Kotch (1971)

'Kotch' (Walter Matthau) is a doting grandfather who lives with his son 'Gerald' (Charles Aidman), his wife 'Wilma' (Felicia Farr) and their young son 'Duncan' (Donald Kowalski) whose antics are frequently the cause of his troubles. Meantime, his daughter-in-law hires the young 'Erica' (Deborah Winters) to do some childminding and of course, grandpa doesn't approve. It's whilst he is doing some illicit snooping of his own, he discovers that she and her boyfriend aren't being very discreet - but how can he alert 'Gerald' without admitting he was where he never ought to have been? 'Wilma' has had enough of her father-in-law and so reluctantly her husband decides it's time for the shared dining room and chintz curtains for his father, but 'Kotch' is no fool and managing to bamboozle the psychologist he decides that maybe it is time to take a trip of his own. It's on that journey that he encounters 'Erica' again, only now she is pregnant and down on her luck. He decides to rent a home and offer her his housekeeper's job and so the scene is now set for the two to share a home and some escapades as the arrival of baby 'Chris' looms large. There always was some screen magic between Matthau and Jack Lemmon, and with the latter this time behind the camera and Matthau perfecting the role of the shrewd old gent, this flows along amiably if not entirely convincingly for almost two hours. That said it's duration is probably it's biggest problem as though there are undoubtedly some comical and poignant scenes and it does raise issues around the compartmentalisation of the aged, it hasn't really enough by way of characterisation to sustain it. Matthau does work well with Winters, but aside from that there is a lot here that feels contrived and just a little cringmaking to watch. I felt the conclusion quite fitting, if a little sad, but left feeling just a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing.