The Out-of-Towners (1970) The Out-of-Towners (1970)

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The Out-of-Towners is a 1970 American comedy directed by Arthur Hiller, from an original screenplay by Neil Simon — Simon's only original screenplay not adapted from one of his own stage plays. It stars Jack Lemmon as George Kellerman, a mid-level Ohio plastics-company executive who flies to New York City for a final job interview, with Sandy Dennis as his wife Gwen. The film is a single Murphy's-Law gauntlet: over roughly twenty-four hours the city methodically dismantles the Kellermans' itinerary — diverted plane, lost luggage, lost dinner reservation, no hotel room, mugged in Central Park, garbage strike, transit strike, stuck elevator, pursued by a dog, briefly held at gunpoint, soaked by rain — until the morning interview at last arrives.

Cinematography is by Andrew Laszlo; the score is by Quincy Jones. The film was released by Paramount Pictures in May 1970. (imdb)

Cast

Production

Themes

  • Murphy's Law as urban experience
  • The system vs. the city — documentation, reservations, plans against improvised adversarial encounters
  • The out-of-towner's stance — outrage, rectitude, the threat to file complaints and write letters

See also