The Fortune Cookie

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(4 stars) - Classic, but not top shelf classic
Movie has all the right elements, and generally delivers, but lags slightly in spots. Beginning of the legendary Matthau and Lemon pairing. Matthau delivers the zingers with aplomb as always and Lemon hits his nuerotic notes. Boom Boom is sweet and Lemon charming doing the wheelchair waltz around his apartment.
Just a half-beat short of triumphant, but still a solid classic.

(5 stars) - The Golden Triangle of Talent: Wilder, Lemmon and Matthau
Billy Wilder's film stars Jack Lemmon as a photographer who is injured slightly and temporarily at a Cleveland Browns football game. He has one weakness, his ex-wife, whom he would like to get back. Other than that, he is an honest and upright person. He sees his relative, Whiplash Willie (Walter Matthau who won the Oscar). WW is an attorney. He seems like a terrible one at first but when he breaks into his arguments, he is rather convincing. He also will do ANYTHING to win the case. WW plays on Lemmon's weakness by getting in touch with his ex. He tells her about all the money Lemmon could win in a lawsuit against the Browns for personal injury. The ex-wife comes back to town to do her part and WW if off and running with his lawsuit. Lemmon, meanwhile, more the straight man in this film, starts having serious second thoughts because the football player who hit him is taking it badly. But getting back the ex-wife seriously clouds his judgment. This is a great pairing of Matthau and Lemmon, who always shine under Wilder's direction.

(4 stars) - What is Truth?
Walter Matthau joins Jack Lemon to present a look into, albeit a comedic look, the profession of the shyster lawyer or legal chiseler. Harry Hinkle(Jack Lemon) is accidently knocked over by a 220lb half back and only suffers a slight concussion. Then, Whiplash Willie(Walter Matthau) arrives on the scene and he proposes a scheme to garner millions of dollars in phony insurance claims if Harry claims to have suffered a crippling injury. There you have it; but, you can't fool all of the people all of the time so says Harry's fortune cookie on his plate while in the hospital. You have to laugh at the performance of these two first class comedians as they wrestle with their consciences.

(4 stars) - Beginning of a Beautiful Relationship
This is average endeavor for director Billy Wilder and his co-scenarist I.A.L. Diamond. That is to say that this is above average for most filmmakers. The obvious distinction of the film is the initial teaming of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. In this case, though, Lemmon wisely defers to Matthau's shyster lawyer and plays straight man. Matthau shines here and steals every scene he's in. Matthau won the Oscar in a supporting role which I find curious because it seemed to me to be a co-lead role. Cliff Osmond was pretty funny, too, as an insurance fraud investigator. The film drags in part particularly when Matthau isn't on screen but it does suffer from overlength. Two hours plus is a little long. Recommended with slight reservation.

(5 stars) - Lemmon and Mattheu - who needs more?
Walter Matthew and Jack Lemmon can't have made many bad movies - at least, not until the end of their careers when the 'Grumpy Men' duo rather spolied their (previously superb) record.

'The Fortune Cookie' is, likely, one of their best - although they made so many 'bests'! This movie has a great script, possible storyline and brilliant acting. Nothing else is needed, surely?

It is simply a great and classic movie.

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