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walter matthau

posted 17 years ago by dreamonforever1
5 replies | jump to latest

being a film "junkie" has plenty of perks (and none of the drawbacks usually associated with that term). one of which is seeing a great star like matthau when he was just getting started, playing (unless i'm mistaken) the type of part he'd never done before, or did afterward.
in this case, gangster. it's such a mind-blowing experience to see matthau play a gangster (he simply didn't come across well as a villain), that you're able to overlook how bad he is at it (l.o.l.) it's a case of novelty outstripping authenticity. he was such a likable actor that you're able to forgive this short film its faults, and relax in the comfort of knowing that you're seeing a real rarity.

gregory 061207

[–] footsperry 13 years ago

(Matthau did play a bank robber again - in "Charley Varrick." Great film!)

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] davidwile 12 years ago

Hey folks,

"Charley Varrick" really was a great film - one of my favorites.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] Clintessence 12 years ago

Hey David,

Once again we're on the same page. I love "Charley Varrick". Walter Matthau made two other serious movies at that same time that I love, too . . . "Taking Of Pellam 123", and "The Laughing Policeman".

Interestingly, "Charley Varrick" was directed by Clint Eastwood's friend and favorite director, Don Siegel, who originally wanted Clint to do the movie but he had another commitment.

Best Wishes,
Clintessence

[–] davidwile 12 years ago

Hey Clint,

All three of those films came out within a year or two of each other in the early 1970s. I remember seeing them at the time because we had just subscribed to a new service at the time called "HBO." Instead of hundreds of channels as we have now, it was perhaps a dozen cable channels plus HBO for an extra cable fee each month.

I liked all three of those films. Dern was Matthau's partner in "Policeman," and he was great with Matthau. In "Varrick," however, Matthau was like a one man show in spite of all the other good actors and characters they played. Matthau may just be the "coolest" non-leading man type ever. "Varrick" is one of my more favorite films.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile