MovieChat Forums > Grumpy Old Men (1993) Discussion > What on earth does she see in either one...

What on earth does she see in either one of them?

posted 14 years ago by auburnsilverscreen
22 replies | jump to latest

Come on. She's attractive and energetic, interested and interesting, enthusiastic and funny. Neither Lemmon nor Matthau in this movie comes close to having even a particle of those qualities. They're grim, glum, hopeless, pessimistic, dull, and tired. They contribute nothing to their town. What is there in either one to attract a woman like her? I'm her age, or so; if either one exhibited even the tiniest spark of enthusiasm about life or living or community interest, I'd think otherwise -- they're not bad-looking men. But they have nothing to offer. Fishing doesn't count. I just don't get it. I'd love to have the attraction explained to me.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] auburnsilverscreen 14 years ago

But see, you may be tired but you're not dull, proved by your sly reference to Erasmus. You have a risque sense of humor. Lemmon's character, especially, has no sense of humor. Certainly nothing like yours.

Besides, I'm not questioning their interest in her, or their delight in her interest in them. I understand perfectly. I just don't understand why she's interested in these grumpy, humorless people.

[–] bhilburn 12 years ago

She had to. It was in the script!

[–] lroy77 12 years ago

One word...LUST. As my mother used to say, "There's no fart like an old fart". They were lonely and needed female, but I do not agree it has to end up as a sexual encounter. That goes for younger people too.

[–] pequaboy 12 years ago

I don't really see her character as being anything more than spice, adding fuel to the fire. Not saying that Ann-Margret didn't play a major factor, just that she was the [new] trophy of a lifelong feud.

"A naked American man stole my balloons".
An American Werewolf In London

[–] heyuactor 12 years ago

They (mis)cast her in the part and she played the part. It isn't exactly believable but hey, it's a comedy.

"Did you make coffee...? Make it!"--Cheyenne.

[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

Just as with teen comedies where the "nerdly teen" gets to make it with the hot cheerleader, this film spoke to the same idea but at a much older age. Surely there were old men in the audience who enjoyed fantasizing about late-age sex with a woman who looked like Ann-Margret at any age.

"On screen" in 1993, Old Jack Lemmon was still a fairly good looking man, even as Walter Matthau was not, anymore(by 1993 Matthau had reached a point where it was hard to LOOK at his wrinkled face when reminded of the younger Matthau, who at least had a pleasant, funny face.) The Ann-Margret character takes this into account, telling Matthau from the get-go "You and I will be FRIENDS" while "going after" Lemmon.

[–] Jane2005 12 years ago

AuburnSilverScreen,

I just have to pass on the advice of my 96 year old grandmother.....she was watching Something's Gotta Give with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. She said "Diane Keaton should've chose the young doctor!" (Keanue Reeves)

Why the beautiful Ann Margaret "settled" for either of her elderly, humorless neighbors is beyond me. She spiced up their lives, but what did either of them do for her??? And isn't that almost always the case? LOL.

-Jane

[–] MayoGalway 10 years ago

Gotta agree. Why would she settle for one of them. Ann-Margret looked great. One of my favorite Hollywood beauties along with Ingrid, Grace, and Sophia.

[–] TommyRob 9 years ago

I too could never understand what she saw in them, other than just friends and neighbors. For me, the fact that she actually got jiggy with Lemon made the movie very unrealistic. Yes, I know it's a movie, comedy, whatever, but that's my take on it.

[–] joe_538 9 years ago

She eccentric. She steals mail and makes her way into people's homes to use their bathrooms in the dead of night.

[–] fortunate1 9 years ago

attractive and energetic, interested and interesting, enthusiastic and funny

... and she lives in rural Minnesota. Whatever qualities you attribute to that character, ass, they can't ultimately negate the weirdness of her situation, and thus the possibility that she'd be drawn (weirdly) to one or the other of them -however repellent they are to you. As a New Yorker, I'm open to all fantastical plays from the heartland, this one included.

[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

..and perhaps the movie was aimed at an older MALE audience..so as to allow them to fantasize about landing a woman like Ann Margret(even at "that age") for sex.

Its done with movies about YOUNG male nerds and their YOUNG nubile female conquests, all the time. A sales technique for a niche audience.

PS. I could see Ann Margaret with Jack Lemmon, but in Grumpier Old Men...Sophia Loren with Walter Matthau as he looked a the time? No. On the other hand, Loren did marry Carlo Ponti, no looker, much older than her.

PPS. Though she dates him a little, A-M pretty early on tells Matthau that he will only be her "friend." I don't think she ever had any sexual interest in him, must Lemmon.

[–] bigbadwolf666 (4707) 4 years ago

I also thought the same thing but at that age women care a lot less about looks and more about money. Older guys who've worked their whole lives is easier to have money and the character portrayed was supposedly horny hot. So it could happen but it is also like the old milf who wants to settle down with a good old do gooder.

[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

I also thought the same thing but at that age women care a lot less about looks and more about money. Older guys who've worked their whole lives is easier to have money

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Yep. Security.

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and the character portrayed was supposedly horny hot.

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Ann Margret's character? I suppose so. Women who "like it" are a hot commodity at any age. She might have kept going with the Ossie Davis character, but he died. Jack Lemmon was the next guy along who was even close to good looking enough for bedtime frolic.

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So it could happen but it is also like the old milf who wants to settle down with a good old do gooder.

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After that many years of life, nobody would mind.

A shocking line: when Lemmon is about to have sex with A-M (in 1993)..he tells her that the last time he had sex was..in 1978! Shocking! I can't recall when his character's wife died, but whether or long time ago, or recently, not good.

[–] bigbadwolf666 (4707) 4 years ago

but it went with the ol' good dooer theme while she sort of teased them and they sort of fought for her and it was obvious she had been around the block. I think in this regard it sent totally a wrong message. Be a simp and get the slut. I know she was smoking hot but they made him want something serious with her and I dont think she was worth it.