Out to Sea

After the making of GRUMPY OLD MEN and GRUMPIER OLD MEN, the box office success of those two films made it evident that another film property co-starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau was needed. They found one property, THE GRASS HARP, where they shared one scene together. But then this film was made which was fully their film together.

Like most of their films Lemmon is the quiet partner who is dragged into the troublesome situation by the noisy partner Matthau. Here they are brother-in-laws (Matthau's sister, who is dead). Matthau convinces Lemmon that he needs to take a sea cruise to end his long period of mourning. Lemmon does not realize that Matthau got them free passage by signing them onto the cruise as social dancers (partners for elderly lady passengers). Lemmon can dance, but Matthau cannot, and one scene has Lemmon trying to teach Matthau, only to be caught by Donald O'Connor and Hal Linden dancing together (O'Connor and Linden jumping to the wrong conclusion). If they can't pull their weight as social dancers, they will have to pay the $1,500.00 per person fare as travelers. Neither can afford that. Matthau really could not care much about this - he hopes that he will be lucky to find, romance, and marry a wealthy woman. Lemmon is encouraged to do the same, but he is not as mercenary. As it turns out Lemmon does meet Gloria De Haven, and Matthau meets Dyan Cannon (and her mother, Elaine Stritch). But the course to true love is never smooth in movies. Matthau has a rival for Cannon, in Edward Mulhare. And Brent Spiner, the cruise entertainment director, is an evil martinet determined to impress the cruise line owner (Rue McLanahan) to put him in control of all the cruise ship's entertainment centers.

It is a well-cast film, which helps (this is reminiscent of the two "Grumpies" films that preceded it. But those films had better balance to them. They had moments of pathos where one could see Lemmon and Matthau were not just funny men but human types. Here Lemmon is shown to have such a weakness - he has romanced De Haven in spite of his qualms, but at a critical point remembers his deep love for his first wife. But Matthau's personality is so mercenary (a "cousin" to his "Whiplash Willie Gingrich" in THE FORTUNE COOKIE), that his turning into a legitimate lover of Cannon doesn't quite sit well. Nor does it sit well when we find other likable characters can be equally mercenary.

However there are plenty of great moments in the film. Spiner's unplanned involvement with a colorful local parade is one. So is Matthau's ridiculous dance with Rue McLanahan that looks atrocious (he calls his non-steps, "the crawl")but that she enjoys. Spiner, better known as "Mr. Data" the android in STAR TREK, THE NEXT GENERATION, turns in a fine comic villain performance. My only criticism is that Linden and O'Connor seem too peripheral in the plot (although both do give filler about the ruthlessness of Spiner, whom Linden really dislikes). But the film is still very amusing, and worth while seeing. Unfortunately it was not their final film. That would be THE ODD COUPLE II.

You can't help but be impressed with the cast list! It's truly a high school reunion of the class of Hollywood Greats, but perhaps that's not enough.

This is your typical Lemmon/Matthau comedy of recent years. Matthau constantly getting Lemmon into trouble. I'm sure many people would find it irritating to see two rather old men trying to regain their lost youth and still chasing the 'broads' round the boat, but because it's Jack and Walter I'm prepared to give them that privilege!

They manage to get jobs on a cruise ship as dance hosts which Walter's character Charlie sees as a chance to meet and wed a young, beautiful and wealthy woman, in the form of Dyan Cannon. Jack's character, Herb, is as usual the more sensible one, who finds love with a woman his own age (played by Gloria De Haven), and after the obligatory problems along the way, they all get together in the end.

I was impressed to spot Donald o'Connor in the line-up and he proves, in his one moment in the spotlight that he can still move. I found the regular comic inserts that cropped up from O'Connor and Hal Linden to be quite amusing. The romantic matching of Matthau and Dyan Cannon is, frankly, just weird. Brent Spiner is quite funny as the pompous cruise director, Gil Godwyn, but, to me, Elaine Stritch's was by far the funniest role playing Dyan Cannon's mother, she was very good. I cannot bring myself to criticize Jack and Walter, I still think Jack has that poor helpless victim style of acting that he often had in his roles which I love, and Walter is his usual lovable rogue! Like I say, it is nice to see them all again.

Personally, it felt more like an excuse for some old-timers to get together again and have a few laughs, which is fine and quite interesting to see, but not a must see!

A competent comedy that delivers the laughs for fans of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. I suppose this film was made for those who enjoyed the two GRUMPY OLD MEN films, as there seemed to be a bunch of these buddy team-ups spotlighting the comical duo in their twilight years. The idea is a sure-fire one: Matthau, a bumbling gambler who's thousands of dollars in debt, connives his unsuspecting friend Lemmon into taking a free cruise with him where they can meet rich old ladies; the catch is, they've been signed on as Dance Hosts and Matthau can't dance. OUT TO SEA is a funny film, and not all of the chuckles are to be found courtesy of Lemmon and Matthau. I found Brent Spiner (best known as Data from STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION) to be very humorous as the snobby ball-busting dance coordinator. As the prissy boss of the two aging actors, he manages to match them in the laughs department. Though the film doesn't really need any, there's also a a love story or two to be found here as well, involving Dyan Cannon (who looks pretty fine for her years). *** out of ****

While this movie is not the most entertaining in the world, I think it is better than most over all. I mean it had it's little laughs and just all around a good feeling. It's not too often we get to see two old geezers just having fun with their age and honestly having a good time with the jokes. Walter and Jack had such a great chemistry together as friends/brother in-laws. Just watching them romancing these women was fun and you rooted for them all the way because wither we have to admit it or not, for their age, they still had game! :D I loved just the whole plot of being able to move on and having fun no matter how old you are. I'd recommend this movie for a nice laugh if you want one.

7/10

There isn't much to say about this film. It is entertaining, and was not made with the intent of winning any major awards, but just to make people laugh. Most of the humor works quite well too. It is very reminiscent of Lemmon and Matthau's other projects together THE ODD COUPLE II and Lemmon's solo with James Garner MY FELLOW AMERICANS.

The film has divine originality as the plot has not been done before; but the story has its share of cliches. The dance host director (played by Brent Spiner) who has the honor of taking on the "bad guy villain" role of this film is quite laughable, but still acceptable. The film goes from depressing to funny as hell and makes you forget your life for a while.

Quite a good comeback for the Grumpys. Well worth watching. I recommend you see GRUMPY OLD MEN, THE ODD COUPLE II and MY FELLOW AMERICANS.

OUT TO SEA: 4/5.