Walk Don’t Run (1966)

Directed by: Charles Walters | 114 minutes | comedy, romance | Actors: Cary Grant, Samantha Eggar, Jim Hutton, John Standing, Miiko Taka, Ted Hartley, Ben Astar, George Takei, Teru Shimada, Lois Kiuchi

Tokyo 1964. Industrialist Sir William Rutland arrived in Tokyo two days earlier than expected. The city is preparing for the Olympic Games and therefore not a single room is available in the hotel. In fact, all accommodation is occupied throughout the city. Rutland goes to the embassy to ask if they can arrange accommodation for him for those two nights. While duty officer Julius P. Haversack (John Standing) calls around to colleagues, Rutland spots an ad on the bulletin board to temporarily share an apartment in the crowded city.

Single Christine Easton is totally taken aback that a man responds to her ad instead of a woman she expected, but before she realizes what’s happening, Rutland has already moved into temporary residence. Afraid of the comment about the fact that as a woman she only shares an apartment with an older man, she doesn’t know how she feels when the next day Rutland offers Olympic athlete Steve Davis shelter in her apartment who, like him, has two days. arrived in town too early. Rutland then tries to match the two, but Christine is engaged to the rock-solid Julius P. Haversack and sees nothing in a itinerant life with Steve Davis. No matter how much she likes him.

Anyone who expects a slow-moving, elderly comedian on his return who still simmers on his good name in his last film role will be very disappointed. Cary Grant is incredibly good and witty in his role as an elderly matchmaker and once again displays an inimitable sense of timing that makes all the jokes sparkly. If he gave his lyrics just a little earlier or later, the magic would be gone, but now it hits every time. So handsome. And when it comes to facial expressions and jokes, he is unsurpassed as always. He gets the help of a good screenplay with running gags and, in addition to all the romance, also mild mockery and good dialogues. Also, the fact that he has to share an apartment with someone who has planned her morning minute by minute and exactly divided his and her time in the bathroom or kitchen into measured portions, is of course right up his alley. It makes watching the morning ritual in the bathroom and kitchen a joy. The fact that the other actors are equally engaging and witty completes the film.

A brilliant end to an impressive film career by one of the biggest actors on the silver screen. That you can still make people laugh out loud, even though you have had such a long career, and that you also generously give your fellow actors the space to shine, then you are very special. And that, of course, is Cary Grant.