Rating: 
Summary: walter matthau at his best.
Review: this has got to be one of walter matthau's funniest movies ever.
his wry sense of humour and on the mark timing are used to great effectiveness in this humourous story about a cia agent who finds out that his current boss-played by ned betty(another outstanding performance by him) has plans to retire him to a desk job.mr. matthau's character (miles kendig) has no intention of going down within a fight and decides to have a little fun before he goes out.he leads ned betty and the entire cia on a marvelous hopscotch from europe to america and back (hence the name of the movie).
another steller performance is played by glenda jackson who has worked with mr. matthau in a few other pictures and plays his love interest in this movie.the chemistry between these two is wonderful and i don't believe there is another actor around that could have brought off this part as well as she does.
all the acting in this movie is wonderful and the chemistry between the actors is outstanding. it's a great script and i think persons of my age can identify with the character played by mr. matthay if your getting older and sometimes wonder if you job and everyone around you somedays seem to be trying to retire you early(just alittle healthy paranoia everyone).
i'm so glad they put this out in dvd. you can get a vhs copy of this movie but its gotten so popular-especially after mr.matthaus death that the vhs copies are very expensive...
if you like walter matthau do notmiss this opportunity to own this movie.
Rating:
Summary: One of our favorite romantic comedies
Review: Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson -- not a pairing that springs immediately to mind, but one that works to produce a delightfully sharp, smart, funny film. Throw in Ned Beatty, Herbert Lom, and a very young Sam Waterston, and you have a real winner. Hopscotch is one of those movies that we just watch over and over again. Having gone through two or three copies of the tape, we're now getting the DVD.This is one of those movies that runs on pure wit. One of our favorite scenes is Matthau's engineering the destruction of the CIA director's country house -- by the CIA, and accompanied by the score of Madama Butterfly. As for the cast, Jackson is a perfect droll foil for Matthau's wild irreverence as he undertakes writing his memoirs -- a disclosure of CIA operations during his career as station head in Europe -- and then proceeds to release them, a chapter at a time, to all the major powers. Suddenly, everyone wants the memoirs -- and Matthau -- suppressed, with extreme prejudice. And the chase is on. If you're looking for fast action, gun battles, car chases, and Matrix-style special effects, look elsewhere. But if you want a smart, talky, brilliantly plotted and performed romantic thriller-comedy, Hopscotch is a sure bet. Well, I'd love to continue this review, but I'm getting a sudden urge to watch Hopscotch again, for the umpteenth time.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Movie - Ever
Review: Best romantic comedy and best movie ever in my book. You can't find smarter comedy and the natural chemistry between Matthau and Jackson. I'm from Minnesota and the Grumpy Old Men series, while great, isn't 1/10th as good as this movie. Lost in Translation is going to earn some Oscars and this didn't???? Well those who have seen Hopscotch once or, many times as I, know better. Matthau..." let see your's is gin and ginger ale"
Jackson " mine, was never gin & ginger ale, Montrachet 69' next to the beer". After Matthau looses a $135 to Jackson in a game of Gin R....
Jackson " you still owe me $135"
Matthau "want to take it out on trade?"
Jackson " what do you have that's worth $135?"
Matthau " Like antiques?" Simply the best ever..IMO Had to cast my vote... 6 Stars
Rating:
Summary: Smart, Stylish Comedy
Review: We saw this movie back in the early 1980's and loved it, but by the time we tried to get a copy, it had gone out of print. Many thanks to Criterion for releasing it on DVD! This film is superb, well-written and directed, with a cast of very gifted performers. The actors play their roles to the hilt and have a terrific chemistry onscreen. The plot is basic revenge, perpetrated on the CIA by one of its top operatives. Walter Matthau plays the amiable Kendig, a man who's served in the field for decades and is an excellent agent. He's smart yet still down-to-earth; his reputation among the underworld of spydom is the stuff of legends. Kendig is respected even by his enemies for his savvy decisions and sense of fair play, and his reluctance to resort to dirty tricks. His new boss, Meyerson (Ned Beatty) resents his underling's popularity and decides to neutralize Kendig's effectiveness by yanking him from the field and assigning him to a desk job as a file clerk. To say that Kendig despises his new boss would be a gross understatement. A switched file is shredded and Kendig vanishes, fleeing to Austria and his lover Isobel (Glenda Jackson). From there, he nurses his wounds and launches on his vengeance against Meyerson and the CIA by writing a book that reveals the agency's dirty tricks and botched missions. Meyerson is livid and assigns Joe Cutter (Sam Waterston) to put a stop to Kendig by any means necessary, especially assassination. Cutter admires Kendig and is torn by his personal feelings for the man and his desire to serve his country. The story then twists and turns as Kendig leads his former employers on a huge wild goose chase. He calls them from a phone booth right near the CIA headquarters, hides out in Meyerson's southern house---which is later demolished by the feds themselves---, and feeds chapters of the book to Meyerson to whip him into a frenzy of ineffectual rage. He plans on getting the entire book to a publisher, and his means for doing so and ensuring his own protection from future assassination attempts are ingenious. We are very happy that this movie was released to the public once again. Matthau is superb as a real man working in an unreal world of espionage. Herbert Lom is great for the role of his KGB counterpart, and Glenda Jackson is both tart and elegant as the enigmatic Isobel, who frankly adores Kendig. Ned Beatty plays the part of the oafish Meyerson to perfection, making the viewer hate him thoroughly. Waterston is in excellent form as the good-hearted and conflicted Cutter, and shows hints of his mildly acerbic wit that would come to fruition in his later role of McCoy. The supporting players are fine, too, and the plot is well-crafted and believable. The DVD is nicely done. There aren't many extras, but it's beautifully produced and does have a nice feature: an alternate soundtrack that deletes the foul language, so even kids can watch it with their parents. We are pleased with our investment, and highly recommend "Hopscotch" to anyone who enjoys a well-done and stylish comedy. It's also perfect for fans of Walter Matthau!
Rating: 
Summary: mature adventure/romance
Review: this is that rarety among movies in which the principles though older do not in any way become buffoon-like in their behaviour.
though there it has a comic flavor;it respects mr matthau and ms jackson.
the chase is so broad, that it runs like an adventure.this movie likes its characters for the most part (with one notable exception)
think spy vs. spy vs. spy with an 80's look.
Rating:
Summary: Light but loaded with comic charm
Review: Ned Beatty is a C.I.A. boss who is not as bright, or as honest, as he should be; Walter Matthau is a veteran C.I.A. agent who is brighter, more honest, and ready to tell all in a book that will be his retirement fund, or his swan-song if Beatty has his way. The C.I.A., under the unscrupulous Beatty, turns against Matthau, who deftly outwits them as they chase him from country to country. To add the romantic twist, Glenda Jackson plays Matthau's former girlfriend, who rejoins him to help him flee his unjust pursuers. This storyline could have been done seriously, a la John Grisham, but this film is pure spoof, pure chuckle, and pure charm, thanks to Matthau's bassett-hound-faced rogue-of-a-good-guy main character. Sit back, don't expect seriousness or complexity, and just smile.
Rating:
Summary: Hopscotch - A Classic
Review: A smart, fun comedy for grown-ups, especially for people who aren't afraid to buck the system and who know that James Bond is not a real spy.
Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST....rivals Casablanca!
Review: HOPSCOTCH is one of the best all-time flicks! Great characters, superb acting...Ned is F___ing Great! And of course, Walter is as versatile and charming as ever. See this movie!!!
Rating:
Summary: Hopscotch
Review: A light-hearted venture in trickery and deceipt, merrily leading the villin into flustration. Perhaps the publisher, Parker Westly summed this movie up when he said, "I'm afraid your friend Kendig has you well and truely by the short hairs!"
Rating:
Summary: Superb..what can I say
Review: Brilliant film, superbly moved to widescreen format. It's a credit to everyone involved in the conversion to DVD..
What has been said already I can't better. Hopscotch is a classic...probably the best money I've ever spent on a DVD. Buy it, watch it and enjoy. It can be watched dozens of times. I would rate video 5/5, audio 5/5
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