164 - The Odd Couple

    Newly separated from his wife, Felix moves in with his friend Oscar.  Their incompatibility raises tensions, as the pair attempt to work through their respective problems.
    When I was very young, and still sleeping in my parents bedroom, I grew accustomed to the music of the sitcoms that would be on as my parents fell asleep.  I usually heard all of Cheers, but then I would hear the opening for The Odd Couple, even though my parents usually shut the TV off at that point.
    And during high school, I performed in a Neil Simon play, Rumors.  I knew it was a comedy, but it didn't seem to be especially funny.  As I've seen more of Neil Simon's work, I've come to understand it a little better.  His sense of humor is usually a bit restrained.  He likes mining uncomfortable situations for humor.  The net result is a show that isn't hilarious, but is enjoyable.
    The Odd Couple is a much darker movie than I expected.  It deals with suicide, divorce, loneliness, and all of it is played out in a way that encourages cringing at the awkwardness of their situation.  I think I expected more of a lighthearted romp through a mismatched pair.  That's there, but it's not lighthearted.
    I found myself wondering what the material would be like if it were handled in a different way.  Playing the leads differently could turn things around.
    What stands out as one of the biggest weaknesses is that I really didn't like either of the leads.  They play the roles very well, but Matthau's Oscar sexually harasses a waitress pretty early on, and Lemmon's Felix is remarkably myopic about his own behavior.
    I'm glad that I saw it.  It's one of those classic comedies that established a solid tradition.