"Out to Sea" (hereafter "OTS") is basically a melding of "Grumpy Old Men" (or "The Odd Couple", take your pick) with a typical "Love Boat" episode. Before you groan and decide this is something you might want to skip, I wish to assure you that comic and acting (and sadly, now departed) legends Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon effortlessly turn on the smooth, wacky, exasperated, and cunning charm to make OTS a laugh-filled, satisfying, if somewhat predictable romp.
The frantic fun begins when Matthau's character Charlie Gordon, a shifty gambler in hock with several bookies and loan sharks, persuades his despondent, widowed brother-in-law Herb Sullivan (Lemmon) to take a cruise with him on-board the Holland America liner Westerdam presumably to cheer him up. When Herb protests that neither of them can afford a cruise, Charlie assures him that he managed to wrangle free tickets. Herb grudgingly agrees.
Of course there's a catch. Only after they board the ship does Charlie inform Herb that in exchange for the free room and board, they must serve as dancing partners and escorts for "unattached" women passengers. Though Herb is understandably agitated with Charlie for this con, he figures he and Charlie can make the best of it. After all, cruises have all sorts of amenities and benefits, and the Central America/Mexico itinerary is enticing. Besides, Herb is a good dancer. But, of course, there are other catches.
One, while Herb can trip the light fantastic, Charlie can't. In fact, Charlie has all the dancing grace of the Scarecrow from "The Wizard of Oz". Two, their boss is the despotic, brown-nosing, and smugly irritating martinet Gil Godwin (Brent Spiner, in a role as diametrically opposite to his unemotional, rational role as Data the android from "Star Trek – The Next Generation" as a role can be). Gil is the cruise director from hell with a soul of a drill instructor. He warns all the dance partners that dancing is as far as it goes with the women passengers. Any kind of relationship, even the most casual, is strictly forbidden. Naturally, Gil keeps a haughty eye on Herb and Charlie – especially Charlie, who spends much of the movie shirking his dancing duties and dodging and disobeying Gil's edicts.
And so "OTS" launches into a comedy of deception, mistaken identity, and screwball antics. Besides avoiding Gil, Charlie keeps busy by playing poker against the snobbish, wealthy card expert Cullen Carswell and doggedly wooing the apparently glamorous, well-to-do Liz LaBreche (a still stunning Dyan Cannon), traveling with her ornery, cantankerous mother Mavis (Elaine Stritch) who wants her to marry someone worthy of her social station and who instantly disapproves of Charlie. Meanwhile, the more subdued Herb finds his own romantic interaction with Vivian (Gloria DeHaven), a fetching widow traveling with her grown daughter and son-in-law. They are mutually attracted to each other. Problem is, Vivian, through Charlie's interference, believes Herb is a doctor. Herb is actually a retired Gimbel's sales clerk, but is afraid to tell Vivian the truth because he doesn't want to disappoint her. Besides, Herb still stubbornly yearns for his deceased wife of 46 years, Susie.
Again, the plot is straight out of any "Love Boat" episode, but Matthau and Lemmon are consummate, confident pros who can squeeze laughs out of the most outlandish doings. Through both physical slapstick and quick and sharp dialogue, Matthau and Lemmon seem to be having a ball in "OTS" and therefore let us have fun, too. And yet, good comedies always have a core of emotion and pathos. Both Matthau and Lemmon have it in "OTS" and so we hope that they can rise above the sticky deceptions and white lies they have built and find love and fulfillment. Do they? Well, think about any "Love Boat" episode and how it turns out that Herb and Charlie aren't the only ones harboring secrets in the movie, not least Gil and his shameless flattering of ship owner Ellen Carruthers (Rue McClanahan) in order to secure a promotion, and rest assured that poetic justice comes into play.
P.S.: Although I have been on several cruises with several cruise lines, including Holland America, I have never been on the Westerdam. OTS showcases the ship well and I'm sure Holland America was grateful for the publicity. I would love to take a trip on the Westerdam someday.
The frantic fun begins when Matthau's character Charlie Gordon, a shifty gambler in hock with several bookies and loan sharks, persuades his despondent, widowed brother-in-law Herb Sullivan (Lemmon) to take a cruise with him on-board the Holland America liner Westerdam presumably to cheer him up. When Herb protests that neither of them can afford a cruise, Charlie assures him that he managed to wrangle free tickets. Herb grudgingly agrees.
Of course there's a catch. Only after they board the ship does Charlie inform Herb that in exchange for the free room and board, they must serve as dancing partners and escorts for "unattached" women passengers. Though Herb is understandably agitated with Charlie for this con, he figures he and Charlie can make the best of it. After all, cruises have all sorts of amenities and benefits, and the Central America/Mexico itinerary is enticing. Besides, Herb is a good dancer. But, of course, there are other catches.
One, while Herb can trip the light fantastic, Charlie can't. In fact, Charlie has all the dancing grace of the Scarecrow from "The Wizard of Oz". Two, their boss is the despotic, brown-nosing, and smugly irritating martinet Gil Godwin (Brent Spiner, in a role as diametrically opposite to his unemotional, rational role as Data the android from "Star Trek – The Next Generation" as a role can be). Gil is the cruise director from hell with a soul of a drill instructor. He warns all the dance partners that dancing is as far as it goes with the women passengers. Any kind of relationship, even the most casual, is strictly forbidden. Naturally, Gil keeps a haughty eye on Herb and Charlie – especially Charlie, who spends much of the movie shirking his dancing duties and dodging and disobeying Gil's edicts.
And so "OTS" launches into a comedy of deception, mistaken identity, and screwball antics. Besides avoiding Gil, Charlie keeps busy by playing poker against the snobbish, wealthy card expert Cullen Carswell and doggedly wooing the apparently glamorous, well-to-do Liz LaBreche (a still stunning Dyan Cannon), traveling with her ornery, cantankerous mother Mavis (Elaine Stritch) who wants her to marry someone worthy of her social station and who instantly disapproves of Charlie. Meanwhile, the more subdued Herb finds his own romantic interaction with Vivian (Gloria DeHaven), a fetching widow traveling with her grown daughter and son-in-law. They are mutually attracted to each other. Problem is, Vivian, through Charlie's interference, believes Herb is a doctor. Herb is actually a retired Gimbel's sales clerk, but is afraid to tell Vivian the truth because he doesn't want to disappoint her. Besides, Herb still stubbornly yearns for his deceased wife of 46 years, Susie.
Again, the plot is straight out of any "Love Boat" episode, but Matthau and Lemmon are consummate, confident pros who can squeeze laughs out of the most outlandish doings. Through both physical slapstick and quick and sharp dialogue, Matthau and Lemmon seem to be having a ball in "OTS" and therefore let us have fun, too. And yet, good comedies always have a core of emotion and pathos. Both Matthau and Lemmon have it in "OTS" and so we hope that they can rise above the sticky deceptions and white lies they have built and find love and fulfillment. Do they? Well, think about any "Love Boat" episode and how it turns out that Herb and Charlie aren't the only ones harboring secrets in the movie, not least Gil and his shameless flattering of ship owner Ellen Carruthers (Rue McClanahan) in order to secure a promotion, and rest assured that poetic justice comes into play.
P.S.: Although I have been on several cruises with several cruise lines, including Holland America, I have never been on the Westerdam. OTS showcases the ship well and I'm sure Holland America was grateful for the publicity. I would love to take a trip on the Westerdam someday.