Harry and Tonto (1974)

Director:

Paul Mazursky

Writers:

Paul Mazursky (written by) and
Josh Greenfeld (written by)

Release Date:

15 January 1975 (France)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Plot:

When his apartment building is torn down, a retired lifelong New Yorker goes on a cross country odyssey with his beloved cat Tonto.

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Teacher | New York City | Gas Station | Male Nudity

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Art Carney	...	Harry Coombes
René Enríquez	...	Jesús - Deli Manager
Herbert Berghof	...	Jacob Rivetowski
Michael McCleery	...	Mugger
Avon Long	...	Leroy
Rashel Novikoff	...	Mrs. Rothman
Philip Bruns	...	Burt Coombes (as Phil Bruns)
Cliff De Young	...	Burt Coombes Jr.
Josh Mostel	...	Norman Coombes (as Joshua Mostel)
Dolly Jonah	...	Elaine Coombes
Sybil Bowan	...	Old Landlady
Joe Madden	...	Panhandler
Bette Howard	...	Morgue Clerk
Patricia Fay	...	Airport Security Woman
Muriel Beerman	...	Taxi Driver

Runtime:

Canada:115 min | USA:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | West Germany:18 | Finland:S | Iceland:L | Sweden:Btl | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Batavia, Illinois, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The girl at the end building the sandcastle was played by the director's daughter, Jill Mazursky.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Tonto dies, Harry mentions that he died at 11 human years old, which is somewhat young for a cat. However, he also mentions that Tonto was 77 years old, which would be in dog years, since the cat-to-human ratio is five cat years to one human year. The dog-to-human ratio is seven dog years to one human year.

Quotes:

Shirley: I like you, Norman.
Norman: I like you too, Aunt Shirley, but I think you're a bitch.

Movie Connections:

References Isadora (1968)

Soundtrack:

Tea for Two

A man in search of a place in a world that has no need for him...

Harry is a man who has no place in the world; with his orange cat Tonto, his partner, they search for a place in the world that is changing. Through a repression, changing values, and rapid changing scenery, he sticks out like a sore thumb with his family, his friends, and people. He then is on a destination to Chicago to stay with his daughter, but after he's thrown off a plane, he travels on a bus, but when his cat won't go to the bathroom, he's thrown off the bus and is stranded and decides to drive. On the way to Chicago he has an adventure meeting different people, people that are symbols of the changing society and he learns to cope with them and tries to adapt, yet can't find his place in society. Harry must find a place in the world and he intends to find one. This is a heartbreaking, poignant and engrossing view into a man's life in old age. Art Carney gives an excellent performance of a man conflicted with changing society, and a man who must force himself to adapt whether he likes it or not. Will he ever find his place in the world? You have to watch to see.

*** out of **** stars.