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Hopscotch | Year: 1980 Classification: Comedy Directed: - Ronald Neame Actors/Actresses: - Walter Matthau - Glenda Jackson I love this movie! Miles Kendig (played Walter Matthau) is a CIA agent who is used to doing things his way. When his new chief, the abusive and bombastic G.P. Myerson (Ned Beatty), decides to retire him behind a desk, Kendig decides that the CIA needs a house cleaning--and that his memoirs would make the perfect broom. Now Kendig is on the run from the Agency: sending out new chapters, playing hide-and-seek with old associates. It's all a game, a game of hopscotch, and Kendig needs to keep one step ahead. Will he succeed? [Color, released in 1980, with a running time of 1 hour, 44 minutes.] I have loved this movie since it came out in 1980! It is just the perfect mix of adventure and humor. Humorous, but not a comedy movie--it's an adventure story with a sense of humor. And now for the bad news: to make his character more dislikable, Ned Beatty swears incessantly in this movie, which makes it a little much to watch in front of small children (I have two). That said, though, I do not know why this movie deserved its R rating. There is no nudity, and practically no violence. And I must add, the swearing is not too much for adult viewers; I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't break into uproarious laughter when Myerson angrily gives his opinion of what FBI stands for! SARDONIC MATTHAU AND SOPHISTICATED JACKSON HOPSCOTCH (Criterion) from 1980 is a light-weight, cynical but entertaining take on Cold War shenanigans. Walter Matthau is at the top of his form as Miles Kendig, a sardonic CIA agent who, suddenly relegated to a desk job in an agency power play, announces plans to get even by publishing a tell-all book. Ned Beatty is Matthau's arrogant, crude, boss who is increasingly desperate to off Matthau before the book gets out. (By a fluke, there was just such a book that made big news after this film went into production!) Sunny, globe trotting locations from Atlanta to Berlin to Vienna and laid back direction from Ronald Neame are a big plus, but what makes this a worthy consideration for your digital library is the classy chemistry between Matthau and Glenda Jackson, who plays Matthau's Viennese lover. Remember their near-perfect pairing in 1978's House Calls? It's as good if not better here. The widescreen transfer is super crisp and there's a fun interview with Neame and author Brian Garfield. He's about to expose the CIA, the FBI, the KGB...and himself Off the top of your head, how many funny spy films can you think of? The James Colburn 'Flint' films of the 60's? The Austin Powers movies perhaps? Or that incredibly lame Leslie Nielsen film...Spy Hard (1996)? Over-the-top silliness seems to be a c .17 Buy Hopscotch at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Hopscotch Search with the Priority Search Engine on Hopscotch This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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