Hopscotch (1980)

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

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Brian Garfield (novel), Brian Garfield (screenplay),

Stars:

Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

CIA agent Miles Kendig decides to get out of 'the game' and to ensure he's left alone he threatens to send his memoirs to the world's intelligence agencies. When the CIA doesn't believe him, he calls their bluff and starts writing and sending out chapters one by one. Realizing that their operations would be compromised, the CIA (led by Myerson and Cutter) set out to put an end to Kendig's plan by whatever means necessary. The heart of the movie follows a game of cat and mouse between a fumbling CIA and an artful Kendig.

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Plot Keywords:

cia | memoir | spy | seaplane | false passport | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German French Russian

Release Date:

10 October 1980 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Agenten som pratade för mycket

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Edie & Ely Landau Inc., International Film Investors, Sham Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie featured a number of vintage planes including an American World War II Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat and a 1920s or 1930s Stampe two-seater biplane.

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Goofs

In the scene where Kendig is chased by FBI cars in Georgia, and spills the oil on the road, we see it as he left it, then again a moment later as the FBI cars career off the road. The splash-pattern of the oil on the road is different in the two cases.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Kendig: Hey Yaskov, how are ya?
Yaskov: Kendig. What as unexpected pleasure.
Kendig: May I have it please?
Yaskov: Have what?
Kendig: I got it all on film, Yaskov. You don't want to deal with the West Germans, they don't like Russian Intelligence, you know that. Just give it to me, and we'll forget all about it.
Yaskov: I could make a run for it, you know.
Kendig: Come on, Yaskov. You running, me chasing? We'd look like Laurel and Hardy.

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Connections

Edited into The Clock (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Largo Al Factotum"
Sung by Tito Gobbi
From The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini (as Rossini)
Courtesy of Capitol-Angel Records and EMI Records Ltd.

User Reviews

Funny, charming, witty...don't overlook this one!

I agree with the above review completely: we watch this movie several times a year and it never gets old! It's like a fabulous view from a high place; you just never get tired of it. My rating of 10 reflects how much I love this picture. I don't think you can rent it but you can buy it. Recommended! As to picture quality: the movie was re-released on DVD with a complete remastering of both picture (fantastic!) and sound (good audio, but still monophonic; there's only so much you can do when the original is single-track mono) plus interviews with Ronald Neame (D) and Brian Garfield (writer of the novel and co-screenplay) a couple of years ago. The DVD is anamorphic widescreen, so all the stuff that was pan-and-scanned out of the VHS release is back, just like it was in the theater. I bought two copies as soon as it was available and sent one to my brother, who introduced me to this gem. One of my all-time favorites.

Note to producers: do NOT attempt to remake this picture. It would be folly. There are no actors on the planet who could pull it off. No one, I mean NO ONE has the charisma and charm of Walter Matthau, and the chemistry between he and Glenda Jackson isn't something you can fake. If anyone else had been the co-stars, this picture would have disappeared completely. You wouldn't remake It's a Wonderful Life, would you?