Hopscotch (1980)

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Brian Garfield (novel)
Brian Garfield (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

10 October 1980 (Finland)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

The most dangerous man in the world. He's about to expose the CIA, the FBI, the KGB...and himself.

Plot:

A CIA agent tired of his incompetent colleagues retires and dares them to stop him from publishing an embarrassing book of memoirs.

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Memoir | False Identity | Cold War | False Passport

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Walter Matthau	...	Miles Kendig / James Butler / Mr. Hannaway / Leonard Ross
Glenda Jackson	...	Isobel
Sam Waterston	...	Cutter
Ned Beatty	...	Myerson
Herbert Lom	...	Yaskov
David Matthau	...	Ross
George Baker	...	Westlake
Ivor Roberts	...	Ludlum
Lucy Saroyan	...	Carla
Severn Darden	...	Maddox
George Pravda	...	Saint Breheret
Jacquelyn Hyde	...	Realtor
Mike Gwilym	...	Alfie
Terry Beaver	...	Tobin
Ray Charleson	...	Clausen

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:11 | Australia:PG | UK:12 (tv rating) | UK:12 (video rating) (2007) | UK:AA (original rating) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Finland:S | UK:15 (video rating) (1987/1991/2008) | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Edie & Ely Landau Inc.

Trivia:

The Oktoberfest scene at the beginning of the film was not staged. The filmmakers hid cameras to prevent people from knowing they were being filmed.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Matthau first arrives at the Beatty house and is preparing to write on the porch he glances at a picture of Beatty. In the picture, stair railings are visible on the right and Beatty is looking to the right. When Matthau goes to pick up the picture Beatty is now looking to the left with the railing visible on the left. When he sets the picture down by his typewriter and looks at it the railings and head position are back to the original place. It appears the same in every other shot except later in the film when he is placing a call to Glenda Jackson, he looks at the picture and Beatty is facing left with the railings on the left. Later they are once again on the right with Beatty facing right.

Quotes:

Kendig: Yours was gin and ginger ale, right?
Isobel von Schonenberg: Mine was NEVER gin and ginger ale. Montrochet '69, right next to the beer.

Movie Connections:

References Casablanca (1942)

Soundtrack:

Largo Al Factotum

One of Matthau's most overlooked and best movies

This movie is Walter Matthau at his best. The easy way he shoves it to his boss, Ned Beatty, at the CIA when he's put behind a desk is a joy. The twists and turns of just how he goes about this keep the movie moving and interesting. You want him to get away with it while humiliating the agency at every turn. He gets excellent from then wife Glenda Jackson and a young Sam Waterston. Too bad it's not available on DVD as the VHS tape isn't wide screen and isn't a great transfer.