II (1998).

Goofs:

Factual errors: Kotch collects old bowling pins to throw into his fireplace to keep warm; in reality, the thick plastic coatings would create smoke and noxious fumes.

Quotes:

Joseph P. Kotcher:[about his wife and baby son in the car] She covered all the windows every time she changed him. I don't know why, I don't know what harm it would do people seeing his little pink pecker at 25 miles an hour, but she covered the windows every time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hollywood Remembers Walter Matthau (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Life Is What You Make It

Kotch is Top Notch ****

What a wonderful movie. For a change,Walter Matthau plays a sympathetic rather than a cantankerous character. He is just wonderful here in his Oscar nominated performance.

What makes the movie so good is that it doesn't really stress the attempt of his son and daughter-in-law to put him in a home and then show the misery of homes. Rather,it deals with the coming of life anew for Matthau when he takes a profound interest in the very pregnant babysitter for his grandson. What an interesting idea and it is so well developed.

Deborah Winters gives a fantastic supporting performance as the pregnant girl,orphaned, raised by an uncaring brother who finds meaning in her life when she aided by Kotch.

There is a totally winning song dealing with what you do with your life.

This film was definitely an under-rated gem. Too bad.