Pete 'n' Tillie (1972) User Reviews

"The honeymoon's over. It's time to get married."

[jzappa · 7/10 · 24 February 2011]

The main accomplishment of Pete 'n' Tillie is the skill put into it for hitting the symmetry amongst the hilarious and the heartbreaking, between moments of earnest gravitas and other moments of priceless high comedy and even slapstick. What happens in the story is supposed to happen. Life's like that. In one go, Pete 'n' Tillie is an entertainment feat, with its high comic panache, its dexterity with bittersweet dramaturgy and its star turns for its two tremendously talented leads. The special thing about this movie is the way it merges those two tonal styles, with even more subtlety and naturalism than the films of later periods.

Indeed, this is a sharp, surprisingly heartfelt and charming movie of the early '70s, with a skillfully lasting and subdued tone of melancholy. Writer-producer Julius J. Epstein has seized hold of priceless dialogue and a theme of togetherness. The title characters are two sardonically mileage-developing San Francisco pragmatists who meet at a party and like one another virtually in spite of themselves. Owing to their age, they're seasoned enough to realize that "love without irritation is just lust." They get going, wed, raise a bright son and experience a paralyzing family predicament whose subtle, poignant handling is the most appreciable thing about this offbeat love story beholden to George Stevens' superior Penny Serenade.

It's a straightforward comedy that soaks up tragedy without an awkward wrinkle. This owes to the always subtle, sophisticated and refined direction of Martin Ritt, normally helming much less sentimental material, shrewdly of course. Then there is Geraldine Page, as Burnett's well-heeled friend, whose succinct, horrified charade at a police station and the subsequent catfight pack that beautiful release of laughter after a tragic peak. Like most great comics, Burnett, held in rein by a somber, down-to-earth story, is impressive, even in graver moments that feel as if the material was contrived to the point of bathos. Matthau has given more cumbersome performances but none more disarming since The Odd Couple.

Very good character study

[whytwolf · 7/10 · 10 August 2005]

Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett both portray characters who feel themselves unworthy, at least unworthy of love. The characters are very real, nuanced, and fully realized; I've known people like these! This is a movie that doesn't talk down to its audience, or the characters to each other. They're both intelligent and perceptive. For most of the movie they are willing to live with each other's weaknesses not out of deep love, but out of an awareness that they most likely can't do better. That this changes is one of the riches of the movie, but also one of the weaknesses - the ending seems a bit too nice to be true. But that's Hollywood. I enjoyed the movie.

Wise cracks galore in tragi-comedy

[mdm-11 · 7/10 · 2 June 2005]

Carol Burnett and Walter Matthau are middle aged singles at one of socialite Geraldine Paige's famous "parties". Seemingly inexperienced Burnett is unsure whether the wise-cracking and somewhat "obviously interested" Matthau is the real deal. Eventually they hit it off, get married, and have a son, whom they both adore. Time passes, Burnett learns that Matthau freely shares his sexual talents with other women, which he does not attempt to hide. When their school age son is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Burnett breaks down. The couple separates, all friends and acquaintances suggest Burnett get a divorce.

The ending may be somewhat predictable, but it's a much needed "up" from the depressing 20 minutes preceding it. The brief interlude with Burnett and Paige in a "cat fight" is another welcomed distraction from compounding dramatic scenes. Matthau's constant witty remarks become an expected staple, although he does show emotion about the loss of his son.

This is definitely an "adult film", although rated PG. Many issues about urban life and society in general are tackled. Pre-teens would certainly be confused and unable to make sense of some of the plot. Fans of the leads will enjoy this film

" Love without irritation is just lust. Not that there's anything wrong with lust!"

[TxMike · 8 December 2001]

SPOILERS - Ah, the old movies. Did we really dress like that in 1972? Yep. Men with long sideburns and fluffy haircuts, women with butt-tight bellbottom pants. In this movie Pete (Walter Matthau) is the womanizer married to Tillie (Carol Burnett)who just wants a normal, committed marriage. His take on sex and marriage, "The first week you do it every day, then the next week 3 times, then after that once a week until you're cured." He plays the piano, and in one scene he awakens Tillie early, and then we see Pete sitting there stark naked, playing "ragtime", the only tune he apparently knew.

Their young son develops a fatal disease, and when he dies they sort of drift apart. One of Tillie's friends encourage her to get a divorce, "I know lots of lawyers", they get into an interesting fight, water spray, garbage cans, and all. At the end Tillie tells Pete, "I finally figured that there's nothing wrong with you at all, you're just hopeless", and they walk off arm-in-arm, his hand on her butt.

This isn't a great movie, but a very good one. Matthau and Burnett are wonderful, and the whole story gets you to thinking about your own relationships. A film for mature audiences, because of the concepts. I rate it "7" of 10.

A nice and obscure film

[imbluzclooby · 6/10 · 17 December 2005]

Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett are Pete and Tillie. They meet each other in their middle aged years. Pete is a smarmy rogue who likes Tillie, but has a smug way of showing it. Tillie feels that he is a bit of a dog himself, but she knows that she can't get anyone better than him. The courting of their relationship takes up about half of the film with a few dry laughs. Matthau delivers his lines so naturally, you know that if he was to do drama, it could only be tragicomedy. Burnett does well in a serious role and has one cathartic scene as she curses God for the loss of her 9 year old son. She has a wild fight scene with Geraldine Page that's pretty humorous. Only a small part of this story is dedicated to their parenthood as they soon learn their son is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The son dies. Tillie mourns. Pete takes it just limp. Not much emotion is shown in his performance , which I felt was understated correctness. Pete and Tillie soon separate and divorce amicably. It seems sad, but it's simply a slice of life look at two ordinary people who really don't have much in common. I like the concept that these old 70's Hollywood movies had in that they don't stress that all leading couples have to be beautiful or even attractive. Burnett and Matthau had their own charisma, which was shown in their talent. This is not a great film, but it's worth a look for innocuous entertainment.

Possibly the greatest fight scene in Hollywood history

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 6/10 · 5 September 2019]

Carol Burnett and Geraldine Page battle in an all-out throw-down that, as far as I can tell, didn't involve stunt doubles. They get their purses swinging. Garbage cans. Garden hose. But the funniest part of the movie might be the scene immediately preceding the fight, where Page struggles to avoid disclosing her real age. Burnett, who was surely America's greatest TV comic of the 70s and adored by millions, plays it straight down the line. Classy move.

In fact, as a kid in the 70s who watched The Carol Burnett Show with my family pretty much every week, this movie was a revelation. Burnett avoids all of her usual broad mugging that made her so popular. Whether it's in a comic scene or a dramatic scene, she has the acting chops. Watch her face - she speaks no words - as she sits back into her chair after receiving some tragic news. Most ''serious" actresses would have overplayed that scene to the point of pathos.

Walter Matthau shows once again that he had few peers when it came to moving seamlessly from comedy to drama and back to comedy again, often in the same scene.

Rene Auberjonois shows up as the gay friend. I don't know whether that portrayal would be considered overly broad in these perilous times, but he had me convinced. His proposal scene is heart-breaking on so many levels. I mean, this is 1972 we're talking about. It's still a long way from members of the Rainbow crowd being considered among the cool kids, so to speak.

I'm not sure the movie is as good as the sum of its parts. But for the individual performances it's well worth watching.

Subtle, clever. Long live Matthau.

[rwklimek · 6/10 · 17 April 2002]

The dialog between Matthau and Carol Burnett is in itself worth the price of admission.

Watch Mathhau's delivery. Watch how he communicates his own appreciation for his lines -- his smug self-satisfaction almost makes us believe that he wrote this stuff himself.

Definitely not for Bruce Willis fans.

sad romance

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 19 February 2016]

Single thirty three year old Tillie Shlaine (Carol Burnett) in San Francisco is set on another blind date with Pete Seltzer (Walter Matthau) at a party. She's guarded and he's flirtatious. He talks his way into her life. They get married. He has affairs. Their son is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Jimmy Twitchell (Rene Auberjonois) is their gay friend. Gertrude Wilson (Geraldine Page) is her mother.

The relationship isn't that romantic. There are some jabs of humor but this is mostly a sad depressed tone. It's interesting to see Burnett play this suppressed cynical character. This isn't that far off for Matthau's normal range. It's difficult to feel for this couple. These actors aren't their exuberant acting persona. The movie never achieves happiness. The movie has a few minor humorous moments but it is almost entirely a downer. It makes for a tiring watch.

Star Power Drives A Film that's Not Sure What it wants to be...

[ijonesiii · 5/10 · 28 December 2005]

Time has not been kind to PETE-N-TILLE,a 1972 film starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. I remember seeing this film in the theaters when it was released and thinking how good it was, but as the years have worn on and I have seen this film several more times, it comes off as a muddled and confusing film that isn't sure if it wants to be a comedy or a drama. Matthau and Burnett play middle-aged singles who court, marry, have a child, and find their marriage tested by tragedy. The movie makes jarring switches from fall-down hilarity to soap opera tragedy in the blink of an eye and it's hard to keep track of what we are supposed to be feeling. Director Martin Ritt has also kept a tight rein on his two stars, making sure they never go over the top; however, I think this is to the film's detriment. There is one hysterically funny scene of a knock down drag out fight between Burnett and her best friend, played by Geraldine Page (who inexplicably received an Oscar nomination for this), but other than that, this is a muddled and confusing film barely watchable because of the natural charisma and legendary reputations of its stars.

Pete & Tillie are Unusual but Kind of Interesting

[daoldiges · 6/10 · 19 December 2023]

I've never really heard anything about Pete 'n' Tillie before but when I came across it and saw Carol Burnett and Walther Matthau I immediately wanted to check it out and see what it was all about. Even though I know Burnett mostly from her long running television sketch comedy show, I have to say that I feel she is wonderful as both a comedic and serious actress, with a style that is completely unique to her. Matthau of course is quite good as well. I almost didn't recognize Geraldine Paige at first but she is always solid as well. So the story starts off fine as we follow two understated, low-key type characters who seem to successfully navigate non-verbal communication well enough to decide to eventually get married. I would have said 'fall in love', which I'm sure in their own way they have, but yet it does still seem like a relationship based more on comfort and compatibility. Neither of them are great at expressing their emotions, although at one point Burnett does have a very emotional scene, in which she and her delivery are well dones, yet the scene itself seems random and at odds with everything else in the film. It's a quiet and interesting film that despite its shortcomings is still worth checking out.

If it's supposed to be serious, it gives us nothing to build on...

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 17 July 2001]

Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett as a married couple and it's not a comedy? I can't remember if "Pete 'n' Tillie" was advertised as such, but I can certainly believe word-of-mouth on this was bad. The film has a washed-out sense of 'realism' as two single people meet and marry, have a child, and soon face tragedy. It strives to give us sort of a day-to-day examination of married life in the suburbs, but first we need to fall in love with these characters and, despite the charisma of Matthau and Burnett, we don't. They are both brought down to scale (Burnett more fiercely than Matthau) and their comedic tics are mellowed out (Matthau plays a piano nude except for a hat, and it gets a laugh, but then it's back to business). There are colorful moments--and a surprisingly vicious/funny knock-down brawl between Burnett and Geraldine Page--but the script has nowhere to go, the possibilities far exceeding what we see on-screen. An interesting attempt, but perhaps filmmakers who live in Beverly Hills should stay out of the suburbs. ** from ****

One of my favourite film lines

[oyvay · 8/10 · 3 February 2006]

I'll treasure this movie for having given me of the my favourite lines, which I have used continually since first seeing this film... when on their first date... given a choice of beverages from Burnett, Matthau says 'whatever's the most trouble'.... that's pure Groucho... and of course the fight between Page and Burnett. A good woman on woman fight is rare in this type of film and the scene on the lawn with the hose is a gem,

I like to revisit this film every few years and still enjoy it immensely. Yeah, it degenerates to soap...too bad...if it hadn't this one might have been WAY up there in the ratings.

Domestic trials of two losers is uneven mixture of comedy and drama...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 4 October 2006]

Anyone not knowing what PETE 'N' TILLIE was about would think they were about to see a riotous comedy--and for at least half of the time they would be right, since the stars are WALTER MATTHAU and CAROL BURNETT.

The first half dealing with the meeting and dating of Pete and Tillie almost seems like a reprise of Matthau and Elaine May in THE NEW LEAF. Plenty of wisecracks. But then, they marry and things take a turn for the worse when their young son becomes ill from leukemia and passes on. Since Tillie takes it worse than Matthau, there's an emotional segment there for Burnett and she handles it well as a serious actress. GERALDINE PAGE has a nice cameo as the woman who gets them acquainted at one of her parties.

A few other things happen after they decide to divorce, but the viewers are left wondering whether they will or won't get together again. I won't tell you here, you have to find out for yourself.

It's better when it's striving for laughs but, on the whole, it's an uneven blend of comedy and drama that works most of the time.

DRAMA Tough, Real, Difficult.

[largeGROUCH · 17 June 2001]

There is humor. It's dry and not meant for belly laughs. It's about people who meet late in life and bring a child into the world. It demonstrates that life is difficult in a superficial world as this movie shows the pain that people feel in a modern America. We see how people can live together and never honestly come together as human beings.

Poorly written movie with unsympathetic characters

[joneslepidas-26457 · 3/10 · 4 January 2019]

This movie was a big disappointment. The writing was weak, and the script was neither funny nor touching. The acting of the leads was off, too. The relationship between Burnett and Matthau comes off as superficial; Matthau's character, in particular, displays no emotional depth, and his jokiness is annoying after the first few minutes. The two actors had no chemistry, and their onscreen pairing lacked warmth and sexiness. I'm a huge fan of Carol Burnett--and she tried hard here--but her character was weak. For most of the movie, she puts up with Matthau's philandering without confronting him, her anger buried under an overly prim exterior. Isn't this unrealistic? Burnett's character also comes off as selfish and mean; towards the end, she tries to embarrass her friend (played by the gifted actress Geraldine Page) when she attempts to force her to blurt out her age in public. There was no good reason for Burnett's character to do this to Page's character, and if she had been a REAL friend to her, she would have respected the other woman's decision to keep her real age a secret. I can't understand why other commenters found the "cat fight" between them funny; I found it violent, sexist ("proving" once again, that women can't be real friends to each other), and mean-spirited. I actually felt sorry for Page's character--who didn't do anything wrong; she insulted Burnett only after Burnett had tried to embarrass her--not Burnett's. And I really wanted to root for Carol Burnett! Martin Ritt also deserves some of the blame: he made lots of terrific dramas like "Norma Rae," but he was useless at directing drama-comedies like this one. Too bad this movie wasn't made by a master of the drama-comedy genre such as Billy Wilder ("The Apartnment") or Blake Edwards ("Breakfast at Tiffany's"). Both "The Apartment" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" have much better writing and acting, and both of them display the perfect balance between drama and comedy.

Terrible message

[HotToastyRag · 2/10 · 5 October 2023]

What was the point of Pete 'n' Tillie? Is it just a slice of life about two people who don't like each other and shouldn't get together, and then terrible things happen? I thought surely the audience would endure the lousy story to see some fantastic acting, or a poignant message, or a feeling of security in the romance that was meant to be. Instead, I merely wasted ninety minutes.

I don't happen to find Walter Matthau's classic shtick charming, or even amusing. If I'd been set up on a blind date with him, I probably wouldn't have made it to the entrée before getting an emergency phone call. Carol Burnett, on the other hand, not only agrees to go out with him again but develops a serious relationship with him. What is wrong with her? He's completely irritating, makes inappropriate jokes, never takes anything she says seriously, and doesn't even care about being monogamous. He goes weeks without calling her for another date, then shows up at her apartment assuming the right to take her to bed. Is her self esteem that low that she feels being with Walter is better than being alone? If this movie were a cautionary tale about how women settle for partners who only serve to tear them down, I would have appreciated it. Instead, you are supposed to root for them to get and stay together.

Geraldine Page earned another Oscar nomination in her comedic performance as a cooky neighbor who gets in a water fight and has to hide in shame when her wig gets knocked off. It's an easy role, one that anyone could have played, so I don't really see why such an accomplished dramatic actress was honored for it. Barry Nelson plays her husband, Rene Auberjonois plays an effeminate party guest, and Kent Smith and Whit Bissell play religious figures. I wouldn't honestly recommend this movie unless you think Walter Matthau's brand of humor makes him husband-material.

Terrific

[elision10 · 10/10 · 26 April 2020]

I'm surprised the reviews aren't more positive. For me the movie was extraordinarily touching. Perhaps it's the combination of Matthau and Burnett, two actors I love on their own and together are even better. I also liked that, even though it was San Francisco in the early Seventies, you didn't get a lot of cultural Zeitgeist or gratuitous mentions of Watergate (I think there was one Spiro Agnew joke). It's a sad, wry movie but ultimately extremely satisfying.

Suprisingly depressing and unpleasant.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 23 May 2022]

If you are depressed or have lost a child, then I suggest you do NOT watch "Pete 'n' Tillie". The film is not, as you might suspect, a comedy and it's incredibly difficult to watch later in the story.

The first portion of the film consists of the middle-aged Pete (Walter Matthau) and Tillie (Carol Burnett) meeting and falling in love. This portion has very strange dialog...but it very likable.

The second portion is depressing. Tillie learns that Pete is having affairs...though instead of telling him, she stays. But then, it gets SUPER-depressing. Their young son is diagnosed with cancer and soon dies...and the final portion of the film consists of watching Tillie being depressed and Pete chasing skirts.

This is a very unpleasant film. While I like Matthau and Burnett, the script just left me feeling uneasy...not just because the film was so gosh darn depressing but because it left me feeling rather indifferent towards the characters. It was just difficult to care much about them after a while and the film gave you little.

A poignant drama

[educetgirl · 30 July 2002]

Carol Burnett and Walter Matthau provide moving performances as a couple struggling through maintaining a marriage in the wake of a heart-wrenching tragedy. An ode to a more eloquent age, this film engrosses the viewers in a world of two people who did everything right, but end up with life turning horribly wrong. Carol Burnett and Walter Matthau are brilliant and a surprise for DS9 fans: there is a comical and touching performance by Rene Auberjonois (Odo).

Odd, Dull, But Not The Worst Ever Made Maybe

[ganapole · 1/10 · 3 September 2021]

Character study? Carol Burnett is a one-note bore who is so uninteresting to watch, it makes Matteau seem like Olivier. The Kid is fine, but, again, one-note. My sainted Geraldine page is absolutely wasted in this - they give her nothing to do and she does nothing with it. She must have needed the money as the script is a zero and her screen time is minimal- yet, she nabbed an Oscar nod because most actors revere her so highly, they'll nominate even this snore fest. She tries her best, but there's just nothing there.

The script is original, I'll give Epstein that, but it's unbelievable, silly, boring and yet, I stayed to see how bad it could get or maybe finally get better. There are a thousand better films to view before even consider this Vac-U-Form Void of a script.

A winner on my list

[pj-103 · 10/10 · 28 June 2006]

No, it's not a comedy, though there's some classic Matthau/Burnett wisecracking in the beginning, during the courtship. Once their son Robbie is born, life goes the course it often does in Peter de Vries novels (it's adapted from "Witch's Milk"), chronicling the ups and downs of suburban American life. There are some splendid turns by René Auberjonois and Geraldine Page. And check out Tillie's devastating undermining of Pete's shallow paramour over cocktails.

Spoiler: when their son Robbie comes down with terminal leukemia, the story takes somewhat predictable turns, morphing from what might at first have seemed a comedy into a reach-for-the-hankie melodrama.

I give it a ten, though, because of the performances and the mise-en-scène.

"He's A Pistol"

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 27 March 2018]

Pete 'n' Tillie may provide the most unromantic view of marriage ever put on the big screen. Two players best known for comedy roles, Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett play the title roles who are a pair of thirty somethings who kind of just fall into marriage because they don't want to end up alone.

They have a son played by Lee Harcourt Montgomery who is taken from them. The question is, can their marriage survive this unspeakable tragedy?

Matthau who does have a bit of wit an extension of his real persona in life gets by with it. He's a philanderer by nature, but he always comes home.

There is some moment of high drama in Pete 'n' Tillie especially coming from Burnett. When her son dies and her breakdown comes, you really do forget you are watching one of the great comic talents of the female gender ever.

Comedy however did get Geraldine Page an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, a very vain woman who was the original matchmaker for Matthau and Burnett. Burnett and Page square off after Page has a bad moment in a police station, the best female bout since Marlene Dietrich and Una Merkel went at each other in Destry Rides Again. Pete 'n' Tillie also got a nomination for best adapted screenplay.

There's also a very nice turn by Rene Auberjonois as a gay friend of Burnett's who offers her a different kind of marital arrangement with two people who do like each other.

After over 45 years Pete 'n' Tillie holds up very well. It should because the story is timeless.

Surprisingly good movie

[jaimegonzales210 · 10/10 · 26 May 2018]

I started this movie out of boredom and was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining it is. Matthow and Burnett are so smart-alecky perfect that their continuous banter didn't get old at all. An adult drinking incessantly in movies seemed so normal back then but would now be frowned upon. I had no idea Carol Burnett had ever made anything like this. I have luckily never had to date after my 20's, but I imagine adult dating in the 70's to be actually pretty close to what is portrayed in this movie. The first part of the movie is very light and funny. The middle gets pretty deep. They try to handle serious subject matter in a light hearted way but it doesn't always work. It is still worth watching as far as I am concerned. It was good enough to compel me to write this. Entertaining without being preachy.

Could have been better. Page is wasted!

[StreepFan126 · 28 February 2004]

I checked this movie out from the library, because it's a free video rental. I liked the three major actors in it, so I figured it couldn't be that bad. And it wasn't all that bad. It just could have used some editing. It was long in some parts and moved too fast it places where it shouldn't have.

Ironically, with two comic leads some of the more funny moments come with Geraldine Page, who was then the First Lady of the American Theater. She also had a fairly memorable film career in which she recieved 8 Oscar nominations, not winning untill the eighth try! She earned her fifth nomination for this film, but unfortunatly her character is wasted! She only has about four scenes, alothough memorable, the movie doesn't make the best use of her talents.

A favorite!

[barbie-13470 · 10/10 · 29 November 2023]

I loved this movie. It was real life, which can go in all directions. Two plain, ordinary people, never married, aging. Not much pretence, if any. Long past that. He is not a faithful husband, that happens in real life, but people don't always end their marriage., at least right away.

I thought the yelling at God coming from Carol Burnett was honest as could be, veryunexpected.

Loved their relationship with their son. He did a great job too! There was a closeness in spite of everything that alot of people don't have. I thought the friend she fought with was realistic and an annoying, bore of a friend we all recognize.