The Odd Couple (1968)

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The Odd Couple (1968)

9/10

Starring
Jack Lemmon
Walter Matthau
John Fiedler
Herb Edelman

Directed By Gene Saks

Distributed by Paramount Pictures

This is one movie I have seen over and over again, and I still find myself laughing at the same old jokes.

The Odd Couple is a movie based on a stage play in 1965 by Neil Simon about two divorced men Felix Ungar, the neurotic neat freak, and Oscar Madison the fun loving slob.

Done in 1968, this classic comedy gave birth to a series that ran for 5 years and a sequel (which was not well received by critics). Imagine watching a movie about Bree (Desperate Housewives) and Liz Lemon (30 Rock) leaving together in the same house.

What do you think you’ll get?

Comedy I bet ya, regardless of the time difference from when it was made and now, Odd Couple has all it takes to make you laugh hard, from a failed suicide plan to a three way match up.

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are the best couple I have seen together on screen. Both mismatched and yet enjoyable (wonderful acting too on their side, in a time where you don’t have all the 3D tricks and CGI programming; acting needed to be done precisely, well and to the point).

The movie is ranked #17 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs.

Jack Lemmon plays Felix, a clean freak whose wife left him because she couldn't stand his compulsive cleaning habit. So he tries to kill himself but failed. Felix is out of ideas so he goes to see Oscar (Walter Matthau) his friend, who is a slob untidy, unreliable, and an irresponsible sports-reporter who is divorced and leaves in a bachelor pad.

Oscar decides to give Felix a place to stay at his humble bachelor pad. It was then that two noticed how much they hate each other’s habit. The rest is up to your imaginations.

I did get to see this two again in movies like Grumpy Old Men (1993), Grumpier Old Men (1995), Love Boatand Odd Couple 2, but the best they have been together is in this 1968 box office hit, making $ 44 million against its $ 1.2 million production cost.

This movie has some wonderful one-liners that you will never hear anywhere.

Well scripted, well-acted and an impressive set, if you think you heard the best dialogue around, go see this movie and see what a good comedy dialogue is meant to be.

The cast is anything but dull, they keep you interested and laughing and wanting more. The director Gene Saks was also responsible for the old classic South Pacific.

If you get the time go to the video store and get this movie, it is a guaranty keeper.