Is this a great film? No. But it's a fun film, particularly for those of us old enough to remember the hey day of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau -- a match made in heaven, if ever there was one.
As with his character here, Lemmon really was 71 when this was shot; Matthau was only 59, but looked much older. Each only lived 3 or 4 years after this film, but they did make a sequel to "The Odd Couple" after this. So, while it's not a great film, it is great to see these two real-life pals together again on screen.
The plot is simple: Matthau (a gambler) ropes Lemmon (a retired store clerk) into going on a cruise, and Lemmon doesn't realize that it's not as passengers, but as professional dance partners. Matthau hopes to hook up with a rich widow (at which he fails...sort of...Dyan Cannon), and Matthau just wants out, but falls in love with Gloria deHaven. Along the way there are some funny hijinks, but only the ending is disappointing...way too impractical.
Along for the cruise as other dance hosts are Hal Linden and Donald O'Connor, who, frankly, get too little screen time. Brent Spiner is good as the overbearing cruise director. Elaine Stritch is fun as Cannon's mother. Edward Mulhare, who died shortly after making the film, plays another cruise ship passenger. And Rue McClanahan plays the owner of ship. It's a fun group of seniors.
This probably won't tickle many of the younger crowd, but I think it's fun. Just not GREAT fun.
As with his character here, Lemmon really was 71 when this was shot; Matthau was only 59, but looked much older. Each only lived 3 or 4 years after this film, but they did make a sequel to "The Odd Couple" after this. So, while it's not a great film, it is great to see these two real-life pals together again on screen.
The plot is simple: Matthau (a gambler) ropes Lemmon (a retired store clerk) into going on a cruise, and Lemmon doesn't realize that it's not as passengers, but as professional dance partners. Matthau hopes to hook up with a rich widow (at which he fails...sort of...Dyan Cannon), and Matthau just wants out, but falls in love with Gloria deHaven. Along the way there are some funny hijinks, but only the ending is disappointing...way too impractical.
Along for the cruise as other dance hosts are Hal Linden and Donald O'Connor, who, frankly, get too little screen time. Brent Spiner is good as the overbearing cruise director. Elaine Stritch is fun as Cannon's mother. Edward Mulhare, who died shortly after making the film, plays another cruise ship passenger. And Rue McClanahan plays the owner of ship. It's a fun group of seniors.
This probably won't tickle many of the younger crowd, but I think it's fun. Just not GREAT fun.