Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Tymon Sutton The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Art Vandelay Walter Matthau must have been the world's No.1 box office draw in 1980 because I fail to see any other reason why this movie would get made. Granted, it doesn't insult my intelligence or wish I had stayed home instead of going to the movies, like most 21st-century movies do. But it's also one of the least-challenging films aimed, presumably, at adults that I've seen in a long time. It takes not a single chance with anything - photography, script, acting, comedy, drama. The only thing to recommend it would be the wonderful classical music soundtrack. That's thin gruel for two hours of watching.

SimonJack The plot for "Hopscotch" is very simple. One of the top CIA field agents is being sent to a desk job until retirement. Walter Matthau plays Miles Kendig. His boss is of the Ivy League set and doesn't like the way Miles works. Ned Beatty plays boss Myerson. We don't like him right away. He's a jerk, not as intelligent, and he swears and cusses a lot. Miles won't take it sitting down, and decides to go on the lamb. He destroys the CIA file on himself, and through work contacts arranges for a few new IDs – passports and all. Miles contacts a former colleague and girlfriend to help him with parts of his plan. He wants to get back together with Isobel (played by Glenda Jackson), who is a well-to-do widow now living in Switzerland. A couple of other main characters are Cutter, a CIA agent who Miles trained, and who is now in charge of trying to find him. Cutter likes Miles, and tells the boss that he will be a step ahead of them all the way. The other character of substance is a Soviet counterpart to Miles, whom Miles like and respects. Miles know how he thinks.. Herbert Lom plays Yaskov, who also likes and respects Miles. Most of the film is about Miles eluding the CIA who pursue him around the globe. He is writing his memoirs and sending them, a chapter at a time, to the CIA and its counterparts in Moscow, Peking, London and Rome. Myerson wants Miles "eliminated," and maybe the other intelligence groups do as well. But Miles finds a publisher in London, and his book becomes a best seller. As he sets in play each move, Miles stays a step ahead of his pursuers. Until the very end with its unusual but not very surprising ending. The film is based on a book by Brian Garfield. In an interview that came with my DVD of the movie, Garfield said he wanted to write a CIA story as an adventure and a comedy without the gore and killing. His screenplay kept to the book in that regard. He and Ronald Neame, director, talked about how Ned Beatty had to practice using his profanity because he wasn't that way in real life. That's the one thing that keeps this from being a movie for all ages. Another reviewer noted how the intrigue of the plot keeps one somewhat on edge for what comes next. We all pull for Miles and want him to succeed. The comedy isn't of the loud laughing type, but is dry and subtle at times with some humorous situations. It's an enjoyable film, but there's still something lacking about it. We don't see or know what Miles plans to do from one point to the next --- and there's a sense that he doesn't have a plan. He even says something to that effect at one point. Yet his every move seems so methodically planned out. He moves too smoothly and almost nonchalantly between stops. He visits a forger. He flies to Switzerland. He rents a car. He drives to see Isobel. He flies to London. He visits a man for a job there. He flies to Washington. He drives to South Carolina. He rents a house. He hires an oil truck. He hires a plane and pilot. He flies to Bermuda. He flies to London. He hires buys, rents and flies ad infinitum.The movie was shot in several locations – London, Munich, Salzburg, Atlanta and other locales. In the interview that came with my DVD, we learn that Matthau was cool on doing the filming portion in Germany. He is Jewish and lost several relatives who were killed by Nazi Germany during World War II. Ronald Neame explains how he got Matthau to come around. It involved giving parts in the film to some relatives. Mathau's son, David Matthau, plays CIA agent Ross. Lucy Saroyan, daughter of Matthau's second wife, plays the airline pilot, Carla. Both tested well for their parts, according to Neame, and he said he made their roles conditional on Matthau's agreeing to the filming in Munich during the annual Oktoberfest there. This movie was made at a time when Cold War spy and espionage films were highly popular. It broke away from the usual suspense and mayhem with killing and gruesome scenes. It offers a light comedic touch to the otherwise dark and often seedy world of espionage. It's not a great or complex film, but a light comedy that most adults should enjoy.

carbuff Maybe this isn't truly a ten, but I'm going with it, because I so badly wish they still made movies like this. An actual clever plot, no extraordinary malice or violence, and likable characters. Sure, this isn't Walter Matthau's strongest movie, but it is still solid and just leaves you feeling good in an uncomplicated way. Also, the chemistry between Matthau and Glenda Jackson works brilliantly and much of the movie is filmed i Europe. What's not to like? I don't have a lot more to add, except that if you are around 50 years or older, you might really enjoy this movie; however, if you are much younger, it may seem too slow and stilted, although I can vouch for the fact that that's really pretty much how life was back then. You young rapscallions probably wouldn't believe it anyhow that the world actually was a much nicer place not too long ago.

JoshuaDysart Completely ridiculous, though super endearing. We're asked to believe some serious absurdities, like that one can escape from an English country-side police station with a paper- clip, or that a handful of FBI agents, as opposed to a full swat team with aerial observation, would move in on a major CIA turncoat who's giving away national secrets and is holed up in a country house. But it does still manage to be a mock- solid satire of the intelligence game and the American perception of the CIA in the wake of the disillusioning 1970's. It's also a pretty engaging cat and mouse chase and of course, as always, Matthau gives us a hell of a likable central character to root for. If you dig real-world spy flicks and you don't mind rolling your eyes at a few logic burps, this is a really good time.