The Fortune Cookie
1966
Starring the legendary duo of Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, Wilder's characteristically cynical comedy again explores the corrupting influence of money. When TV-cameraman Harry Hinkle (Lemmon) is slightly injured while covering a football game, Willie Gingrich (Matthau), his ambulance-chasing attorney of a brother-in-law sees .. Read more
| Starring | Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ron Rich, Cliff Osmond |
|---|---|
| Director | Billy Wilder |
| Genres | Drama |
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The Fortune Cookie
Starring the legendary duo of Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, Wilder's characteristically cynical comedy again explores the corrupting influence of money. When TV-cameraman Harry Hinkle (Lemmon) is slightly injured while covering a football game, Willie Gingrich (Matthau), his ambulance-chasing attorney of a brother-in-law sees the opportunity for a major score. Persuading Lemmon to exaggerate the extent of the damage, Matthau sues the football team, the network and the stadium for a fortune. Meanwhile Boom Boom Jackson (Ron Rich) the good-natured player who ran over Lemmon, guiltily suspends his career to care for his "victim," and Matthau calls in Lemmon's ex-wife (Judi West) whose compassion seems to be stimulated by the sound of money. But the deception begins to wear on Lemmon, who becomes ever more disgusted with himself for exploiting the innocent player, and with the blatant venality of his ex. Matthau however, has no intention of seeing his percentage of a potentially huge settlement go up in smoke. Although Lemmon give a finely-modulated performance as a reluctant scam-artist, Matthau's lawyer, a Volpone-like monster of avarice, has the best lines in a hilarious film that suggest a slight mellowing in the director's perspective on human nature.
| Starring | Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ron Rich, Cliff Osmond, Judi West |
|---|---|
| Director | Billy Wilder |
| Studio | MGM ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 1 min |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Dubbed | French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Hearing-impaired | English, German |
| Subtitles | DVD: Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish |
| Released | DVD: 26 Nov 2001 Production year: 1966 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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Director Billy Wilder teamed Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon for the first time in this energetic comedy, which crackles regularly throughout. Matthau plays amoral lawyer “Whiplash Willie” who sees an opportunity to cash in when his brother-in-law, hapless cameraman Harry (Lemmon), is injured at a football game. Typically mining his drama from the collision between affectionate comedy and spiky cynicism, Wilder squeezes telling performances from his two stars. Matthau's lugubrious eccentricity, not to mention his delivery of comic gems won him an Oscar for best supporting actor, while Lemmon conveys the chaotic decency familiar from his role in The Apartment.
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Flat, stretched-out, only occasionally effective comedy which relies too much on mordant attitudes and a single star performance.
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Most helpful member's review
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7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Terrific comedy
'The Fortune Cookie' is the first pairing of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. The fact that the great Billy Wilder is behind the camera makes this a must-see film.
Sports cameraman Harry Hinkle(Lemmon) is injured during a football match but suffers only minor injuries. However, his brother-in-law Willie(Matthau) is a crooked lawyer who sniffs some easy money. He persuades Harry to feign a serious injury while he sues NBC, the NFL and anyone else he can think of.
Wilder's clever and sly screenplay offers plenty of his trademark dialogue and ingenious situations. The central pairing are, of course, superb. Matthau was tailor made for this role as the fast-talking lawyer and one an Oscar for his efforts. The supporting characters are unfortunately underdeveloped and occasionally stall the film's momentum. But when Wilder lets Lemmon and Matthau take centre stage, the film sparkles like few others. -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Lawyer in Law
Made in the mid-sixties this was not such a well known Wilder comedy, but it was a landmark in that it paired Lemmon with Matthau for the first time.
Whilst it is years since I first saw this movie it still brought a smile (and occasional laugh) to my face.
Although Matthau won a well deserved Oscar for his performance, I still felt that Jack Lemmon stole the show with his humanity, the skilful handling of the electric wheelchair and the gymnastics after the final reveal.
Well worth the money, even if it was filmed in Black and White. -
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Starring the legendary duo of Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, Wilder's characteristically cynical comedy again explores the corrupting influence of money. When TV-cameraman Harry Hinkle (Lemmon) is ... -