The quickest and easiest way to know what's wrong with this production is simply to watch the credits. If you do, you'll notice that, except for Randall and Klugman, there's just about *nobody* involved in this thing from the original TV show-- neither in front of nor behind the cameras. They badly needed to get back more of the original people. They needed the original Murray. They needed the original Gloria. Either of the original Edna's would have been a nice touch.
But most of all, they needed to get back some of the original writers. I once saw Tony Randall on a talk show (might have been Letterman), and he was asked what made "The Odd Couple" so good, and without missing a beat, he answered "Great writing!" Well, nobody is likely to confuse *this* script with great writing. A lot of the gags are tepid. The logic isn't always there; for instance, it strains credulity to think that Oscar couldn't instantly tell that the poker guys were *letting* him win. I'm still trying to figure out what all that physical training, running around in the park, had to do with helping Oscar's voice.
And yet, I have to say, I enjoyed watching this movie. Just because it was fun to see Oscar and Felix again. However weak the script, the boys still give it a fine performance, they've still got it. And having Penny Marshall back as Myrna really helped a lot; her scenes with Klugman was some of my favorite stuff in the film. Not hilarious, but just fun.
But I do wish they'd had more tie-ins to the original show. More references to things that all us fans remember. They did have the gorilla, and they mentioned the doings on the night Edna was born. But why wasn't the apartment flaming peach? (surely Oscar wouldn't have gone to the effort, hassle, or expense of repainting!) It just would have been nice if there could have been some passing mention of Spot Moscowitz, or Unger Woo, or the time Edna ran off to follow Paul Williams. It would have been nice if, upon returning to the apartment after so many years, if Felix discovered that there still remained one last can of canned squid.
But again, still, I enjoyed it. I guess that, after so many years of watching reruns of the same episodes over and over, it was just nice to have something akin to a new episode. Even if it isn't a great episode.
But most of all, they needed to get back some of the original writers. I once saw Tony Randall on a talk show (might have been Letterman), and he was asked what made "The Odd Couple" so good, and without missing a beat, he answered "Great writing!" Well, nobody is likely to confuse *this* script with great writing. A lot of the gags are tepid. The logic isn't always there; for instance, it strains credulity to think that Oscar couldn't instantly tell that the poker guys were *letting* him win. I'm still trying to figure out what all that physical training, running around in the park, had to do with helping Oscar's voice.
And yet, I have to say, I enjoyed watching this movie. Just because it was fun to see Oscar and Felix again. However weak the script, the boys still give it a fine performance, they've still got it. And having Penny Marshall back as Myrna really helped a lot; her scenes with Klugman was some of my favorite stuff in the film. Not hilarious, but just fun.
But I do wish they'd had more tie-ins to the original show. More references to things that all us fans remember. They did have the gorilla, and they mentioned the doings on the night Edna was born. But why wasn't the apartment flaming peach? (surely Oscar wouldn't have gone to the effort, hassle, or expense of repainting!) It just would have been nice if there could have been some passing mention of Spot Moscowitz, or Unger Woo, or the time Edna ran off to follow Paul Williams. It would have been nice if, upon returning to the apartment after so many years, if Felix discovered that there still remained one last can of canned squid.
But again, still, I enjoyed it. I guess that, after so many years of watching reruns of the same episodes over and over, it was just nice to have something akin to a new episode. Even if it isn't a great episode.