"We're all out of cornflakes. F.U." Took me three hours to figure out F.U. was Felix Ungar!

Felix Ungar checks into a fleabag hotel room and attempts to kill himself by jumping out the window, but he can't get the window open and ends up pulling a muscle in his back. Limping back on the street he tries to get drunk and ends up hurting his neck when he throws down a shot. Finally, he stands on a bridge, contemplating jumping into the river.

Meanwhile, in the pig-sty Upper West Side Manhattan apartment of divorced sportswriter Oscar Madison; Meanwhile, in the pig-sty Upper West Side Manhattan apartment of divorced sportswriter Oscar Madison, Roy, Vinnie, and Murray the cop are playing poker and discussing their friend, Felix Ungar, who is unusually late to the game. Murray's wife calls and tells him that Felix and his wife Frances have split up. As they are discussing what to do, and worried that Felix might try to commit suicide, Felix arrives not knowing that his friends already know that his wife has kicked him out of the house.



Felix eventually breaks down crying and his friends try to console him. Oscar then suggests that Felix move in with him, since Oscar has lived alone since he split up with his own wife, Blanche, several months earlier. Felix agrees, and urges Oscar to not be shy about letting him know if he gets on Oscar's nerves.

The movie is a classic comedy. It's considered one of the best of it's genre. The movie still makes me laugh to this day with it's witty dialogue and really funny one liners. It was my first in the series of educational movies that I learned that writing is an art all in itself. Movies that are well written are usually the films I gravitate to because they really know how to make the character part of everyday life. I think I also like the film because the writing of Neil Simon is something of an American Treasure. Neil could write some of the best comedy there has ever been written.




The first time I saw the film was when I was a teenager and I never laughed so hard in my life. The wonderful and funny interaction between Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau was priceless. It was like they did not have to rehearse or any second takes of the scenes they were done with such great ease. It was not the only times they worked together, but it was the second film they stared together in film.



Looking for a laugh then I would make sure you don't pass this one up. Enjoy a film that will make you laugh and will also see inside the male mind of a neat freak and a messy freak. It might bring back memories of having a roommate yourself. After watching this film, like myself, you will be a fan of Neil Simon's writing. Enjoy!