There was an emphasis on making buddy movies in the 80's and Disney under the Touchstone banner was probably one of the biggest contributors to this genre in that decade. Not only did they make this film but also Stakeout and the very poor, even though it was a minor hit, Outrageous Fortune.
Here we have Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster. Although, Kirk Douglas is given first credit, the emphasis is on Burt Lancaster's character, Harry Doyle. As a man who has been in prison for most of his adult life and is getting old, you could go a lot of directions with the character. Lancaster plays it beautifully and never once do you think that he is playing it for laughs as I'm sure many lesser talents would do. Kirk Douglas on the other hand is given less to play with. A man, who tries to keep up but ultimately is pretty much out of step. He gets a younger girlfriend but the storyline is a bit hackneyed and does not contain one single thing that couldn't be predicted.
Meanwhile, Lancaster gets to have some fun with an old flame. Not to say that this story is anymore interesting to see than the Douglas romance but it is sweet.
The thing to admire here is Douglas' and Lancaster's dealing with their antagonists which consists of basically everybody they meet, save for the two ladies and one caring probation officer (Dana Carvey in a rare unfunny performance). They seem to take the approach that so what if they have enemies and I can see why. Their foes are made to look pretty ridiculous and absolutely no threat. The great Charles Durning, plays a cop who wants to nail them one more time but not so much because he think they are bad but to prove something to himself. And then as a capper, we get Eli Wallach as a near blind and almost totally insane hit-man. Bravo. This has to be his most funny performance ever. Not for one moment can you take him serious as a hit-man but Douglas and Lancaster, gents as they are, do let him think so.
Here we have Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster. Although, Kirk Douglas is given first credit, the emphasis is on Burt Lancaster's character, Harry Doyle. As a man who has been in prison for most of his adult life and is getting old, you could go a lot of directions with the character. Lancaster plays it beautifully and never once do you think that he is playing it for laughs as I'm sure many lesser talents would do. Kirk Douglas on the other hand is given less to play with. A man, who tries to keep up but ultimately is pretty much out of step. He gets a younger girlfriend but the storyline is a bit hackneyed and does not contain one single thing that couldn't be predicted.
Meanwhile, Lancaster gets to have some fun with an old flame. Not to say that this story is anymore interesting to see than the Douglas romance but it is sweet.
The thing to admire here is Douglas' and Lancaster's dealing with their antagonists which consists of basically everybody they meet, save for the two ladies and one caring probation officer (Dana Carvey in a rare unfunny performance). They seem to take the approach that so what if they have enemies and I can see why. Their foes are made to look pretty ridiculous and absolutely no threat. The great Charles Durning, plays a cop who wants to nail them one more time but not so much because he think they are bad but to prove something to himself. And then as a capper, we get Eli Wallach as a near blind and almost totally insane hit-man. Bravo. This has to be his most funny performance ever. Not for one moment can you take him serious as a hit-man but Douglas and Lancaster, gents as they are, do let him think so.