Hopscotch (film)
Hopscotch is a 1980 American comedy spy film helmed by director Ronald Neame and featuring performances by Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston, Ned Beatty, and Herbert Lom. The script, penned by Bryan Forbes and Brian Garfield, draws its narrative from Garfield's 1975 novel.
The film's title alludes to the children's game "hopscotch," representing the main character's quest for a hard-to-catch goal while maneuvering through a complicated route.
For his portrayal, Matthau received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 38th Golden Globe Awards. The movie was issued on DVD by the Criterion Collection in 2002 and later underwent a 2K digital restoration for Blu-ray release in 2017.
Plot
During Munich's Oktoberfest, CIA operative Miles Kendig and his team successfully prevent a microfilm handoff. Upon returning to Washington, Kendig is reassigned to an office position by his superior, Myerson, as punishment for not apprehending Yaskov, the European head of the KGB. Kendig contends that displacing Yaskov would demand significant time and resources. His protégé Joe Cutter assumes Kendig’s previous field duties.
Rejecting this reassignment, Kendig destroys his personnel records and visits his former lover Isobel von Schönenberg in Salzburg. Yaskov approaches Kendig with an offer to defect; Kendig declines and resolves to write a memoir revealing CIA shortcomings. Concerned about possible repercussions, Isobel sends the first chapter anonymously to intelligence chiefs worldwide. Myerson orders Cutter to capture Kendig, while Yaskov also pursues him to safeguard KGB interests.
Kendig taunts those chasing him by releasing explosive chapters and providing updates on his whereabouts. Back in the United States, he rents Myerson’s family residence in Georgia and continues working on his manuscript. After he inadvertently reveals his location, the FBI storms Myerson’s home using tear gas and gunfire.
Kendig then flies via seaplane to Bermuda before heading to London to hand over the final chapter to his publisher. Yaskov alerts Cutter about Kendig’s presence in London. Kendig purchases and modifies a vintage biplane as part of an escape plan. Myerson confronts the publisher but soon discovers Kendig’s hotel location; pursuers find the concluding chapter there.
In his hotel room, Kendig captures Cutter and informs him of a planned flight over the English Channel departing near Beachy Head. Isobel slips past CIA guards and crosses the Channel by hovercraft to rendezvous with Kendig. On their way to the airstrip, Kendig is briefly detained by police but manages to flee after being recognized from a fugitive alert.
At the airfield, Kendig takes off in his biplane while being chased by Myerson’s helicopter. Although evading gunfire, the plane appears to be struck and explodes over the Channel—actually detonated remotely by Kendig from the ground. Myerson presumes Kendig has perished; Cutter comments that he had "better stay dead." Kendig discards the remote control device and escapes with Isobel to southern France.
Several months later, Kendig’s memoir Hopscotch becomes a worldwide bestseller. Disguised as a Sikh, he purchases a copy of his own book in Britain, much to Isobel’s frustration over his antics and frequent changes of appearance.
Film score
The soundtrack incorporates multiple compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, such as the aria "Non più andrai" from The Marriage of Figaro, the andante movement from Eine kleine Nachtmusik, the opening movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata No.11, K331, the Posthorn Serenade, K320, along with a Rondo for piano and orchestra in D, K382.
Director Neame disclosed that Matthau’s agent proposed integrating Mozart’s music to appeal to the actor, which simultaneously enriched Kendig’s character development. Composer and arranger Ian Fraser carefully chose appropriate Mozart excerpts, complemented by Matthau’s input to align the music with Kendig’s typing sequences.
Hermann Prey’s performance of "Non più andrai" accompanies the vintage biplane pursuit, metaphorically representing Myerson’s waning influence within the CIA. The aria "Largo al Factotum" from Rossini's The Barber of Seville is performed by Matthau at a border crossing, symbolizing his character’s brisk and agile nature.
During a forceful raid on Myerson’s wife’s residence, Kendig plays "Un bel dì, vedremo" from Puccini's Madame Butterfly, creating an ironic juxtaposition against the violent backdrop.
The closing credits feature "Once a Night" by Jackie English and Beverly Bremers, heard in the bar named "The Other End" during Matthau’s escape planning scene. This track achieved a peak position of number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 43 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Casting
In the DVD feature "Introduction by Neame & Garfield," Neame explains that Jewish actor Matthau declined to shoot scenes in Germany due to his family’s Holocaust history. Nonetheless, he was adamant about casting his son David and stepdaughter Lucy Saroyan. David Matthau took on the role of Ross, the CIA operative captured by Kendig, while Saroyan portrayed the pilot responsible for flying Kendig to Bermuda.
Neame did not anticipate securing Glenda Jackson, but since she had previously collaborated with Matthau on House Calls (1978), both welcomed the opportunity to work together once more.
Filming
Hopscotch was filmed across diverse locations in Europe and the United States, including London, Marseille, Bermuda, Washington, D.C., Savannah and Atlanta in Georgia, as well as Munich in what was then West Germany. Scenes set in Austria were shot at Mirabell Platz in Salzburg. The Oktoberfest sequences in Munich utilized eight hidden cameras positioned at the Munich Fairgrounds.
Financing
Funding was secured by IFI and the Landaus through investments from cinema chains, which later posed challenges during distribution. IFI attempted to attract capital from Goldcrest Films, similar to their involvement with The Howling and Escape from New York, but board member David Puttnam opposed this move. The movie earned $20 million at the box office, including $9 million in rentals; however, according to Avco-Embassy executive Jake Eberts, IFI did not realize profits from the production.
Differences between novel and film
Garfield’s initial screenplay maintained the novel’s darker tone; originally, Warren Beatty and Jane Fonda were considered for leading roles. Matthau consented to star only after Garfield revised the script to better suit his style. Both Matthau and Neame contributed heavily to script rewrites during filming. The AFI catalog highlights Matthau’s considerable involvement in pivotal scenes: notably, the conclusion where Kendig disguises himself as a Sikh to visit a bookstore, and a Salzburg restaurant scene that reveals character traits through dialogue rather than exposition. Although Matthau significantly influenced these elements, he did not request screen credit.
There are notable distinctions between the novel's ending and that of the film. In the book, Kendig fakes his death using a recovered corpse and destroys all manuscript copies to prevent publication. Conversely, the film portrays Kendig’s escape plane exploding over the English Channel, leaving no body found; his exposé is published successfully. Both versions include Cutter’s subtle acknowledgment that Kendig remains alive but expresses hope that he stays presumed dead. Additionally, the film introduces a romantic subplot involving Isobel, Kendig’s former lover, whereas in the novel, his romantic interest is a hired pilot symbolizing Kendig’s new life beyond espionage.
Reception
The New York Times reviewer Vincent Canby commended the movie as "a stylish, buoyant vehicle" featuring compelling performances from both Mr. Matthau and Miss Jackson, although he remarked on Jackson’s relatively brief appearance on screen.
Upon its release, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times characterized the film as "a picaresque comedy masquerading as a thriller," emphasizing Matthau’s captivating delivery of dialogue and the film’s deliberate, playful tempo.
Susan Doll of TCM observed that critical opinions differ depending on the critic's generation: older reviewers tend to value Matthau’s portrayal, the intelligent screenplay, and Neame’s directorial finesse, whereas modern audiences frequently critique its lightweight storyline and reduced action when compared to contemporary espionage films.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds an approval rating of 81% from 31 critic reviews, with consensus highlighting Matthau’s standout performance and the film’s humorous take on Cold War spy narratives.
Bruce Eder, writing for Criterion in 2002, described Hopscotch as "the sole 'feel-good' realistic spy film ever produced," praising its skillful blend of drama and satire during an era when spy movies usually conveyed bleakness.
The film premiered across 465 theaters, earning $2.55 million during its opening weekend and securing the top spot at the U.S. box office.
Walter Matthau earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of Miles Kendig.
External links
- Hopscotch essay by Bruce Eder at the Criterion Collection