like they used to for a change - The Odd Couple is a great movie. I've had the DVD for some time but not seen the film in years, and so being stuck in bed with flu, I stuck the disc in the player.Lemmon and Matthau were quite a double act - they play men separated from their wives who are sharing an apartment together and frankly driving each other nuts.
The two men are shown, shooting pool, and walking the city streets. Felix has a sinus attack, making loud obnoxious noises while seated in a coffee shop. Finally, after Felix drives everyone at the weekly poker game crazy, Oscar convinces Felix to lighten up and join him on a double-date with two English girls who live in the building – the Pigeon sisters, Cecily and Gwendolyn, who actually "coo" when they laugh.
As the date commences, Oscar tries to get Felix to loosen up by leaving him alone for a while in their living room with the two attractive, and somewhat frisky, sisters. Instead, he winds up talking about Frances, and breaks down weeping. When Oscar returns from their kitchen, the Pigeon sisters, one a divorcee, the other widowed, are sobbing as uncontrollably as Felix. Oscar cheers them up and they invite the boys upstairs for what should be a wild night. Instead, Felix, who realizes that he is still too attached to his wife, refuses to go, opting to wash his hair instead. Oscar joins the sisters in their apartment, but winds up spending the night telling them all about Felix.
Furious about Felix's ruining the date, Oscar resorts to giving Felix the silent treatment and torturing him by messing up the apartment as much as possible. Felix retaliates by just being himself, driving Oscar insane with his endless cleaning and neurotic behavior. Eventually, the tension explodes into an argument that results in Oscar demanding that Felix move out. Felix complies, but leaves Oscar with a major-league guilt trip for having abandoned his still-in-need friend.
Man, I enjoyed this - it even took my mind off my sniffles for a short time.
1 comment:
This is in my top 5 of all time! I always watch it when when I need a lift. A new Paramount Classics DVD came out last year; it has a running commentary with the sons of Lemmon and Matthau, who are both filmmakers.
Post a Comment