The Odd Couple (1968)

The Trailer...

The Pigeon Sisters.

I thought the Matthew 'Double Chin' Perry remake was bad.

Didn't even know there was a remake.

Though I'm not surprised.

I had a coworker who used to do that thing with his throat. He would also belch and have a big lead up before farting. His wife left him.

R3 R4 Not a remake of the movie; it's a new version of the TV show. It's supposed to be coming back later this season.

Always liked the TV show intro, but Jack Klugman always gave out a vibe like he'd be a creep in real life. SMUG.

Sorry, wrong link...TV show intro >>

OP then why not link the theme tune? Some of us weren't alive then and haven't heard it.

A rare instance where the TV series was better cast than the movie.

According to Art Carney's biography, when he and Matthau were starring in the original stage production, it was Matthau who was a smug bastard, constantly going off script to the point Carney ended up having a nervous breakdown. He was also going through a divorce from his first (and eventually third) wife. During the scene in which Carney's character broke down in tears while looking at family photos, Carney used photos of his real wife and kids.

One particular performance, during the poker game scene, Carney's character was to bring out a tray of sandwiches. Once again, Matthau's ad-libs screwed with Carney's entrance. The tray and Carney hit the floor. Character actor Paul Dooley was playing one of the poker buddies. He and the other actors on stage ran to Carney's assistance, then turned on Matthau, chastising him in front of the audience. Carney took leave from the production, returning after Matthau left. Carney had a reputation for not only being a talented actor and very professional, but a kind, funny, likable guy. Matthau knew what Carney was going through personally and decided to kept twisting the screw just for fun, often wearing a self-satisfied smirk. Those involved in the production had no patience for Matthau's antics. I love Carney and liked Matthau, but lost all respect for him after reading that story.

"decided to keep twisting the knife"

That's what I get for typing and watching TV at the same time.

Carney and Matthau were reunited in the 1978 movie "House Calls". Carney was quite handsome when he was young.

According to Carney, he was an alcoholic by his late teens. He later used barbiturates and amphetamines.

I loved the tv show . Watched endlessly . They were both quite like able to me. The theme song lives in my elder head

It was of course a set, but do you know how many UES, UWS, or really any families in Manhattan today would kill to get Oscar's apartment?

That was a "classic six" as in six-room apartment in a pre-war building with a living room, formal dining room, two bedrooms, kitchen, maid's room, and 1, 2, or 3 baths. Oscar's bedroom (master) had its own bath, Felix used the one shared by "the kids", and there was a powder room or maybe servants bathroom somewhere.

Manhattan, NYC location used for exterior shots of Odd Couple film was 131 Riverside Drive, a grand pre-war building named The Dorchester.

A very heartwarming and touching story about this co-op building, its board, shareholders and superintendent. For everyone who belives Manhattan co-op boards (and buildings) are often full of horrible people, think on...

R11

Art Carney had long suffered mental and other issues (alcoholism) before being cast as Felix against Walter Walter Matthau's "Oscar".

Walter Matthau confronted Neil Simon requesting to be cast as Felix since that would be acting, playing Oscar was too much like himself and thus not much of a challenge. Mr. Simon replied "“Act for somebody else, and play Oscar for me,” That is just what Mr. Matthau did!

From day out at out of town tryouts WM would ad lib, directed comments to audience members, and often just did his own thing. Neil Simon would have him on the carpet, but it made not difference, WM would just pick up where he left off the next night.

Art Carney was not a naif to acting; quite the opposite and was more than able to hold his own against WM under other circumstances. But the man was mentally fragile, hitting the booze, and his marriage was on the rocks. There was also fact doing eight shows a week was something AC wasn't used to at the the time which was physically draining as well. Those who know WM will tell you the sorts of characters he often plays on stage or screen aren't that far off from the real man. Mr. Matthau was an actor doing what many "stars" (or those who believe themselves to be anyway), do; he made the Odd Couple about him and showcasing his talents. That is one reason why WM was offered a role in film version, but Art Carney was not.

Art Carney worked for years before Odd Couple and afterwards with Jackie Gleason, a man who was king of improvisation, ad libbing, stealing scenes, etc.... You had to watch JG carefully during filming if working with him because usually a good part of what happened on camera was not in rehearsals.

Thus to say AC couldn't handle Walter Mattau is silly IMHO. Again if the man didn't have so much else on his plate he probably could have given good as he got.

I have been a fan of movie soundtracks since high school. The soundtrack album for "The Odd Couple" movie is one of the best. First, it contains the theme song by jazz trumpeter and composer Neal Hefti, who also wrote the theme song for the 60s TV show "Batman."

But what makes the soundtrack memorable is that snippets of movie dialogue are interwoven with the music.

The interplay between AC and JG in The Honeymooners is a marvel to behold and one of the great joys of television. As huge an ego and producer Gleason was he happily ceded the floor to others and didn't attempt to pull a DK or WM.

Listing for a sold unit at 131 Riverside Drive.

Hard to credit nowadays, but even late as 1980's Riverside Drive wasn't exactly an exclusive address. Large parts of it were just as dangerous as rest of UWS, so rents or sales prices took this into account. Plenty of those grand old pre-war buildings were full of rent controlled or stabilized apartments that often had very low rents.

As with rest of UWS and Manhattan in general huge wave of co-op and condo conversions in 1980's and 1990's helped bring many of these buildings back.

This movie made me realise I hate Jack Lemmon (although I realise so many Americans adore him).

Trivia: the Pigeon Sisters both went on to voice the Geese Sisters in the Disney movie The Aristocats.

Jack Lemon was like Liza -He could play himself very well, but he really couldn't act. His appearance in Hamlet was one of the most excruciating performances I ever had the misfortune of seeing.

For R7, Jack Klugman was generally popular with his cast mates, especially in long runs like Gypsy.

There was also a black version of the TV series. Ron Glass ("Barney Miller") and Demond Wilson ("Sanford & Son") co-starred. And there's a female version of the stage play, with Florence Ungar and Olive Madison (Sally Struthers and Rita Moreno played the leads on Broadway.)

R22 he’s been excellent in a lot of dramas, but he needs a good director who knows how to reign (and no I don’t know if I’m spelling that right so I’ll preemptively oh dear myself) him in. He can be “too emotive.”

R8 the part where the old lady slaps Tony Randall with her purse never gets old...

Jack Lemmon was one of the most versatile actors I've enjoyed watching; he moved easily from dramas (Days Of Wine And Roses) to comedy (The Odd Couple, Some Like It Hot, Grumpy Old Men) , and always gave excellent performances.

My favorite part of the film is when Oscar finds Felix's snivelly goodbye note on his pillow. Basically tells Oscar he is an insensitive roomie and then signed F.U. when Matthau reads it aloud its hilarious. Hahahaha.

That cat movie with Carney in the early 1970s was so lame. And he won an Oscar for it. ???

Yes, "Harry & Tonto" was schmaltz.

Actually loved "Harry and Tonto".

First it gave a slice of old UWS/NYC that is largely gone today. Two it delved into subject matter not often done well or at all by Hollywood; older persons and their relationship to the world and changing times. That and fact they (as we all must sooner or later) have to come to grips with there are surely more days behind then in front, but has one done everything?

Harry's life revolved around his career as a teacher, his wife, their children and that UWS neighborhood. First the job goes (retirement), then the wife (death), next (if not before) the children have grown and moved onto lives of their own. Finally even the Upper West Side is taken away from him as the building he's live in for ages is declared blighted and will be torn down (something that actually happened at the time all over UWS).

For those who've never seen highly recommend catching the beautiful Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick in "Days of Wine And Roses"

JL plays a sort of bastard who meets a nice good girl (Lee Remick) and basically drags her down into the gutter (she becomes a lush).

Another great film staring Jack Lemmon, 1960 "The Apartment"

JL in this one film displays whole range of his acting abilities; comedy, drama, etc...

Carney with Lily Tomlin in 'The Late Show' was his best. And Lily's best, too!

Jack Lemmon was very good until he started to hit middle age after the early 1970s; his performances then became too over the top, schmaltzy and rather self-indulgent. He did show his ass in "Avanti" so at least he wasn't a prude, along with Juliet Mills ("Nanny and the Professor") showing boobs and bod when she was told to gain weight for the role, too!

I agree re the decline of Lemmon's talent, but he was OK in "The China Syndrome" and "Tribute".

Ellen Burstyn played Lemon's daughter in Harry and Tonto. Mayron is the hitchhiker that Burstyn is pretty cruel to. Pauline Kael said that she didn't think Harry would have a daughter like her but Burstyn was trying to say something that the role couldn't handle. She accurately noted that when people were leaving the theater, they all wanted to know why Burstyn was so mean to Mayron.

Of course, I meant Carney's daughter. Yikes

Love it! It's hilarious!

Was it Burstyn's cruelty that prompted Mayron to undergo the plastic surgery that rendered her unrecognizable?

R31

Forgot even in the end the cat leaves as well (dies), and Harry now must make that adjustment as well. He does,and as film ends one gets the feeling Harry Coombes is going to be alright. Certainly better than had he remained with is son and DIL where the latter clearly wasn't thrilled with the arrangement.

Screen shot of Hollywood trade showing that "The Odd Couple" was the biggest hit in Radio City Music Hall history at the time. The grosses grew week after week. Opening week gross $228,323 in 1968 is worth $1,705,323.49 today. Another Neil Simon movie, "Barefoot In The Park" was a smash too.