Ohio sales executive George Kellerman accepts a higher position within the company and travels to New York City with his wife Gwen for his job interview. But things start badly and only grow... Read allOhio sales executive George Kellerman accepts a higher position within the company and travels to New York City with his wife Gwen for his job interview. But things start badly and only grow worse in Neil Simon's dark urban comedy.Ohio sales executive George Kellerman accepts a higher position within the company and travels to New York City with his wife Gwen for his job interview. But things start badly and only grow worse in Neil Simon's dark urban comedy.
- Awards
- 1 win & 3 nominations total
- Officer Meyers
- (as Phil Bruns)
- Cuban Diplomat
- (as Carlos Montalban)
- Police Officer
- (as Jack Crowder)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJack Lemmon was almost killed in the manhole explosion scene. The blast was much stronger than anticipated, and instead of only lifting the manhole cover a few inches up and away from the hole, it threw it several feet into the air. A few seconds later, it falls hard in the ground, very close to Jack Lemmon's head. The actor was then hit in his left leg when the cover bounced, and although startled and in pain, he stayed in character. That shot was used in the final film.
- GoofsAs George and Gwen pull over on the way to the airport to have a brief chat, it is clear they are in a country setting - the view out of the front window is of trees, grass, and foliage. But after their brief conversation, and without driving anywhere, they are on a busy street with a diner and businesses all around them.
- Quotes
Gwen Kellerman: [after hearing George had been offered the Vice-President position] What did you say, George?
George Kellerman: What did I say? What do you think I said?
Gwen Kellerman: I don't know, George. I was hoping you would say no. I was hoping you would say that you and your wife don't really belong in New York. That you wanted to live the rest of your life in Ohio. That you never wanted to see a big city again as long as you live. That you didn't want to live here or in, uh, Chicago, or San Francisco, or New Orleans or Paris or any other place where people have to live on top of each other, and they don't have enough room to walk or to breathe or to smile at each other. That you don't want to step on garbage in the streets, or be attacked by dogs or have to give away watches in the middle of your sleep to men in black capes. That you were through traveling on trains that had no place to sit & no food to eat. And you didn't want to fly in airplanes that have no place to land, and no luggage for you when you land there. That you wish you never came here, and the only thing in the world you really wanted was to pick up your wife and carry her to the airport and fly home... and live happily ever after. That's what I was hoping you would say, George.
George Kellerman: That's funny... that's what I told him, word for word.
- Alternate versionsThere are two different available versions of this film. One which is shown on television (American Movie Classics), features music in certain spots of the movie, and the title song is the theme used in the night driving scenes in the picture. The other version, on home video, features slighly different songs through the picture and a title song which is used at the end in all versions.
- ConnectionsFeatured in America at the Movies (1976)
'The Out of Towners (1970)' might just be the most frustrating film I've ever seen. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way. For a cocky businessman (Jack Lemmon) and his neglected wife (Sandy Dennis), a meticulously-planned trip to New York City is first disrupted by a seemingly-minor delay, which gradually blossoms into a fully-fledged urban disaster. With an important business interview scheduled for 9:00AM the following morning, George Kellerman must endure every difficulty known to Mankind, including the input of mousy wife, Gwen, with whom he is forced to form a shaky alliance. Flight delays, lost baggage, monsoon weather, muggings, kidnappings, city-wide transit strikes, vicious dogs, gas explosions nothing is neglected, and George shouts himself hoarse throughout the proceedings, declaring his intentions to sue everybody whom he perceives as having contributed to his awful string of bad luck. Even God has seemingly neglected the pair, who are unceremoniously dismissed from a church by an unapologetic news camera crew.
Lemmon and Dennis are very entertaining in the main roles, and the various supporting performances complement the story perfectly. It's interesting to note how the husband-and-wife relationship shifts constantly as they are confronted by each new setback: at first, George is rather dismissive of his wife, using her primarily to "verify" facts to be later used in the courtroom. Though she subsequently commits some rather foolish acts, such as handing over George's $200 watch to a strange caped man, the couple do eventually acquire a mutual respect towards each other. Neil Simon's story might also be interpreted as a critique of modern society, in which citizens in the bustling metropolises are unwilling to offer help to those in need of their assistance. Burdened by his own hefty share of difficulties, George is quickly consumed by the selfishness of the city and comes to care only for his own wellbeing. Gwen, however, retains her sense of moral rectitude and pauses to care for a lost boy in Central Park. Remind me never to go to New York.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Out-of-Towners
- Filming locations
- Islip MacArthur Airport, Ronkonkoma, Long Island, New York, USA(The "Ohio" airport that the Kellermans arrive at)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,337,392
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