Directed by:
Gene SaksCinematography:
Robert B. HauserComposer:
Neal HeftiCast:
Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, John Fiedler, Herb Edelman, David Sheiner, Heywood Hale Broun, Bill Baldwin, Larry Haines, Iris Adrian, Billie Bird, Ted Beniades (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
After being thrown out of his home and marriage, fastidious Felix decides the only thing for him to do is to move in with his best friend, Oscar Madison, a divorced man living alone in an upper eastside apartment. Oscar is a total slob, with week old sandwiches under his pillows, while Felix is a compulsive cleaner, constantly vacuuming, dusting and polishing. The question is: Can these men live together without killing each other? (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
Film adaptations of Neil Simon's scripts are usually a safe bet, they have their undeniable quality and charm, and they are supported by the participation of seasoned actors, especially Walter Matthau, for whom Jack Lemmon is also an equal partner. Three stars are a must in this case, but I won't go higher because something was missing in the dialogue and verbal jokes. Overall impression: 65%.
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I had a better time with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau than yesterday because the creators bet on eloquent dialogue and avoided sketchiness, which did a lot of good for the movie. Everything relied on the two protagonists, which was the movie's potential weakness. It would have been a problem if you didn't particularly like either of the two actors. Jack Lemmon is the kind of actor who can portray emotions extremely convincingly, but I feel differently about Walter Matthau. In some roles, I wouldn't trade him for anyone else, while I can't stand him in others. Luckily, Oscar Madison belonged to the first group. I enjoyed watching the cohabitation of this tough guy with the caring housekeeper Felix while fully understanding the life decisions of both their ex-partners. Although I didn't laugh out loud once during the movie, I had a smile on my face the whole time and enjoyed those great dialogues, so I didn't hesitate to give it four stars. / Lesson learned: A brown or a green sandwich? Choose wisely; the stakes are high.
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