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| The Odd Couple II - 1998 |
Coming up next is 1998's "The Odd Couple II", the sequel to the smash hit "The Odd Couple", which sees Felix Unger and Oscar Madison back up to their old hijinks and getting on each other's nerves. This time they are headed to the wedding of their children.
The film's cast includes Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Richard Riehle, Jonathan Silverman, Lisa Waltz, Mary Beth Peil, Christine Baranski, Jean Smart, Jay O. Sanders, Rex Linn, Barnard Hughes, Ellen Greer, Doris Belack, Alice Ghostley, Florence Stanley, Estelle Harris, and Earl Boen.
Mess-cat Oscar Madison gets a call from his son informing him that he's getting married. When Oscar asks who the bride is, he gets the shock of his life.
The bride is the daughter of neat-freak and hypochondriac Felix Unger, a former roommate of Oscar's. Both are happy for their children, but they're not exactly pleased to be in-laws.
On the flight to California, Felix has trouble when other passengers start putting on perfume and cologne. His "allergies" kick into high gear. And he makes a general nuisance of himself with the flight attendant.
When Felix and Oscar see each other for the first time in years at the airport, they rush towards each other. Felix trips over someone's suitcase and ends up landing right on top of Oscar.
Things don't get off to a start. Felix ends up in a wheelchair and Oscar steals a bucket from the rental car agency so that Felix can ice his ankle. In the process, Oscar leaves Felix's suitcase behind.
Felix's constant nitpicking and jibber-jabber cause Oscar to get fed up. He quickly pulls the car off of the freeway, nearly causing a multi-car collision!
While taking a "shortcut" through the desert, they get stranded when Oscar forgets to use the brakes and the car careens off a cliff and explodes.
They must now trudge along on foot. They get frustrated when they miss the few cars that pass through the area.
While waiting for a car to help them, Felix and Oscar get crop-dusted. "We look like a couple of Pillsbury Dough Boys," says Felix. "We should get out of the sun before we start to rise," quips Oscar.
The bad luck keeps on coming when the guys get arrested for accidentally smuggling illegal aliens.
Things start to look up when they get a hotel room for the night. At dinner in a local bar, they meet a couple of ladies who are very enthusiastic about dancing with him. "You know, I went to high school with a boy like you," says one of them to Felix. "Who was he, the principal?" he asks.
The next morning, the guys hitch a ride with an old-timer who barely puts his foot on the gas pedal. As luck would have it, the old guy dies at the wheel, and Felix and Oscar are stranded once again.
Exhausted, the two men get tickets for a bus that will take them to their destination.
But, their unlucky streak keeps on coming. A hold-up causes them to once again take a detour in their journey.
They eventually do make it to the wedding, and both Felix and Oscar are able to wish their children well.
A little while later, Oscar gets a knock on his door and is surprised to see Felix standing there. He needs a place to stay and moves right on in. Oscar can only put his head in his hands as Felix gets right back to his old tricks and starts ordering Oscar's disorderly life.
Cast rundown:
Jack Lemmon..............................Felix Unger
Walter Matthau............................Oscar Madison
Richard Riehle.............................Chief Of Police
Jonathan Silverman......................Brucey Madison
Lisa Waltz....................................Anna Unger
Mary Beth Peil..............................Felice Adams
Christine Baranski........................Thelma
Jean Smart..................................Holly
Jay O. Sanders.............................Leroy
Rex Linn......................................JayJay
Barnard Hughes...........................Beaumont
Ellen Greer..................................Frances Melnick
Doris Belack................................Blanche Povitch
Alice Ghostley..............................Esther
Florence Stanley...........................Hattie
Estelle Harris...............................Flirting Woman
Earl Boen....................................Fred
And that's it for The Odd Couple II. This was the final film collaboration of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, who had made ten films together. At the time of its release, this film held the record for the longest gap between the original movie and a sequel in which the original actors reprised their roles.
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| Out To Sea - 1997 |
Our next film is the fantastically funny "Out To Sea". This 1997 film stars two of comedy's greatest legends and features them as they join a cruise as dance hosts. The two guys find two gals to fall in love with and a riotous time is had by all.
The film's cast includes Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Dyan Cannon, Gloria DeHaven, Brent Spiner, Elaine Stritch, Rue McClanahan, Hal Linden, Donald O'Connor, Edward Mulhare, Estelle Harris, Sean O'Bryan, Alexandra Powers, and Esther Scott.
Charlie (Matthau) and Herb (Lemmon) are two brothers-in-law who couldn't be more different. Charlie convinces Herb to go on an all expense paid cruise with him in an effort to bring him out of the sad state he's been in since his wife's death.
Things don't go well when they find their airplane seats are in the last row. Herb figures they are the seats used to transport criminals. In front of them, they have a baby that throws up.
Once on the cruise ship, the two guys poke around a very expensive stateroom. There, they run into Liz LaBreche and her mother, Mavis, who is not very happy that the guys are there. "I have been on a plane for three hours. I have been in a taxi for an hour and a
half. I need to take a crap and a nap
and I do not need an audience!" says Mavis. To which Herb quips, "Sounds like a party we can miss."
Once they get to their own stateroom deep in the bowels of the ship, Herb begins to suspect that something is up. "A good fart will give you a concussion," he says as he looks around. Charlie has to explain to him that the reason that everything is paid is because they are working the cruise as dance hosts. Herb is furious, but there's nothing he can do. It's either work or pay the full price.
They meet their boss later that night. A strict guy named Gil Godwyn. "I'm your worst nightmare," he says to Charlie and Herb, "A song and dance man raised on a military base."
As they watch his absurd opening number, Herb leans in to Charlie and asks, "What could his parents ever have done to him?"
Appearances on the boat are important, because the ship's owner, Mrs. Carruthers, is aboard.
Charlie gets out of dancing (because he complains of "taking on a lot of water in the forward compartment") and heads off to the casino where he meets up with Liz LaBreche. The two have an instant chemistry.
Herb meets Vivian while dancing. The two also hit it off and spend a good portion of the evening dancing and talking.
The next day Charlie and Liz spend even more time together when he gets out of dancing again and heads into port with her.
Of course, Gil Godwyn corners Charlie and threatens his job. Charlie's got to dance or pay. Charlie prevails upon Herb to teach him the finer points of dancing.
When the time comes for him to dance, Charlie sets his sights (unknowingly) on Mrs. Carruthers, who accepts his invitation gladly.
When Liz comes into the ballroom, Charlie has to maneuver his way around the room without her finding out that he's a dance host. Poor Mrs. Carruthers finds herself in the middle of some unconventional dance moves. When she asks Charlie the name of a particular dance step, he says, "This is called the Brazilian Creep. In Brazil, of course, it's just called The Creep."
After fortifying herself with a drink, Mrs. Carruthers returns to Charlie and says, "I feel ravaged...thank you." Gil is shocked, because he's seen the way that Charlie and Mrs. Carruthers were "dancing".
Also dancing that night are Herb and Vivian. An earlier misunderstanding causes Vivian to behave icily towards Herb, but they soon patch up their troubles.
A hilarious moment in the film comes when Mavis LaBreche enters the ballroom. She points to the dance host of her choice and tells his partner to "take a hike".
The two then proceed to do a rather aerobic dance routine, much to the delight of the other passengers.
Troubles abound for both of our couples during the course of the film. The two guys even have to commandeer a lifeboat and shoot off flares to signal a plane that the ladies have chartered to take them away. Will they succeed? Will love conquer all?
Cast rundown:
Jack Lemmon............................Herb Sullivan
Walter Matthau..........................Charlie Gordon
Dyan Cannon.............................Liz LaBreche
Gloria DeHaven..........................Vivian
Brent Spiner...............................Gil Godwyn
Elaine Stritch.............................Mavis LaBreche
Rue McClanahan.........................Ellen Carruthers
Hal Linden.................................Mac Valor
Donald O'Connor.........................Jonathan Devereaux
Edward Mulhare.........................Cullen Carswell
Estelle Harris.............................Bridget
Sean O'Bryan.............................Allan
Alexandra Powers.......................Shelly
Esther Scott..............................Maria Collins
And that's it for Out To Sea. An interesting fact concerns Elaine Stritch and Dyan Cannon. Although they play mother and daughter, Elaine Stritch was only twelve years older than Dyan Cannon. This was the final film appearance of Donald O'Connor and Edward Mulhare.
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