Year of Release: 1968Country of Origin: USA
Director: Gene Saks
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau
Plot outline: Two friends try sharing an apartment, but their ideas of housekeeping and lifestyles are as different as oil and water (IMDb).
The Odd Couple was a successful Neil Simon's Broadway play. Clearly, the premise is engaging. The two main characters are exaggerated, of course, but their motivations are understandable. Felix (Jack Lemmon) is an obsessive-compulsive who wants to keep everything in order. Oscar (Walter Matthau) is a fatalist who wants to enjoy the moment, since tomorrow might not be another day. The movie sure looks like a play. Most scenes take place within Oscar's apartment, and feature pages of dialogue. Men are culturally regarded as standoffish, particularly when they are not trying to impress a woman. In this movie, though, all grievances major and minor are to be uttered instead of silently endured, and Felix's poker buddies actually care whether or not he jumps from a tall building (the usual gamblers would place wagers on whether his launching pad is the Chrysler building or the Empire State skyscraper). It is important to Felix that he be liked. His eagerness to cook for his poker friends is an attempt to show his affection for them. Can Felix and Oscar learn from each other? Can Felix learn about carpe diem, and stop whining about his back/bursitis/sinuses? Can Oscar become financially responsible and a good host? The answer is NO, despite Oscar's close comments about cigar butts. They can't even appreciate the other's good points. They will remain oil and water, since man's basic nature cannot be changed. Or it wouldn't be funny. (BK)
My judgement: ***1/2 out of 4 stars
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