GRUMPIER OLD MEN
US, 1995, 101 minutes, Colour.
Water Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Ann- Margaret, Sopha Loren, Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak.
Directed by Howard Deutch.
Grumpy Old Men was so popular in 1993 that it was quickly decided to make a sequel. But, the old men were friendly at the end of the first film so a lot of grumpiness had to be contrived for this one. And, Jack Lemmon had won the competition for Ann -Margret, so the question remaining for Walter Matthau was the issue of romance!
John, Jack Lemmon is happily ensconced with his new wife, Ariel. And he is somewhat reconciled with his crusty neighbour, Max, Walter Matthau. One of the concerns uniting them is the prospective marriage of John’s daughter and Max’s son, Daryl Hannah and Kevin Pollak. Just when everything seemed obvious, Daryl Hannah has hesitations and Kevin Pollak is upset, causing a rift, and there is a postponement of the wedding, bringing about some more grumpiness between the two men.
As regards romance, here is Sophia Loren, aged 60 and more glamorous than ever, playing Maria, married five times, taking refuge in Minnesota with her mother, turning the bait shop into a restaurant – and incurring the wrath of the two old men who put themselves out to dire sabotage efforts. However, there is a seemingly unlike attraction between Max and Maria, and some romance, and falling out, and reconciliation.
Burgess Meredith is there, in his final film, as John’s father, sadly dying by his beloved lake.
There is a good joke at the end, when the two men dress up for the wedding, which audiences presume is that between son and daughter, and while two are driving to the church, they meet an old man who has seen the fish that they have been searching for for decades. They decide to go to find the fish, catch it, put it back in the water and hurry to the wedding – which turns out to be, actually, that between Maria and Max!
Amusing, and one more contribution of the teaming Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau from Odd Couple days onwards.
1. The popularity of Grumpy Old Men, the teaming Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau? Their past films, interactions, repartee, pranks and insults? Entertaining comedians?
2. The touch of glamour with Ann- Margret as well as Sophia Loren?
3. A popular sequel, continuing the characters in themes of the first film? Friendship – falling out, further grumpiness?
4. The Minnesota settings, the seasons, the snow, the fishing, the bait shop, the restaurant? Marriage preparations, celebrations, the church?
5. The musical score, the range of songs, Max and Staying Alive, the Gershwin songs?
6. John, his marriage to Ariel, their happy life together, the character, at home with John, Ariel exasperated with his pettiness and fighting, walking out – and the scene with the dog rampaging through the house and her dropping the nude statue of John (after the video being exposed in the shop)? The happy reconciliation? The preparation of the wedding? John and the bond with Max, Maria’s arriving, her plans for the restaurant, the two men visiting, the sabotage, the criticisms of Maria and the restaurant? Jacob and Melanie, the preparation for the marriage, the location for the reception, payments, the celebration in the crowd, the musicians and the comments, Melanie upset, Jacob’s reaction, the two fathers trying to remedy the situation? Halloween, the costume?
7. Max, the past experience with Ariel? Maria’s arriving, the reaction to Chuck’s bait shop, the visits, the sabotage, the clash in the supermarket? Yet the attraction?
8. John’s father, old, fishing, the lascivious comments, the encounter with Maria’s mother, the sexual attraction, the innuendo (as well as during the final credits)? The pathos of his death? Funeral? Ashes in the river?
9. Maria, in herself, the five marriages, her mother’s criticisms, the planning for the restaurant, the transformation, the clash with John and with Max? Yet the attraction to Max? His visit to the restaurant, change of heart, her mother and the baseball bat, letting him in? The searching for the worms? The invitation to the meal, his burning the food, making sandwiches, her not turning up, her mother’s questioning, the thinking, Max and his asking for an explanation, Maria giving it, going for the sandwiches?
10. Jacob and Melanie, the daughter, love, the clash, not talking, the exasperation of the fathers? Halloween, Jacob and the costume, apologies, the reconciliation?
11. The wedding sequence, Ariel preparing, audiences assuming that Jacob and Melanie would be wed? The two fathers, getting dressed , the old man on the road, the giant fish and their continued quest, their going to the lake, fishing, delaying the wedding, landing fish, the decision to put it back in the water? The race to the wedding, reckless driving, arriving, the organist playing the music over and over again?
12. The irony that it was Max’s wedding to Maria, Melanie as the maid of honour, the ceremony, everybody happy?
