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:

Harry is a retired teacher in his seventies living in an area of New York City where he & his deceased wife raised his children...

Plot Keywords:

Mugging | Vow Of Silence | Runaway Teen | Native American | Hat

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
Louis Guss	...	Dominic Santosi
Clint Young	...	Greyhound Bus Driver
Cliff Norton	...	Nick Lewis - Used Car Dealer
Melanie Mayron	...	Ginger
Michael Butler	...	Hitchhiker
Letitia Toole	...	Wrong Jessie Stone
W. Benson Terry	...	Mr. Stone
Gregg Harris	...	Mr. Stone's Grandson
Mike Nussbaum	...	Old Age Home Clerk
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Jessie Stone
Ellen Burstyn	...	Shirley Mallard
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Wade Carlton
Barbara Rhoades	...	Stephanie
Philip Roth	...	Vegas Gambler (as Phil Roth)
Chief Dan George	...	Sam Two Feathers
Larry Hagman	...	Eddie Coombes
Andre Philippe	...	Chess Player
Anatol Winogradoff	...	Anatol
Sally Marr	...	Celia
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alex Colon	...	Man in Airport (uncredited)
Paul Mazursky	...	Gay Hustler on Hollywood Boulevard (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Mazursky

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

Produced by
Paul Mazursky	....	producer

Original Music by
Bill Conti

Cinematography by
Michael C. Butler

Film Editing by
Richard Halsey

Art Direction by
Ted Haworth

Set Decoration by
John Godfrey

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Bob O'Bradovich	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jere Henshaw	....	executive in charge of production
Art Levinson	....	production manager (as Arthur Levinson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Ray	....	assistant director (as Tony Ray)

Sound Department
John Speak	....	sound mixer

Music Department
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Other crew
Sioux Richards	....	script supervisor
June Samson	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox-Lira (1975) (France) (theatrical)

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

Filming Locations:

Batavia, Illinois, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Pieces of liver were placed around Art Carney in order to attract the cats who played Tonto into cuddling with Carney in pivotal scenes.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Harry gets off the Chicago bus, he asks the driver to get out his bag: a "little brown job." The driver pulls out a blue suitcase and asks Harry if this is the one. Harry replies yes without really looking. When the bus drives off, we see Harry's actual brown suitcase has been left at the roadside.

Quotes:

Harry: You never really feel somebody's suffering; you only feel their death.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Louise

I will forever remember Art Carney as Harry (I've never seen "The Honeymooners", and there's apparently no reason to see it).

Road movies always make for interesting stories, including "Harry and Tonto". In a role that won him Best Actor, Art Carney plays retired New Yorker Harry Coombes, who decides to go on a cross-country tour with his cat Tonto. Harry not only visits his son and daughter (Larry Hagman and Ellen Burstyn, respectively), but also manages to live life to its fullest, come what may.

Among other things, this movie shows that regardless of what we may assume, old folks still have it even at their age. I guess that when I'm as old as Harry, I'll have to go on a cross-country tour. Who knows what there is out there.