In order to avoid being consigned to a retirement home, former salesman Joseph Kotcher leaves his son's family home to embark on a road trip where he strikes up a friendship with a pregnant teenager.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations.
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Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Walter Matthau | ... |
Joseph P. Kotcher
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| Deborah Winters | ... |
Erica Herzenstiel
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| Felicia Farr | ... |
Wilma Kotcher
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| Charles Aidman | ... |
Gerald Kotcher
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| Ellen Geer | ... |
Vera Kotcher
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Donald Kowalski | ... |
Duncan Kotcher
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Dean Kowalski | ... |
Duncan Kotcher
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Arlen Stuart | ... |
Mrs. Fisher
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| Jane Connell | ... |
Miss Roberts
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James Brodhead | ... |
Mr. Weaver
(as James E. Brodhead)
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Jessica Rains | ... |
Dr. McKernan
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| Darrell Larson | ... |
Vincent Perrin
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| Biff Elliot | ... |
Motel Manager
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| Paul Picerni | ... |
Dr. Caudillo
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| Lucy Saroyan | ... |
Sissy
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| Kim Hamilton | ... |
Receptionist
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Tamar Cooper | ... |
Nurse
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| Amzie Strickland | ... |
Film Narrator
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| Paul Fierro | ... |
Pablo
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| Larry Linville | ... |
Peter
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| Penny Santon | ... |
Mrs. Segura
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Janya Braunt | ... |
Mrs. Pugh (uncredited)
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| Dee Carroll | ... |
Dorothy Ballinger (uncredited)
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| Bob Harks | ... |
Shopper (uncredited)
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Jason Karpf | ... |
Trick or Treater (uncredited)
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| Jack Lemmon | ... |
Sleeping Bus Passenger (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Jack Lemmon | ||
Written by
| John Paxton | ... | (screenplay) |
| Katharine Topkins | ... | (novel "Kotch") |
Produced by
| Richard Carter | ... | producer |
Music by
| Marvin Hamlisch | ||
Cinematography by
| Richard H. Kline | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Ralph E. Winters | ||
Editorial Department
| Jeremy Lepard | ... | montage |
| Irving Rosenblum | ... | assistant film editor |
Casting By
| Barbara Gallagher | ||
Art Direction by
| Jack Poplin | ||
Set Decoration by
| William Kiernan | ||
Costume Design by
| John A. Anderson | ... | (costumes) (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 F. Hogan | ... | assistant director (as Harry Hogan III) |
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 |
Visual Effects by
| Jeremy Lepard | ... | optical designer |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Kenneth Adams | ... | key grip |
| Tim Griffith | ... | gaffer |
| Jim Plannette | ... | best boy lighting |
| Eric D. Andersen | ... | first assistant camera (uncredited) |
| Ruth Carter | ... | location still photographer (uncredited) |
| James R. Connell | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| Hal Shiffman | ... | second assistant camera (uncredited) |
| Robert Willoughby | ... | special still photographer (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Connie Anderson | ... | ladies wardrobe |
Location Management
| Ruth Carter | ... | location sites |
Music Department
| William C. Carruth | ... | music editor |
| Jack Hayes | ... | orchestrations |
| Leo Shuken | ... | orchestrations |
| Dan Wallin | ... | score mixer (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Joe Mazzuca | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
| Maria Luisa Alcaraz | ... | production coordinator (as Maria-Luisa Alcaraz) |
| Rick Carter | ... | crowd control |
| Phyllis Coffey | ... | weather |
| Alan DeWitt | ... | dialogue director |
| Susan Dworsky | ... | special properties |
| Ray Green | ... | production assistant |
| Henry L. Jaffe | ... | consultant (as Henry L. Jaffe M.D.) |
| Jeremy Lepard | ... | titles |
| Sarah Jane Paxton | ... | script |
| Art Sarno | ... | unit publicist (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1971) (United States) (theatrical)
- Cinerama Releasing UK (1971) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Fox Norena Film A/S (1972) (Norway) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Argentina (1972) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Hellas (1972) (Greece) (theatrical)
- American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (United States) (tv)
- ABC Video Enterprises (United States) (video)
- Magnetic Video (1980) (United States) (VHS) (pan and scan)
- Nord Video (1981) (Norway) (VHS) (Beta) (Video 2000)
- Star Video (1982) (Australia) (video)
- Atlas Video (1992) (Germany) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- Fox Video (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- EuroVideo (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
- MRA Entertainment Group (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
- Kino Lorber (2019) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- Kino Lorber (2019) (United States) (DVD)
- Cannon/VMP (Germany) (VHS) (unknown)
- Kadokawa Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
- NHK Kyôiku (1992) (Japan) (tv)
- NHK-BS2 (1992) (Japan) (tv)
- Viacom (1987) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Cinemobile System (locations by)
- Gershenson & Dingilian Associates (publicity)
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (this picture made under the jurisdiction of: affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.)
- Pacific Title (titles executed by)
- Samuel Goldwyn Studios (interior filming at)
- Samuel Goldwyn Studios (sound recording at)
- The Motion Picture County Home and Hospital (our thanks to: for their great help in filming scenes in that locale)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Wanting to avoid settling in a nursing home, Joseph Kotcher, a retired salesman, is obliged to leave his son's family. He embarks on a road trip during which he strikes up a friendship with a pregnant teenager and begins to understand the true meaning of life as he helps the girl give birth to her child. Written by Anonymous |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Walter Matthau in the role only he could make so excitingly different...you'll start talking about it from the opening scene. Jack Lemmon directs. He takes his talent 'behind' the camera for the first time to add a new, fresh dimension to his brilliant career. See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Directorial debut for Jack Lemmon. Lemmon found direction duties both emotionally and physically draining and felt very uncomfortable behind the camera. This was his one and only film as a director. See more » |
| Goofs | 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. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Walter Matthau (2016). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Life Is What You Make It See more » |
| 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. See more » |