The Fortune Cookie
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| The Fortune Cookie | |
| Directed by | Billy Wilder |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Billy Wilder |
| Written by | I.A.L. Diamond Billy Wilder |
| Starring | Jack Lemmon Walter Matthau |
| Music by | André Previn |
| Cinematography | Joseph LaShelle |
| Editing by | Daniel Mandell |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | October 19, 1966 |
| Running time | 125 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3,705,000 (estimated) |
The Fortune Cookie (alternative UK title: Meet Whiplash Willie) is a 1966 film starring Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in their first on screen collaboration, and directed by Billy Wilder.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
CBS cameraman Henry Hinkle (Jack Lemmon) gets injured when football player Luther "Boom Boom" Jackson (Ron Rich) runs into him while he is covering a Browns game at Cleveland Stadium. Hinkle is visited in the hospital by his conniving lawyer brother-in-law "Whiplash Willie" Gingrich (Walter Matthau), who convinces him to pretend that his legs have been paralyzed. This way, they can receive a huge indemnity from the insurance company. Of course, the insurance company suspects that the paralysis is a fake one, and so a cat-and-mouse game begins. Jackson turns out to be a nice guy. He takes very good care of Hinkle, who begins having second thoughts as he witnesses guilt taking its toll on Jackson.
[edit] Cast
- Jack Lemmon as Harry Hinkle
- Walter Matthau as Willie Gingrich
- Ron Rich as Luther 'Boom Boom' Jackson
- Judi West as Sandy
- Cliff Osmond as Purkey
- Lurene Tuttle as Mother Hinkle
- Harry Holcombe as O'Brien
- Les Tremayne as Thompson
- Lauren Gilbert as Kincaid
- Marge Redmond as Charlotte Gingrich
- Noam Pitlik as Max
- Harry Davis as Dr. Krugman
- Ann Shoemaker as Sister Veronica
- Maryesther Denver as Nurse
- Ned Glass as Doc Schindler
- Sig Ruman as Professor Winterhalter
- Archie Moore as Mr. Jackson
- Howard McNear as Mr. Cimoli
- William Christopher as Intern (as Bill Christopher)
- Bartlett Robinson as Specialist #1
- Robert P. Lieb as Specialist #2
- Martin Blaine as Specialist #3
- Ben Wright as Specialist #4
- Dodie Heath as Nun
- Herbie Faye as Maury, the Equipment Man
- Billy Beck as Maury's Assistant
- Judy Pace as Elvira
- Helen Kleeb as The Lawyers' Receptionist
- Lisa Jill as Ginger Gingrich
- John Todd Roberts as Jeffrey Gingrich
- Keith Jackson as Football Announcer
- Herbert Ellis as TV Director (as Herb Ellis)
- Don Reed as Newscaster
- Louise Vienna as Girl on TV
- Robert DoQui as Man in Bar (as Bob DoQui)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
- John Anderson as Abraham Lincoln (uncredited)
- Jim Brown as Running Back - Number 32 (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Leroy Kelly as Running Back #44 (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Jon Silo as Tailor (uncredited)
[edit] Production
- This was the first film to feature the movie partnership of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
- They acted together in 10 movies:
- The Fortune Cookie (1966)
- The Odd Couple (1968)
- The Front Page (1974)
- Buddy Buddy (1981)
- JFK (1991)
- Grumpy Old Men (1993)
- The Grass Harp (1995)
- Grumpier Old Men (1995)
- Out to Sea (1997)
- The Odd Couple II (1998)
- Lemmon also directed Matthau in Kotch (1971).
- Production was halted for weeks after Walter Matthau had a heart attack. He had slimmed from 190 to 160 pounds by the time filming was completed, and had to wear a heavy black coat to conceal the weight loss.
- Jack Lemmon originally had two other actors proposed to star with him. They were Frank Sinatra and Jackie Gleason, but Lemmon insisted that he do the picture with Walter Matthau.
- Scenes were filmed at the Cleveland Browns vs Minnesota Vikings game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on 31 October 1965.
'M*A*S*H, had a small role as a doctor.
[edit] Awards
Walter Matthau won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in this film. The movie also received Oscar nominations for Art Direction-Set Decoration (Black-and-White) (Robert Luthardt, Edward G. Boyle), Best Cinematography (Black-and-White), and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. Walter Matthau was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actor - Musical/Comedy.[1]
[edit] Cleveland locations
Saint Mark's Hospital is in reality St. Vincent Charity Hospital. In 1966, the scene was filmed on East 24th Street in an older section. In 1966, St. Vincent Charity had completed a then-ultramodern curved Hospital building.
Terminal Tower was the base for the law firm used. In one image, one can see Erieview Tower and construction of the Federal Building's steel skeleton.
[edit] References
- ^ "NY Times: The Fortune Cookie". NY Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/18280/The-Fortune-Cookie/awards. Retrieved on 2008-12-26.
[edit] External links
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