MovieChat Forums > The Odd Couple (1968) Discussion > One problem I've always had with this pl...

One problem I've always had with this play/film

posted 14 years ago by skohl632001
9 replies | jump to latest

Felix and Oscar are supposed to be long time, close friends (I think at one point Oscar refers to him as his "oldest and dearest friend) and yet Oscar seems taken completely by surprise by all of Felix's habits, idiosyncrasies, allergies, etc. Also, for such close friends, they each seem to have no clue about the other's marital issues, etc.
For that matter, it's basically impossible for me to imagine a fastidious guy like Felix playing poker in an incredibly messy apartment with the rest of their buddies (remember we never actually see Felix play a hand). Felix, as he's written, really doesn't fit into this group at all.
It probably would have worked better and made more sense if they were just passing acquaintances.

[–] mikwalen 14 years ago

I recently played Felix, and I can understand why you would ask those questions. So did I, in fact.

I believe the revelation about Felix's marriage trouble did come as a surprise to some at the poker game (Vinnie). However, Oscar has a line like "You know how he would sit there and tell us how they'd fight".

I guess that knowing about Felix's weird habits might be one thing, but actually living with them is different.

"Everytime I want to have a little fun-SHE turns out!" (Baron Bomburst)

[–] skohl632001 14 years ago

Thanks for your input. Maybe another part of the problem is the film vs. the play. The scene I really have problems with in the film version is Oscar's surprise and embarrassment over Felix's coughing and honking in the air conditioned restaurant-apparently Oscar had never been out to eat with his "oldest and dearest friend" before! I haven't seen the play in years but I'd imagine that that scene was probably written specifically for the film.

But, as you say, a lot of the other incongruities can be (kind of) explained by the "knowing someone" vs. actually "living" with them.

[–] mikwalen 14 years ago

Hi skohl632001!

The scene with the honking and sneezing is in the show - it occurs after the poker players leave, and Oscar is talking to Felix. I think that moving it to the diner is A RIOT!!! It works MUCH better when we see the expressions on the faces of the other people!!

One of the poker guys has a line in the play (I don't know if it made it into the film) about how Frances tried to break up with Felix while he was still in the army...and he started cleaning guns in his mouth. So they did know he had some "quirks". They really came into view when he was under Oscar's nose 24/7.

And it wasn't an easy part to play! I had to let go and be comfortable with acting looney-tooney, making strange noises, and crying!

"Everytime I want to have a little fun-SHE turns out!" (Baron Bomburst)

[–] bradford-1 14 years ago

I don't find it strange that Oscar wouldn't know certain things about Felix no matter how many years they had been acquainted. There are several people that I've socialized with and I've never been in their homes, nor have they been in mine. Many years ago, I moved in with one of my oldest friends for about five days. We'd known each other for about 15 years, but living together, I found that he was a first-class slob and he saw that I washed and dried the dishes and carried out the garbage every night. I even alphabetized his record collection. And we almost killed each other! We're still friends after nearly 45 years, but we'd NEVER live together again.
"We're fighting for this woman's honor, which is more than she ever did."

[–] samningrice 13 years ago

surely the whole point is that his wife dumping him has driven him even more mental than usual, so the 3 weeks he is with oscar he is in overdrive.

he gets over this at the end and sorts himself out...

[–] skohl632001 13 years ago

Okay, that's something that I hadn't considered and it does make a certain amount of sense. Still, it's presented in a fairly vague way in the film/play.

[–] bassgoilius 12 years ago

I agree, I think Oscar and his poker buddies would have had a better idea as to the type of person Felix was. It does seem that they, especially Oscar, are a bit too surprised at his actions. I think the others in this thread have made plausible suggestions, but I was a little struck by this as well.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] djabert 11 years ago

The difference between knowing a person (i.e. thinking to know that person) and live with her/him 24/7 is the main reason for divorce