...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
Grumpy Old Men
- 205 statements
- 39 feature instances
- 20 referencing feature instances
Grumpy Old Men | type |
TVTItem | |
Grumpy Old Men | label |
Grumpy Old Men | |
Grumpy Old Men | page |
GrumpyOldMen | |
Grumpy Old Men | comment |
Grumpy Old Men is a 1993 romantic comedy directed by Donald Petrie, starring the legendary comedy duo of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.It centers on two, well, grumpy old men, John Gustafson (Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Matthau) who've been neighbors for over 50 years and bickering for most of it, all the while ice fishing on the local lake and putting up with their kids (John's daughter Melanie, played by Daryl Hannah, and Max's son Jacob, played by Kevin Pollak) and John's nonagenarian father (Burgess Meredith). Then the pair's lives are turned upside down by a new neighbor named Ariel (Ann-Margret), and their old feud goes all out to try and win her hand.The film was successful enough to revive the Lemmon-Matthau team for a string of comedies in the mid-90s, including sequels to both this film and The Odd Couple, as well as The Grass Harp and their final collaboration Out to Sea.note Had Matthau not been too sick to work, their true final pair-up would have been the presidential comedy My Fellow Americans.Not to be confused with the British talk show of the same name. | |
Grumpy Old Men | fetched |
2023-05-31T22:29:22Z | |
Grumpy Old Men | parsed |
2023-05-31T22:29:22Z | |
Grumpy Old Men | processingComment |
Dropped link to AvertedTrope: Not a Feature - IGNORE | |
Grumpy Old Men | processingComment |
Dropped link to EllaFitzgerald: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
Grumpy Old Men | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_170705e4 | type |
Translation Matchmaking | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_170705e4 | comment |
Translation Matchmaking: In Israel, it became The Old and the Restless | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_170705e4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_170705e4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_170705e4 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_24321e44 | type |
Only Sane Man | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_24321e44 | comment |
Only Sane Man: Chuck, at least some of the time. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_24321e44 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_24321e44 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_24321e44 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_267ce120 | type |
Dirty Old Man | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_267ce120 | comment |
Dirty Old Man: Grandpa Gustafson had more Unusual Euphemisms for sex than your average Fark thread. In other words, when it comes to women and for an old man, he has an abnormally perverted obsession with sex, even revealed clearly just by his kinky remarks. The outtakes during the credits roll highlights this, with his using fictional Hawaiian islands as a means of seduction (e.g. "Imakindakinky") Also, his advice to John regarding Ariel: | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_267ce120 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_267ce120 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_267ce120 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_280333d4 | type |
Hollywood Heart Attack | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_280333d4 | comment |
Hollywood Heart Attack: John has one to start out the third act, outside in the snow, all alone. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_280333d4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_280333d4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_280333d4 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_2be15316 | type |
Ambiguously Jewish | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_2be15316 | comment |
Ambiguously Jewish: It's never explicitly stated that Max is Jewish, but Goldman is a common Jewish name, and he occasionally peppers his speech with Yiddish words. Though he celebrates Christmas, which adds to the confusion (mind, someone being ethnically Jewish doesn't automatically mean they practice Judaism). | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_2be15316 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_2be15316 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_2be15316 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_319a6fd7 | type |
Passed in Their Sleep | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_319a6fd7 | comment |
Passed in Their Sleep: A few days after a date with the newly arrived Ariel, Chuck dies peacefully in his sleep. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_319a6fd7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_319a6fd7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_319a6fd7 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_31da1e24 | type |
Shipper on Deck | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_31da1e24 | comment |
Shipper on Deck: As much as he fights with Max, John seems perfectly okay with the idea of Max's son liking his (John's) daughter. Although that might just be because he hates Melanie's estranged husband, and knows that Jacob is a genuinely nice guy. Max is doing the same thing to Jacob about Melanie. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_31da1e24 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_31da1e24 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_31da1e24 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_46290b93 | type |
Manic Pixie Dream Girl | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_46290b93 | comment |
Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Ariel. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_46290b93 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_46290b93 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_46290b93 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_50b05d30 | type |
Disproportionate Retribution | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_50b05d30 | comment |
Disproportionate Retribution: Max destroys John's ice shanty because he thought John was stealing Ariel away from him like he did with May (who John says was no good for him anyway). | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_50b05d30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_50b05d30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_50b05d30 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_51561f43 | type |
Hurricane of Euphemisms | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_51561f43 | comment |
Hurricane of Euphemisms: The outtakes feature take after take of Burgess Meredith making different euphemisms for Chuck getting some action. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_51561f43 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_51561f43 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_51561f43 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_53c3fa83 | type |
Granola Girl | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_53c3fa83 | comment |
Granola Girl: Ariel, who replaced her TV's screen with a fishbowl and used to teach art at Berkeley. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_53c3fa83 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_53c3fa83 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_53c3fa83 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_582564f5 | type |
The Gadfly | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_582564f5 | comment |
The Gadfly: Both of them engage in trolling each other, but Max especially delights in getting a rise out of people in general. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_582564f5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_582564f5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_582564f5 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_6b2b3b59 | type |
The Reveal | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_6b2b3b59 | comment |
The Reveal: John has a heart attack and is very weak in the hospital talking to Ariel. That's the last we see of him, up until the end, where Jake, Max, and John's dad talk reverently about him outside of a church, leading the viewer to believe that he's dead. But then they pull off their coats inside to reveal tuxes; what the viewer believes is John's funeral is actually his wedding to Ariel. Also a Shock-and-Switch Ending. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_6b2b3b59 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_6b2b3b59 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_6b2b3b59 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7886d4d0 | type |
December–December Romance | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7886d4d0 | comment |
December–December Romance: While Jack Lemmon had 16 years on Ann-Margret, and she is very well preserved, Ariel is past middle age and John is retired. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7886d4d0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7886d4d0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7886d4d0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7e499910 | type |
Obligatory Joke | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7e499910 | comment |
Another standout example is the "getting-spruced-up" montage after John and Max both decide to pursue Ariel in earnest. Along with lots and lots of plaid, we get treated to the sight of Max scouring himself in the bathtub and literally spit-shining his shoes... to the strains of "I'm Too Sexy." | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7e499910 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7e499910 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_7e499910 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_8b4f491c | type |
Villainy-Free Villain | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_8b4f491c | comment |
Villainy-Free Villain: Snyder of the IRS is just doing his job, trying to collect back taxes that John owes. And (off-screen) he is actually fairly reasonable— Jacob talks him into waiving the late fees if the original amount owed is paid. Doesn't stop Max from insulting him and playing a few hilarious practical jokes on him. Snyder still seems to take great delight in harassing John, when even he admits that John's tax trouble isn't technically his fault. John's constant evading him probably had a lot to do with it. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_8b4f491c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_8b4f491c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_8b4f491c | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_917bed8a | type |
Minnesota Nice | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_917bed8a | comment |
Minnesota Nice: Averted, with the titular duo spending all of their time insulting each other and pulling cruel pranks at one another's expense. Or maybe just played with, as by the end they're shown to be Vitriolic Best Buds. The concept is skewered when Mike (Melanie's estranged husband) comes over to the Gustafson house. John hates his guts and reads him the riot act, but still offers him a beer when he asks for one. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_917bed8a | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_917bed8a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_917bed8a | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_94d7b230 | type |
Cut a Slice, Take the Rest | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_94d7b230 | comment |
Cut a Slice, Take the Rest: Variant - John brings beer to his dad at his ice shanty. John takes one can out of the six pack and offers it to Grandpa. Grandpa in turn takes the rest of six-pack inside and shuts the door, leaving John with only a single can of beer. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_94d7b230 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_94d7b230 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_94d7b230 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_95c2a9dd | type |
Outliving One's Offspring | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_95c2a9dd | comment |
Outliving One's Offspring: John had another son named Brian, who was killed in the Vietnam war. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_95c2a9dd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_95c2a9dd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_95c2a9dd | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d12bbc1 | type |
Foreshadowing | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d12bbc1 | comment |
Foreshadowing: At the beginning of the movie, the two talk about what are comfortable ways to die. John comments that strokes are terrible and he'd rather have a cardiac arrest any day. Guess what happens towards the end of the movie. He lives through it, however. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d12bbc1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d12bbc1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d12bbc1 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d5a2cdf | type |
Intimidating Revenue Service | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d5a2cdf | comment |
Intimidating Revenue Service: The subplot involves the IRS repossessing John's house to pay back taxes. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d5a2cdf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d5a2cdf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9d5a2cdf | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9df812ad | type |
Tiny Guy, Huge Girl | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9df812ad | comment |
Tiny Guy, Huge Girl: 5'5" Kevin Pollak gets together with 5'10" Darryl Hannah. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9df812ad | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9df812ad | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_9df812ad | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a1154544 | type |
Grumpy Old Man | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a1154544 | comment |
Grumpy Old Man: Many of them, naturally. Max and John are the main ones, but there's also Chuck and John's father. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a1154544 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a1154544 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a1154544 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a3c6c2b7 | type |
"Facing the Bullets" One-Liner | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a3c6c2b7 | comment |
"Facing the Bullets" One-Liner: Okay, so it's a heart attack and he ends up surviving, but it still counts. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a3c6c2b7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a3c6c2b7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a3c6c2b7 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a4c37cbe | type |
Mood Whiplash | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a4c37cbe | comment |
Mood Whiplash: Does a serious turn when Chuck dies. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a4c37cbe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a4c37cbe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_a4c37cbe | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_abad35b4 | type |
Soundtrack Dissonance | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_abad35b4 | comment |
Soundtrack Dissonance: Several examples, but the crowning one has to be a cheery little polka number going on after Max loses his beloved Green Hornet fishing pole under the ice, and searches despondently (and hopelessly) for it. Naturally, John later fishes it up and anonymously returns it to him. Another standout example is the "getting-spruced-up" montage after John and Max both decide to pursue Ariel in earnest. Along with lots and lots of plaid, we get treated to the sight of Max scouring himself in the bathtub and literally spit-shining his shoes... to the strains of "I'm Too Sexy." Irving Berlin's "Heat Wave" crops up several times: Ella Fitzgerald's rendition plays over the (quite snowy) opening credits, but the characters sing a few lines in later scenes. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_abad35b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_abad35b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_abad35b4 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_bf74d357 | type |
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_bf74d357 | comment |
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Max and his first wife, Amy. John pokes fun at Max for being ugly and says that Jacob was lucky to inherit his mom's looks rather than his dad's, otherwise he wouldn't be on the ballot for Mayor. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_bf74d357 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_bf74d357 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_bf74d357 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_c7839568 | type |
Nice Jewish Boy | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_c7839568 | comment |
Nice Jewish Boy: Max's son Jacob is this trope, he is running for Mayor and the Straight Man to his father regarding the pranks that Max and John pull on one another, and is quite the stand up guy. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_c7839568 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_c7839568 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_c7839568 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_cbf5c04 | type |
Insult of Endearment | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_cbf5c04 | comment |
Insult of Endearment: Eventually. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_cbf5c04 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_cbf5c04 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_cbf5c04 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d45c0b86 | type |
Refuge in Audacity | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d45c0b86 | comment |
Refuge in Audacity: Ariel introduces herself to John in this way, stealing his mail, inviting herself over to his place, all to find out more about him. She gets away with it because she's gorgeous. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d45c0b86 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d45c0b86 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d45c0b86 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d7fc9fd0 | type |
Vitriolic Best Buds | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d7fc9fd0 | comment |
Vitriolic Best Buds: Despite their incessant jabs at each other, John and Max are actually really old friends. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d7fc9fd0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d7fc9fd0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d7fc9fd0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d848560f | type |
Unusual Euphemism | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d848560f | comment |
Grandpa Gustafson had more Unusual Euphemisms for sex than your average Fark thread. In other words, when it comes to women and for an old man, he has an abnormally perverted obsession with sex, even revealed clearly just by his kinky remarks. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d848560f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d848560f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_d848560f | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e18a3c59 | type |
Hilarious Outtakes | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e18a3c59 | comment |
Hilarious Outtakes: The first film has an epic blooper reel before the credits, including a great stinger: | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e18a3c59 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e18a3c59 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e18a3c59 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e9e35e8f | type |
Exact Words | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e9e35e8f | comment |
Exact Words: John kisses Ariel after a nice evening at his house, surprising her and himself. She backs off and says it's time for bed, then heads for the door. After berating himself ("Dumb, dumb, dumb.") he follows her to apologize: | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e9e35e8f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e9e35e8f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_e9e35e8f | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ee7fca3d | type |
Silver Fox | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ee7fca3d | comment |
Silver Fox: Ariel is played by Ann-Margret, who was a very attractive 52 at the time. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ee7fca3d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ee7fca3d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ee7fca3d | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_fe0330fb | type |
Brick Joke | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_fe0330fb | comment |
Brick Joke: The dead fish in Max's truck. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_fe0330fb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_fe0330fb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_fe0330fb | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_feaf5424 | type |
You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_feaf5424 | comment |
You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: Max calls John by his surname through the whole film. The only time he calls him John is at the climax when he sees John in the snow having a heart attack. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_feaf5424 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_feaf5424 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_feaf5424 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ff16efbf | type |
Heroes Want Redheads | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ff16efbf | comment |
Heroes Want Redheads: Both Max and John are immediately taken with the redheaded newcomer Ariel. | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ff16efbf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ff16efbf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_ff16efbf | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_name | comment |
||
Grumpy Old Men / int_name | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_name | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Grumpy Old Men | hasFeature |
Grumpy Old Men / int_name | |
Grumpy Old Men / int_name | itemName |
Grumpy Old Men |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.