May 14, 2011
A comical caper from Jack Lemon and Walter Matthau, some great lines throughout, easy watching, a good oldie.
Jack Lemmon,
Walter Matthau,
Ron Rich,
Cliff Osmond,
Judi West
... see more 
The British title of Billy Wilder's classic comedy was Meet Whiplash Willie -- for, despite Jack Lemmon's star billing, the movie's driving force is Oscar-winning Walter Matthau as gloriously underhan... read more
DVD Release Date: March 6, 2001
Stats: 217 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (217)
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December 7, 2010Another great comedy from Wilder, this movie is hilarious, fun, and has a great cast. I highly recommend it.
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March 2, 2009The Fortune Cookie is a brilliant film, cynical and satirical and yet uplifting. Its protagonist (Jack Lemmon) is a cameraman, which allowed director Billy Wilder to insert all kinds of commentary on movie-making, as if he wasn't making comment enough on greed and the "everyone s... read more
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December 24, 2006Another likeable Matthau/Lemmon vehicle, but it lacks the resonance of Wilders best efforts.
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October 19, 2007Set in Cleveland, it's at a Browns game where Lemmon is injured. The first great pairing of Matthau and Lemmon.
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February 23, 2010The first film to pair Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, and their interaction is the best part of the film. Overall the film drags a bit, but there are some very funny moments that make it worth sitting through. The climactic moment where the secret is revealed is extremely enter... read more
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March 2, 2009One of the greatest comedies ever. Caught parts of it this Sunday. It sure stands up to repeat viewing. Excellent study to learn why today's popular comedies are so dreadful.
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February 17, 2008Another great Billy Wilder film, featuring the unforgettable team of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. This isn't his best work, but still a worthy comedy about an insurance-scam lawyer who tries to take advantage of his brother-in-laws recent injuries. Very well acted but I woul... read more
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November 26, 2006What a bitter comedy! Only the football player who accidentally injures Jack Lemmon shows any human feelings. His ex-wife is a cold-hearted bimbo and the Walter Matthau character cares only for money. That's all I remember about it.
Critic Reviews
August 15, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety
January 1, 2000
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Mr. Wilder's last film and a comedy of unrelieved vulgarity, but it has style and taste. Full Review
August 15, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide
A very funny film, this morality tale is a deft mixture of cynicism, wit and idealism as only writer-director Wilder could do it. Full Review
January 26, 2006
Time Out
The friction between the laughs and the cynicism generates more heat than most Hollywood comedies even aim at... Full Review
July 3, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Though not top-notch Billy Wilder, this cynical satire about an unscrupulous lawyer and a TV cameraman benefits from good acting by Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in their first screen teaming. Full Review
July 19, 2004
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Good, but probably Wilder's most overrated film.
May 24, 2003
Film4
The trio would move on to better things, but the comic chemistry was tangible from the start. Full Review
September 25, 2002
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
It's [the] performances that make The Fortune Cookie worth checking out, because the story itself isn't terribly interesting. Full Review
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The Fortune Cookie
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