This review relates to the 1970 film starring Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis. It was remade in the 90s with Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn, and I wouldn’t mind seeing the remake to compare the two.
Lemmon and Dennis play George and Gwen Kellerman, a couple from Ohio who hope to move to New York City when his firm offer him an interview for a promotion. However, their troubles start when their plane’s landing it delayed for hours and then eventually redirected to Boston. With only one night to get from Boston to NYC for his interview the following morning, George and Gwen embark on a tumultuous journey – and when they reach New York, things don’t improve, with problems of all kinds (mugging, lost luggage, no hotel room are just some of the things they encounter) mounting up…
Jack Lemmon is one of those actors who it’s almost impossible to dislike, and he plays a terrific part here. As the slightly neurotic Kellerman, determinedly writing down the names of everyone who he feels has wrong him in order that he can sue them, he shines. In the hands of a different actor, George could have been an annoying character, and while he can be frustrating, I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. Sandy Dennis was the perfect foil as his loving but long suffering wife, providing many comic moments of her own.
From the moment that the plane is delayed (causing George to start obsessing over whether the couple will make their evening booking at the Four Season restaurant) it’s clear that the viewer is in for a lot of fun. It’s basically one long series of mishaps and misfortunes, but the two leads make it very funny and well worth watching for a bit of light hearted entertainment. Despite being over 40 years old, and therefore inevitably looking slightly dated, the film still feels fresh and doesn’t seem to have lost any of its humour.
If you liked Planes Trains and Automobiles, or are a fan of Jack Lemmon, I’d recommend giving this one a try!
Year of release: 1970
Director: Arthur Hiller
Writer: Neil Simon
Main cast: Jack Lemmon, Sandy Dennis
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