I had ignored this movie initially, because I did not particularly like Art Carney in "Honeymooners" and I supposed I would be unable to separate characters. I was wrong. Harry is absolutely and unmistakably Harry, an old relic with some superannuated friends and a cat. From here on, I may cite some "spoilers", but I find that essentially all have already been remarked on: I just want to comment on what people seem not to have noticed.
First, notice his amazing resilience. He's past 70 and he has lost nearly every anchor of his life, his wife, his profession, his good friend, his lifelong home, everything but his cat. I happen to be very near Harry's age, and you young folks of 40 or so may not notice what a devastating combination this could have been. he might have moved in with his son's dysfunctional family, but he won't give in to that prospect. he might fly to chicago, but the nice folks from the TSA won't take his cat and he damn-well won't give him up. He might try taking the bus, but Tonto's basic cat-ness shuts out that possibility. I would have understood if Harry had given up at that point, got falling-down drunk and died at the side of the road. But he pushes on. He acquires an old used car that could have been the centerpiece of slapstick scene (but wasn't) and gains a 15 (or 16 or 18) year old girl as a traveling companion, admitting to her, as they settle into a motel for the night, "actually, I am a little uncomfortable with this." From the viewpoint of my age, that is an absolutely delicious line! Harry begins to shed years as he goes on: notice him insisting to his daughter that his young friend is not a ''loose woman". When he gives away his car, look closely and read his feelings for the girl. Again and again, we see his resilience and adaptability in this profoundly human quest-genre story. I found the ending at that broad Pacific beach very satisfying, though it left open the simplistic question "so what happened next?" Harry is a marvelous character, and the story told just as much about him as was needed, no less, no more. I came late to this movie, but I agree. Art Carney earned his award for thus gentle portrayal.
First, notice his amazing resilience. He's past 70 and he has lost nearly every anchor of his life, his wife, his profession, his good friend, his lifelong home, everything but his cat. I happen to be very near Harry's age, and you young folks of 40 or so may not notice what a devastating combination this could have been. he might have moved in with his son's dysfunctional family, but he won't give in to that prospect. he might fly to chicago, but the nice folks from the TSA won't take his cat and he damn-well won't give him up. He might try taking the bus, but Tonto's basic cat-ness shuts out that possibility. I would have understood if Harry had given up at that point, got falling-down drunk and died at the side of the road. But he pushes on. He acquires an old used car that could have been the centerpiece of slapstick scene (but wasn't) and gains a 15 (or 16 or 18) year old girl as a traveling companion, admitting to her, as they settle into a motel for the night, "actually, I am a little uncomfortable with this." From the viewpoint of my age, that is an absolutely delicious line! Harry begins to shed years as he goes on: notice him insisting to his daughter that his young friend is not a ''loose woman". When he gives away his car, look closely and read his feelings for the girl. Again and again, we see his resilience and adaptability in this profoundly human quest-genre story. I found the ending at that broad Pacific beach very satisfying, though it left open the simplistic question "so what happened next?" Harry is a marvelous character, and the story told just as much about him as was needed, no less, no more. I came late to this movie, but I agree. Art Carney earned his award for thus gentle portrayal.