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In 1971’s
“Kotch”, Walter Matthau stars
as Joseph Kotchner, as 72-year old man living
with his son (Charles Aidman) and his wife
(Felicia Farr). Being somewhat of an opinionated
and cantankerous old man, he is anything
but easy to live with. He is constantly
challenging his family, and even causes
the family’s babysitter to be let
go. Sensing that things are just not going
to get better, his family suggests that
perhaps he might be happier living in a
retirement center. This, of course doesn’t
sit well with Kotch, so he decides to leave
for awhile. He befriends the former babysitter
(Deborah Winters), and upon learning she
is pregnant offers to give her a small loan.
She in turn, moves away and he tags along
in case she needs some help.
Walther Matthau has a great many character
roles under his belt, being known for his
role as Oscar Madison opposite Jack Lemmon’s
Felix Unger in “The Odd Couple.”
But his performance in “Kotch”,
although he was nominated for an Academy
Award, goes often overlooked.
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I remember seeing this movie way back in the
70’s and I loved it then as much as I love
it now. Most friends that I talk to about Matthau
hadn’t even heard of the film. Thankfully,
since it is now available on DVD from MGM, I will
certainly be passing it around.
The DVD release of “Kotch” doesn’t
have any extras, and the transfer, while better
than a VHS tape, is still a little less than perfect.
The film looks a little on the soft side, and
the audio is relegated to digital mono, but where
these would be major nitpicks on a bigger film,
I found them perfectly acceptable here. The movie
wasn’t a big budget affair and probably
isn’t that much sought after, so the expense
might have been too great.
One of the more interesting things about “Kotch”,
was that it marked the directorial debut of Matthau’s
aforementioned longtime partner in crime, Jack
Lemmon. The two had done so many films together
that you might think they never did any apart.
Lemmon does a superb job directing his friend,
and shows a steady hand in terms of the movie’s
flow. I was actually quite surprised to see that
this was his only directorial effort, and wish
there might have been an interview or commentary
available to find out why he never directed anything
again. Do keep your eyes peeled when you’re
watching it, as you’ll catch Lemmon in a
‘blink and you’ll miss him’
cameo on board a bus.
I hope that DVD watchers will give “Kotch”
a chance so they might discover the gem of a film
that it is.
Directed by: Jack Lemmon
Starring: Walter Matthau, Charles Aidman, Felicia
Farr, Deborah Winters
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen (1.85:1), Dolby Digital
Mono
Studio: MGM
Release Date: 7/6/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG
Website
We'll give Kotch an A-.
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