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
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. As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.
Next we feature 1998's "Mighty Joe Young", which stars Charlize Theron and Bill Paxton. The film centers around a fifteen-foot-tall gorilla named Joe and the fight to keep him safe and free. From the jungles of Africa to the jungles of Los Angeles, Joe navigates life with his best friend Jill (Theron), who with the help of Gregg (Paxton), tries to give Joe the kind of life he deserves, one where he is the master of his destiny. The film's supporting cast includes Rade Serbedzija, Peter Firth, David Paymer, Regina King, Naveen Andrews, Linda Purl, Richard Riehle, Ray Harryhausen, Terry Moore, Dina Merrill, and Mika Boorem.
The film opens with the death of Jill's mother and also Joe's mother at the hands of poachers. What follows is, in my opinion, one of the most moving scenes of the film, the funeral of Jill's mother. The beautiful "Windsong" is sung hauntingly by a magnificent choir as rose petals fill the air. It's a very touching moment.
Fast forward twelve years and conservationist Gregg O'Hara arrives on the scene wanting his guides to take him to this mountain so he can see Joe for himself.
They do indeed find him, and he's not in a good mood. He wrecks their vehicles and sends them to the clinic for patching up. Gregg finds out Jill saved his life.
Gregg follows Jill through the jungle, hoping to catch another glimpse of the legendary N'Gai Zamu, the sacred guardian.
It's a beautiful setting. While the film is set in Africa, the actual filming of it didn't take place there. Hawaii served as "Africa". In fact, the movie was filmed entirely in Hawaii and California.
Gregg eventually catches up with Jill and Joe, accidentally interrupting a game of "Hide and Seek". With poachers closing in on Joe, Jill agrees with Gregg that the best place for him is at an animal preserve in California.
Jill and Joe trade the jungles of Africa for the crazy jungles of California. "Everything looks the same. How do you know where you are?" Jill asks. "It's easy. The ocean's that way, the mountains are that way, Mexico's that way, and Canada's that away," he replies pointing in different directions. "You don't have to worry about the rest. You'll never see it through the smog."
The animal conservancy Joe goes to already houses many endangered animals, including this yak group.
Joe's habitat is far from ideal. Poachers make their way to his enclosure and bother him, resulting in a very agitated gorilla. He wreaks havoc on a fundraising party, which puts him in solitary confinement. (FYI, during the party scene, look for Terry Moore - the original Jill Young from the 1944 film - who stands with Ray Harryhausen, a technician who worked on the original film. Also, during the party you can spot Dina Merrill trying to get away from the enraged primate. She was married to one of the film's producers.)
Joe gets loose and eventually comes to Grauman's Chinese Theater, where he beats his chest in true giant gorilla fashion.
The film ends on a triumphant, heartwarming note. Joe is back in the wild where he belongs and everything is right with the world. Cast rundown:
Charlize Theron.....................................Jill Young
Bill Paxton............................................Gregg O'Hara
Rade Serbedzija....................................Andrei Strasser
Peter Firth............................................Garth
David Paymer........................................Dr. Harry Ruben
Regina King..........................................Dr. Cecily Banks
Linda Purl.............................................Dr. Ruth Young
Richard Riehle.......................................Commander Gorman
Ray Harryhausen...................................Gentleman At Party
Terry Moore..........................................Elegant Woman At Party
Dina Merrill...........................................Society Woman
Mika Boorem.........................................Young Jill That's it for Mighty Joe Young. I leave you with the full version of "Windsong". Should you like to comment, please remember our posting rules.
