Movie Review - Walk Don"t Run (1966)
Walk Don't Run (1966) is a soft romantic comedy built on the premise of lack of living space in the cramped Tokyo of 1964 Olympics and was Cary Grant's last movie, capping his 30-plus years of successful movie career.
This is the last time the movie fans savored his right-hand-always-in-his-pant's-pocket polished presence and top-notch comedy skills.
Yet this is the probably one of those rare films in which he is not the lead.
Despite the fact that he got a top billing in the credits, Tim Hutton (playing the young architect-athlete Steve Davis ) and Samantha Eggar (the redhead landlady Christine Easton) definitely do have equally important roles.
In terms of the romantic core of the movie the lead star is Tim Hutton, not Grant.
It's a bit disappointing.
It's like watching Clint Eastwood play an accountant.
Understanding that his time to play the young romantic leads was over and he was too old for the young actresses of his time, Grant made the decision not to shoot any more film and stuck to it for the rest of his life.
However, he could've done what John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn did in Rooster Cogburn (1975) and find a female lead of his own age and do "rom-coms for the seniors.
" If he did that he could've graced us with at least another 10 years of fine acting.
But it wasn't to be.
The "central script gimmick" that gets all characters into a dramatic conflict with one another is the lack of living space in Tokyo during the 1964 Olympics.
It contains a 30 mile Olympic Walking sequence which displays the amazingly good physical shape Grant was in at the age of 62 when he appeared in this film.
Sir William Rutland (Cary Grant) is a successful British businessman who happens to visit Tokyo just during the Olympics.
But since he arrives 2 days earlier than expected, he can't find a room at his hotel.
After a desperate search, he finds a "house to share" ad on the bulletin board of the British Embassy.
The person who was looking for a house mate turns out to be Christine Easton (Eggar).
Easton is an awfully "anal" character who runs his house according to a strict time table.
Rutland is explained that he can use the bathroom in the mornings only during the ten minute intervals when Easton would not be using it.
So we watch the clumsy interaction of the elderly Rutland and young and gorgeous but nervous and uptight Easton race around the small house in a game of musical chairs where the principal object is to control the bathroom.
There is a lot of good physical comedy throughout the film.
When Rutland meets a young American, Steve Davis (Hutton), taking pictures of and making notes about the sleek and modern-designed manufacturing plant that Rutland has business with, he first thinks he might be an industrial spy trying to steal trade secrets.
But Steve turns out to be an American athlete in the city for the Olympics.
He just enjoys architectural discoveries as a hobby, helped with his Russian co-Olympian Yuri Andreyovitch (Ted Hartley).
Rutland likes the cocky Steve because he reminds him of his own younger days.
When he learns that Steve also does not have a place to stay until the games begin, he invites him to sublet half of his own room, without asking Christine first.
" Sir William Rutland (Cary Grant) is a successful British businessman who happens to visit Tokyo just during the Olympics.
But since he arrives 2 days earlier than expected, he can't find a room at his hotel.
After a desperate search, he finds a "house to share" ad on the bulletin board of the British Embassy.
The person who was looking for a house mate turns out to be Christine Easton (Eggar).
Easton is an awfully "anal" character who runs his house according to a strict time table.
Rutland is explained that he can use the bathroom in the mornings only during the ten minute intervals when Easton would not be using it.
So we watch through the clumsy interaction of the elderly Rutland and young and gorgeous but nervous and uptight Easton race around the small house in a game of musical chairs where the principal object is to control the bathroom.
There is a lot of good physical comedy throughout the film.
When Rutland meets a young American, Steve Davis (Hutton), taking pictures of and making notes about the sleek and modern-designed manufacturing plant that Rutland has business with, he first thinks he might be an industrial spy trying to steal trade secrets.
But Steve turns out to be an American athlete in the city for the Olympics.
He just enjoys architectural discoveries as a hobby, helped with his Russian co-Olympian Yuri Andreyovitch (Ted Hartley).
Rutland likes the cocky Steve because he reminds him of his own younger days.
When he learns that Steve also does not have a place to stay until the games begin, he invites him to sublet half of his own room, without asking Christine first.
So they end up 2 guys and a gal within the confines of the same small Japanese apartment, with many run-ins on the way to the bathroom and other physical comedy numbers.
Although she detests the situation, Christine cannot kick them out because she has already spent the rent money on her new blue kimono and thus she cannot afford a refund.
The rest of the movie is devoted to Rutland playing the matchmaker and helping the incipient sexual tension between Steve and Christine bloom into a full romance.
But there is a problem there - Christine is already engaged to Julius P.
Haversack (played by John Standing) the insufferable supercilious counselor at the British Embassy.
Rutland's ruse to separate Haversack from Christine and provide the excuse for Christine and Steve to be together is probably the funniest sequences of the film because it is based on Haversack's indulgence with his own ego.
He is writing a book and Rutland pretends he would really be interested to hear more about his book.
Haversack proves to be such a willing subject to talk about himself and his grandiose projects for hours end that he forgets about Christine altogether.
The film concludes with Haversack dropping out of the picture and Steve and Christine uniting their lives.
Rutland takes one more look at the kissing young couple from outside Christine's small apartment and concludes that his job is done.
He tells his driver to take him to the airport, on the way back to his home and loving wife.
Directed by Charles Walters and written by Sol Saks.
A carefree 7 out of 10.
This is the last time the movie fans savored his right-hand-always-in-his-pant's-pocket polished presence and top-notch comedy skills.
Yet this is the probably one of those rare films in which he is not the lead.
Despite the fact that he got a top billing in the credits, Tim Hutton (playing the young architect-athlete Steve Davis ) and Samantha Eggar (the redhead landlady Christine Easton) definitely do have equally important roles.
In terms of the romantic core of the movie the lead star is Tim Hutton, not Grant.
It's a bit disappointing.
It's like watching Clint Eastwood play an accountant.
Understanding that his time to play the young romantic leads was over and he was too old for the young actresses of his time, Grant made the decision not to shoot any more film and stuck to it for the rest of his life.
However, he could've done what John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn did in Rooster Cogburn (1975) and find a female lead of his own age and do "rom-coms for the seniors.
" If he did that he could've graced us with at least another 10 years of fine acting.
But it wasn't to be.
The "central script gimmick" that gets all characters into a dramatic conflict with one another is the lack of living space in Tokyo during the 1964 Olympics.
It contains a 30 mile Olympic Walking sequence which displays the amazingly good physical shape Grant was in at the age of 62 when he appeared in this film.
Sir William Rutland (Cary Grant) is a successful British businessman who happens to visit Tokyo just during the Olympics.
But since he arrives 2 days earlier than expected, he can't find a room at his hotel.
After a desperate search, he finds a "house to share" ad on the bulletin board of the British Embassy.
The person who was looking for a house mate turns out to be Christine Easton (Eggar).
Easton is an awfully "anal" character who runs his house according to a strict time table.
Rutland is explained that he can use the bathroom in the mornings only during the ten minute intervals when Easton would not be using it.
So we watch the clumsy interaction of the elderly Rutland and young and gorgeous but nervous and uptight Easton race around the small house in a game of musical chairs where the principal object is to control the bathroom.
There is a lot of good physical comedy throughout the film.
When Rutland meets a young American, Steve Davis (Hutton), taking pictures of and making notes about the sleek and modern-designed manufacturing plant that Rutland has business with, he first thinks he might be an industrial spy trying to steal trade secrets.
But Steve turns out to be an American athlete in the city for the Olympics.
He just enjoys architectural discoveries as a hobby, helped with his Russian co-Olympian Yuri Andreyovitch (Ted Hartley).
Rutland likes the cocky Steve because he reminds him of his own younger days.
When he learns that Steve also does not have a place to stay until the games begin, he invites him to sublet half of his own room, without asking Christine first.
" Sir William Rutland (Cary Grant) is a successful British businessman who happens to visit Tokyo just during the Olympics.
But since he arrives 2 days earlier than expected, he can't find a room at his hotel.
After a desperate search, he finds a "house to share" ad on the bulletin board of the British Embassy.
The person who was looking for a house mate turns out to be Christine Easton (Eggar).
Easton is an awfully "anal" character who runs his house according to a strict time table.
Rutland is explained that he can use the bathroom in the mornings only during the ten minute intervals when Easton would not be using it.
So we watch through the clumsy interaction of the elderly Rutland and young and gorgeous but nervous and uptight Easton race around the small house in a game of musical chairs where the principal object is to control the bathroom.
There is a lot of good physical comedy throughout the film.
When Rutland meets a young American, Steve Davis (Hutton), taking pictures of and making notes about the sleek and modern-designed manufacturing plant that Rutland has business with, he first thinks he might be an industrial spy trying to steal trade secrets.
But Steve turns out to be an American athlete in the city for the Olympics.
He just enjoys architectural discoveries as a hobby, helped with his Russian co-Olympian Yuri Andreyovitch (Ted Hartley).
Rutland likes the cocky Steve because he reminds him of his own younger days.
When he learns that Steve also does not have a place to stay until the games begin, he invites him to sublet half of his own room, without asking Christine first.
So they end up 2 guys and a gal within the confines of the same small Japanese apartment, with many run-ins on the way to the bathroom and other physical comedy numbers.
Although she detests the situation, Christine cannot kick them out because she has already spent the rent money on her new blue kimono and thus she cannot afford a refund.
The rest of the movie is devoted to Rutland playing the matchmaker and helping the incipient sexual tension between Steve and Christine bloom into a full romance.
But there is a problem there - Christine is already engaged to Julius P.
Haversack (played by John Standing) the insufferable supercilious counselor at the British Embassy.
Rutland's ruse to separate Haversack from Christine and provide the excuse for Christine and Steve to be together is probably the funniest sequences of the film because it is based on Haversack's indulgence with his own ego.
He is writing a book and Rutland pretends he would really be interested to hear more about his book.
Haversack proves to be such a willing subject to talk about himself and his grandiose projects for hours end that he forgets about Christine altogether.
The film concludes with Haversack dropping out of the picture and Steve and Christine uniting their lives.
Rutland takes one more look at the kissing young couple from outside Christine's small apartment and concludes that his job is done.
He tells his driver to take him to the airport, on the way back to his home and loving wife.
Directed by Charles Walters and written by Sol Saks.
A carefree 7 out of 10.
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