I'm Not Rappaport (1996)

Old Nat Moyer is a talker, a philosopher, and a troublemaker with a fanciful imagination. His companion is Midge Carter, who is half-blind, but still the super of an apartment house. When ... See full summary »

Director:

Herb Gardner

Writers:

Herb Gardner (play), Herb Gardner (screenplay)

Stars:

Walter Matthau, Ossie Davis, Amy Irving

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Walter Matthau	...	Nat Moyer
Ossie Davis	...	Midge Carter
Amy Irving	...	Clara Gelber
Craig T. Nelson	...	The Cowboy
Boyd Gaines	...	Pete Danforth
Martha Plimpton	...	Laurie Campbell
Guillermo Díaz	...	J.C.
Elina Löwensohn	...	Clara Lemlich
Ron Rifkin	...	Feigenbaum
Marin Hinkle	...	Hannah
Nancy Giles	...	Ella Mae Tilden
Ranjit Chowdhry	...	Kamir
Irwin Corey	...	Sol
Mina Bern
Salem Ludwig	...	Waiter

Storyline

Old Nat Moyer is a talker, a philosopher, and a troublemaker with a fanciful imagination. His companion is Midge Carter, who is half-blind, but still the super of an apartment house. When he is threatened with retirement, Nat battles on his behalf. Nat also takes on his daughter, a drug dealer, and a mugger in this appealing version of a really 'odd couple'.

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Plot Keywords:

drug dealer | drugs | manhattan new york city | supermarket | artist | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for drug content and momentary violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 December 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Central Parkin tiikerit

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$26,011 (USA) (27 December 1996)

Gross:

$222,525 (USA) (31 January 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

GreeneStreet Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original Broadway production of "I'm Not Rappaport" opened on Novemeber 19, 1985 at the Boothe Theater and ran for 891 performances. Herb Gardner wrote both the stage play and the screen play for the movie version and won the 1986 Tony award for Best Play. Judd Hirsch won the 1986 Tony Award for best Actor for his role as Nat Moyer, that was played in the movie by Walter Matthau.

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Goofs

In the scene where Nat Moyer (Walter Matthau) says to Midge Carter (Ossie Davis), "My God, you're black!" He stands up and puts on some black glasses. When the two start laughing, Nat takes his glasses off and sits back down. When the camera is then on Carter, it shows the back of Nat's head and the glasses are back on his face.

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Quotes

Nat: One more word, and I'll make a citizen's arrest for crimes against the language.

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Connections

Features Dennis the Menace (1959)

User Reviews

Great Duo

Though I have worked in almost all aspects of the theater business, I do not agree with many of my colleagues when it comes to film tastes. I do not like film adaptations of stage plays because the origins are most of the times in evidence, but that seems to be what my friends enjoy more: to be remembered that they watch filmed theater. But this one (winner of New York's Tony award) I liked quite a lot, although it is also the case: in spite of the efforts to emphasize its outdoors setting, it is based on word interchange, and most of the action is verbal and static, depending mostly on criss-cross editing. This time though you have two exceptional actors, with the additional plus that they are not of the kind that goes around with a sign on his/her face or chest that reads "I'm the Greatest Actor" (and I can think of quite a few). You don't find plays everyday in which the main characters are a Jewish militant of the Left and a black janitor, both very old. These people are not glamorous, their lives were not full of heroics, and old age is not epic, but one spends a good time with these two folks, even if a couple of subplots could have been omitted. Perhaps, due to the fact that Herb Gardner the playwright adapted his work and also directed it, the film is overlong. But one day when you are not in a rush, and have time for Matthau and Davis, enjoy them. It is better than watching aimless young Germans in Portugal for two hours, in something called "Body Rice"...