Odd Couple - 1968
Cats: Set Your Recorders, Comedy, New York|If there was ever a more “old Upper Westside” picture ever made, it would be news to me. The play and the movie are set on the upper westside. The characters live on the Upper Westside (131 Riverside Drive on 85th street I am so sure). The film makers chose to shoot on the streets of the Upper Westside and many beloved and long lost beloved establishments are seen as the characters walk down Broadway. How many of us remember the Tip Toe Inn or the C & L? Or buses without air conditioning for that matter (or a number five bus coming right away which was pure movie magic). And there were scenes actually shot at Shea stadium with real Mets (before a real game). However this is not just a slice of New York in the late 1960’s, it is a great picture on it’s own. It’s just more poignant for us old time Upper Westsiders.
The play was very successful on Broadway. The next natural progression was to make a movie of the play. The play starred Walter Matthau as Oscar, and Art Carney playing Felix. When they were making it into a movie, they felt Mr. Carney didn’t have enough box office clout, so they cast Jack Lemmon instead. Although I would have loved to see Mr. Carney in the role of Felix, Mr. Lemmon ain’t to shabby (he is great).
I am going to say this out loud: Neil Simon’s autobiographical work was always better than the rest of his work and based on the experiences of his brother Danny when he got divorced, the Odd Couple is no exception. Walter Matthau, who played Oscar in both the original Broadway play and the movie asked Mr. Simon if he could play Felix instead. This was because Mr. Matthau thought Oscar’s personality was too similar to his own so the role would be too easy, whereas playing the persnickety Felix would be a real acting challenge. Simon replied, “Walter, go and be an actor in somebody else’s play. Please be Oscar in mine.” and Matthau finally agreed. Thank god.
Safe for the kids even though Oscar is really hung up on Cecily and Gwendolyn Pigeon.
Tuesday April 22 at 4:30 PM on Turner Classic Movies
April 15th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Thanks for the head’s up! I had no idea it was set on the upper west side. I haven’t seen the movie version in decades. The TV show sometimes reminds me of the upper east side; the exterior shot of their apt. bldg. in the opening credits seems like that.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
The TV show was the upper east side. The address given was 1049 Park Avenue. The exterior in the opening was the real deal but they would often show a different building in establishing shots.