It Could Not Be Better
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BreeInAZ — 19 years ago(March 03, 2007 04:34 PM)
yeah, Paddy that was perfectly directed, acted and especially, edited. I agree that is a scene worth watching over and again, especially if you have any theater background it felt like perfect theater. Wish I could have seen these two on Broadway wow.
T
e
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in Gilbert, AZ -
RT Firefly — 20 years ago(February 13, 2006 02:05 PM)
I saw this last night and must agree. It is a flawless movie. The cast is perfect. Is there a bad actor anywhere in the film? Even the smallest part such as the hotel clerk in the opening scene eating a slice of pizza while he checks Felix in is excellent. Probably the best comedy screenplay ever. Nothing is as solid as the Odd Couple, line for line.
I am sure this has been brought up, but what a crime it is that this is not in the IBDB top 250. It's in my top 10! -
Wayner50 — 19 years ago(April 24, 2006 05:38 PM)
I agree wholeheartedly, and as for the posting for a remake, I say don't mess with success, remake a piece of junk and make it better instead of ruining a classic. The cast is pretty near perfect, even down to the walkons.
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perrymehta1 — 19 years ago(June 14, 2006 06:46 PM)
THE MOVIE IS PERFECT EXCEPT FOR ONE SMALL THING:
THE SCENE WHERE THERE PLAYING POKER:
MURRAY: HOW MANY CARDS U GOT 4?
SPEED: YES MURRAY WE ALL HAVE FOR CARDS IF U GAVE US ONE MORE WE'D ALL HAVE 5 IF U GAVE US 2 MORE WE'D ALL HAVE 6. U UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS NOW?
IT SHOULD'VE BEEN 7 NOT 6. THE MOVIE IS GOOD EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE MINOR THING!!!!!!!!!!!
CAN'T BELIEVE NO ONE NOTICED THAT!!!!!!!!! -
rivieran — 17 years ago(April 22, 2008 03:19 PM)
It Could Not Be Better
posted by kevincahill2002 (Sun Mar 28 2004 19:06:00)
This is, without a doubt, one of my favourite films. It is perfect in every way.
The casting is supurb (although originally Lemmon and Matthau were to have played each others roles..imagine that Lemmon as Oscar).
The script is immaculate. The timing of the lines is perfect.
The supporting cast are breathtakingly original and fresh.
Direction is invisible and the music just unforgettable.
I agree with everything you posted. I'm watching
The Odd Couple
now, on TCM, for probably the tenth or fifteenth time in my life, and it still makes me LOL. Neal Hefti's music still gives me goose bumps. And name for me another film that has such a perfect supporting cast.
I would like to add that the set design and decoration are also perfect, and the camera work, especially as the actors move throughout the apartment, is amazing.
The location filming is excellent; it makes me want to time-trip back to visit 1967 NYC, warts and all.
I love Jack Lemmon in just about everything he's done, and of course he's undeniably spectacular here, but to me Matthau supremely kills in this one. His every line is perfectly said. He's so real and funny. Stunningly Hilarious.
I can't believe he wasn't nominated for the Best Actor "Oscar" (ha). Of course they both should have been. -
ecarle — 17 years ago(May 11, 2008 09:00 PM)
Two things:
- I saw it first run in a packed movie theater in 1968. Most of the time, you couldn't hear some of the lines for all the laughter.
People were pretty much choking to death during the scene where Felix is clearing his head in the restaurant like a bull moose while Oscar makes great deadpan facial expressions of embarrassment (hey, isn't this Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in the "restaurant orgasm" scene from "Harry/Sally" 20 years early?)
And the bit where, during their "silent war," Lemmon keeps tugging on the vacuum cleaner cord while Matthau's foot is on it. You KNEW what was going to happen. And when Matthau released his footroars of a laughter. I mean for like two minutes after the gag started, even with Lemmon unseen in the kitchen.
A great time at the movies. And remember: outside the theater that year, 1968 was a year of horror (RFK and King assassinated; Vietnam; riots.) Everybody wanted to laugh. There's a reason that a movie about two middle-aged men was one of the biggest hits of that youthful year. - They sold a soundtrack album for "The Odd Couple." It featured Neal Hefti's classic pop-jazz theme (how much richer and fuller and SADDER it is than the tinny version done for the TV show), other musical interludes from the moviebut was interspersed with dialogue tracks FROM the movie, about five of them. ("It took me three hours to figure out that FU meant Felix Unger!") Unfortunately, they put a laugh track on those pieces on the record. But they were funny, and I memorized them. That's where I learned about the great timing of Lemmon and Matthau ("I thought the gravy justcomes!" "You ignorant ignoramusgravy.. doesn'tjust..COME!")
I don't have the album any more. Damn.
- I saw it first run in a packed movie theater in 1968. Most of the time, you couldn't hear some of the lines for all the laughter.