 | Vintage Mattau
rating: 4
Good period movie with fine performances by Mattau and Glenda Jackson. Mattau plays a Doctor who must choose between empty relationships with young sexpots or a good older woman. Guess who wins. Good representation of films of that era.
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House calls for whoopee
rating: 5
"House Calls" is a delightful romantic comedy that focuses on prevalent social issues. Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson have a wonderful chemistry together. Art Carney plays to caricature the bumbling bureacrat and surgeon who is director of an unsuccesful hospital. Richard Benjamin, so popular in 1978 when the film was released, was charming as Matthau's foil.
Jackson and Matthau first meet when Jackson is a patient of an ancient medical practice administered by Carney's character. Matthau, a top surgeon and recent widower beset by younger social climbers seeking his attentions, rectifies the old treatment with a simple medical procedure.
They next meet as debaters on a television program. After all the chirpies, he is intrigued by a woman who is closer to his age and can think. How they get together is a hilarious scene and a natural development of a relationship, instead of his usual flowers, dinner, overnight roll in the sack, home the next morning.
The title refers, of course, to the house calls he makes to his younger dates, not in any way related to doctor visits. This film is enjoyable with a definite nod toward compatibility and marriage. According to my brother, "It's a pretty good movie," expressed with approval. Of course, I agree.
4.5 stars (Art Carney was annoying.)
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DVD20080223-2
rating: 5
Another enjoyable comedy. I think that Genda Jackson and Walter Mathou are a very good comedy team; they work well together. This is another movie that is rarely seen on any of the movie channels which is unfortnate. They seem intent on showing the junk that's cheap instead of that which is good entertainment.
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A mature romantic comedy
rating: 4
It may have marked the beginning of his `loveable' phase, but Walter Matthau is still on top form in House Calls, which sees him well paired with Glenda Jackson in a mature romantic comedy that has aged remarkably well. Funny lines abound alongside a couple of good comic setpieces (such as the unlikely couple trying to find out if the old Hays Code film censorship rule from the 1930s about having one foot on either side of the bed really does make sex impossible, a scene that feels like Julius J. Epstein's revenge on the censors), but what really makes it work is that character is never sacrificed for a quick laugh. What's more, these two people really do seem to belong together, and they exude comfort in their scenes together that's the very definition of screen chemistry. Sadly the DVD has been partially rescored (somehow Matthau and Jackson speedwalking in slow motion seems a lot less funny with a Henry Mancini underscore than the original Something in the Way She Moves Me) but otherwise is well worth the bargain price.
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House Calls
rating: 5
This a really great movie; a classic Glenda Jackson & Walter Matthau! It is a fabulously funny romantic comedy. House Calls
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