A Walter Matthau Double Feature!

A Guide For The Married Man (1967) - A very cute, yet by today's standards a sexist (well ... it was 1967 for crying out loud) farce. Walter Matthau plays Paul Manning ... a married, middle aged business man who lives a very domesticated life. He soon discovers his married neighbor Ed has been fooling around behind his wife's back. Paul wants to know one thing: How does a married man fool around and not get caught? Ed teaches him a crash course in cheating ... along with making it seem "OK" to be cheating. He justifies everything that Paul questions about ... pretty soon making Paul feel like it's OK to cheat as well. In fact, the more carefully thought out the plan and the lengths the husband will go to in order to keep it a secret - only shows how much he truly loves his wife! So Ed starts "grooming" and "training" Paul. Some hilarious scenes which I think only Matthau could have pulled off. Plus, not a bad director choice in Gene Kelly (yes, THAT Gene Kelly) ... especially all the close up of the lady's asses everytime they walk by Matthau! There are a lot of famous "cameos" that truly make the movie more enjoyable (I especially like the one featuring Jack Benny).

Charley Varrick (1973) - Another Matthau vehicle, also very enjoyable. I am surprised to say I really enjoy him in dramatic roles (King Creole immediately comes to mind); and that there was a time where he was considered a dramatic actor. In this one he plays the title character ... a small time crook with small time ambitions. After they steal from a small town bank, they discover the loot they were expecting to be about $13,000 turns out to be $750,000. Varrick knows something suspicious is up when on the evening's news the bank reported only $2,000 to go missing. Soon, Varrick is running from an assortment of bad characters, most notably the mob. There is a good supporting cast, and Matthau is perfect. Watch for a very small cameo from Mr. Norman Fell!

I have since watched more Matthau films.

Plaza Suite (1970) - Is a movie which consists of three parts, all taking place in the same room (719) in a lavish, luxury hotel. The first act stars Matthau (as Sam) and Maureen Stapleton (as Karen) as a married couple, whose marriage is beyond predictable and stale. Karen is dingy, confused, aloof and melodramic. She tries desperately to have a romantic filled anniversary. Saying that she "over-does it" an understatement. You can feel Sam's frustration with her ridiculous behavior. Sam points out her flaws and her stupidity, and she laughs everything off and stands up for him one minute, then eggs him on the next. When it's later revealed that Sam is having an affair with his secretary, I got a huge sigh of relief. Hell, with a wife like Karen, you can hardly blame him, even though we are led to feel "sorry" for her. I won't be led down that path with over bearing acting!!!

The second part is probably the weakest of the three. I may have liked it more if it wasn't for Matthau's distracting toupee. Matthau plays a famous Hollywood producer, who comes back into NYC and has only 2 short hours free to himself, due to his busy schedule. So he decides to fill this time trying to get poonany. He calls an old girlfriend "Muriel Tate" over to his hotel for drinks. She arrives thinking that she's only going to say hi and leave, but its obvious she is still obsessed with her now famous ex-boyfriend. Of course, he is filling her head with nonsense, ANYTHING to get down her pants ... even telling her about wife #3's most recent lover {I'm paraphrasing here}
"You know the famous actor who's initial's are A.W?"
"Why yes, was that her lover?"
"No, his wife. I married a faggot!"

Third installment was definitely the best, but not by much. Matthau plays a tight-wadded, wealthy, obnoxious business man who's daughter is getting married that very afternoon, but ends up locking herself up in the bathroom to avoid her walk down the aisle. He goes through all sorts of schemes in order to get his daughter to marry, because, dammit ... that wedding is expensive!!!

You and Matthau... What about Bad News Bears or the Odd Couple? Those are his best!

Yes, those are his best. But I've seen those already!!!! Stay tuned for more Matthau reviews as I watched two more recently ...