The Odd Couple (film)
| The Odd Couple | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Gene Saks |
| Produced by | Howard W. Koch |
| Written by | Neil Simon |
| Based on |
The Odd Couple by Neil Simon |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Neal Hefti |
| Cinematography | Robert B. Hauser |
| Edited by | Frank Bracht |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.2 million |
| Box office | $44,527,234 |
The Odd Couple is a 1968 American comedy Technicolor film in Panavision, written by Neil Simon, based on his play of the same name, directed by Gene Saks, and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. It is the story of two divorced men—neurotic neat-freak Felix Ungar and fun-loving slob Oscar Madison—who decide to live together, even though their personalities clash.
The film was successful with critics and audiences, grossing over $44.5 million, making it the fourth highest-grossing picture of 1968. The success of the film was the basis for the ABC television sitcom of the same name, starring Tony Randall as Felix and Jack Klugman as Oscar.
Felix Ungar (Jack Lemmon) checks into a fleabag hotel near Times Square and attempts to kill himself by jumping out of the window, but he fails to open it and pulls a muscle in his back. Limping back on the street he tries to get drunk at a dance bar and ends up hurting his neck when he throws down a shot. He stands on a bridge, contemplating jumping into the river.
Meanwhile, in the frowzy Upper West Side apartment of divorced sportswriter Oscar Madison (Walter Matthau) on a hot and sticky summer evening, Oscar and his buddies Speed (Larry Haines), Roy (David Sheiner), Vinnie (John Fiedler), and Murray (Herb Edelman) the cop are playing poker and discussing their friend, Felix Ungar, who is unusually late for the game. Murray's wife calls and tells him that Felix is missing. Oscar then calls Felix's wife Frances who says that she and Felix have split up. As they are discussing what to do, and worried that Felix might try to commit suicide, Felix arrives not knowing that his friends already know that his wife has kicked him out of the house.
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Wikipedia