Summary
TV cameraman Harry Hinkle is injured while filming a football game. Seeing big dollar signs, his unscrupulous ambulance-chasing lawyer brother-in-law Willie Gingrich enters the picture, and convinces Harry to overstate his injuries and claim $1 million in pain and suffering. Harry's similarly-minded ex-wife suddenly reappears in an attempt to rekindle their relationship.
Good for
- Friends night
- Teens
- Pure escapism
Where to watch
Fingerprint
At a glance
Critics vs audiences
Critics a little warmer than audiences (+5)
Critics 80Audiences 75GoodWatch 77
Tomatometer96%
Metascore63
Audience score80%
User score7.4
IMDb7.2
Letterboxd · 16 K ratings3.6/5
Box office
1.8×its budget
- Budget
- $4 M
- Worldwide
- $7 M
Worldwide it earned $3 M more than it cost.
Running time
2 h 5 min
Longer than most comedies, +25 min on the typical 100
typical 100125Half of all comedies run 91–111 min.
Reach
Streams in 13 countries, rent or buy in 3 more
+3Released
1966
October 19, 1966
60 years ago
Genre
ComedyLanguage
English
Original language
Made in
- United States
Academy Awards1967
- Actor in a Supporting Role1967Won
- Best Art Direction, Black and White1967Nominated
- Writing (Original Screenplay)1967Nominated
- Best Cinematography, Black-and-White1967Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards1967
- Best Written Comedy1967Nominated
Rated
- NRUnited States
What's in it
- ViolenceMild
- Gore, disturbing imagesLittle or none
- Frightening scenesLittle or none
- Sex, nudityLittle or none
- Dark themesModerate
Levels from the title analysis.
Viewing guide
AdultsFriends NightPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensPure EscapismThought-ProvokingNot listed for kids or family movie night.
and 24 more40 people
- Jack LemmonHarry Hinkle
- Walter MatthauWillie Gingrich
- Ron RichBoom Boom Jackson
- Judi WestSandy Hinkle
- Cliff OsmondPurkey
- Lurene TuttleMother Hinkle
- Harry HolcombeO'Brien
- Les TremayneThompson
Marge RedmondCharlotte Gingrich
Ann ShoemakerSister Veronica
Ned GlassDoc Schindler
Archie MooreMr. Jackson
Howard McNearMr. Cimoli- HDHarry DavisDr. Krugman
- LGLauren GilbertKincaid
Sig RumanProfessor Winterhalter
Noam PitlikMax- MDMaryesther DenverNurse
Judy PaceElvira
Helen KleebLaw Firm Switchboard Operator and Receptionist
Bartlett RobinsonSpecialist #1
Ben WrightDoctor
Dody HeathNun (as Dodie Heath)
William ChristopherInterne (as Bill Christopher)
Directing · 1
- Billy Wilder Director, Writer, Producer
Writing · 1
- I. A. L. Diamond Writer, Producer
Production · 2
- Doane Harrison Producer
- Lynn Stalmaster Casting
Camera · 1
- Joseph LaShelle Director of Photography
Editing · 1
- Daniel Mandell Editor
Sound · 2
- André Previn Original Music Composer
- Robert Martin Sound Designer
Art · 2
- Edward G. Boyle Set Decoration
- Robert Luthardt Art Direction
Other crew · 1
- Roy Jenson Stunts
Tropes
More like this
Similar
Most like The Fortune Cookie overall
Nearest on the related map: closest in everything it does to you, not one trait
- Irma la Douce (1963)
GoodWatch score 71 - Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
GoodWatch score 91 - He Got Game (1998)
GoodWatch score 67 - 8 Women (2002)
GoodWatch score 71 - I Vitelloni (1953)
GoodWatch score 86 - The Taming of the Shrew (1967)
GoodWatch score 75 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
GoodWatch score 72 - Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958)
GoodWatch score 85 - Jolly LLB 2 (2017)
GoodWatch score 71 - East Is East (1999)
GoodWatch score 72 - The Out-of-Towners (1970)
GoodWatch score 70 - The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)
GoodWatch score 67 - Valmont (1989)
GoodWatch score 60 - Divorce Italian Style (1961)
GoodWatch score 91 - Wicked Little Letters (2024)
GoodWatch score 70 - Trophy Wife (2010)
GoodWatch score 69
Same genre
More comedy movies
- Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)
GoodWatch score 79 - Shrek (2001)
GoodWatch score 84 - The Big Short (2015)
GoodWatch score 79 - The Princess Bride (1987)
GoodWatch score 79 - The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
GoodWatch score 79 - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
GoodWatch score 63 - Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
GoodWatch score 69 - The Sting (1973)
GoodWatch score 82