Hopscotch

by Bluerose

Once upon a time, there were two super-powers that were friendly enemies. They had lots and lots of secrets that they tried very hard to keep from each other. In order to keep their secrets, each used a secret �keeping agency. One agency was called the CIA and the other agency was called the KGB. Unfortunately, neither agency was very good at keeping secrets�

In an off-beat way, the whole movie, Hopscotch, is about secrets, keeping and not keeping them, friendships, both sanctioned and unsanctioned, And wonderfully, glorious, go-for-the-gut, revenge. The action starts innocently enough. Opening scenes of the movie take place at Oktoberfest in Germany. Our hero, CIA agent Kendig [beautifully underplayed by Walter Matthau], has closed down a KGB operation headed by an old friend of his, Yaskov [Herbert Lom]. His mission complete, Kendig waves good-bye to his comrade, and returns to the good ol� US of A. He is met at the airport by OUR MAN, JOE CUTTER [Sam Waterston�SURPRISE!!] who accompanies him to CIA headquarters. Kendig doesn�t expect accolades for just doing his job, but he also doesn�t expect to meet the enemy on his home turf. And what an enema�! Myerson [played to perfection by Ned Beatty], an anal-retentive,pain-in-the-ass [last three puns intentional] has just been assigned to head Kendig�s division, and he is NOT happy that Kendig let Yaskov go free. He has decided that Kendig is too old to deal with the field [even though he, himself, has never been a field agent] and he benches Kendig behind a desk until retirement. He also appoints OUR MAN CUTTER as Kendig�s replacement. Kendig decides he has other plans. In a move that would make Patrick McGoohan proud, he shreds his official file and takes off for parts unknown. He enlists the assistance of an ex-lover, Isobel von Schmidt[Glenda Jackson], and crashes at her mansion for a while. News travels fast, and KGB chief Yaskov offers him a position as an agent for them, as the US seems to be throwing him away. Kendig says, �nyet.� Yaskov laughingly asks what he intends to do, write his memoirs? And the light dawns in our hero�s face�

The remainder of the movie deals with the execution of Kendig�s plan of revenge. He is writing his memoirs�ALL of his truth-be-told, no-holds-barred, tell-it-like-it-is memoirs. He is generous with sharing each chapter as it is written�with us, with them and with every other spy agency, large and small. He is also sharing it with a printing house for publication. Myerson reaches the obvious conclusion�KENDIG MUST DIE!!!

This movie is as close to perfect as one can get. The characters ring true. This is a very funny, thinking man�s movie, there is plenty of action and suspense, and the charming family scene of OUR MAN CUTTER being tied to a chair [inspires one to keep ties around the house, just in case.]. When Matthau ruffles Waterston�s hair, one cannot help but be jealous, and dream that a similar situation may someday present itself. And when Matthau says: "I�m proud of you, Joe," one cannot help but feel "yeah, me, too, Joe!

If you are looking for a fun, light and intelligent movie�this should be one of your top picks.