Buddy Buddy (1981): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Buddy Buddy is a 1981 crime comedy directed by Billy Wilder, starring Walter Matthau as Trabucco, Fil Formicola and Jack Lemmon. It runs 1 hour 36 minutes and earned $7.3 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 36m (96 min)
- Director
- Billy Wilder
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Buddy Buddy About?
The premise of Buddy Buddy without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
The iconic duo returns as the story unfolds. During a high‑profile Mafia testimony, a contract killer checks into a hotel across from the courthouse and discovers his next‑door neighbor—a depressed man struggling with marital problems and suicidal thoughts—living beside him. Their lives intersect, leading to an unlikely partnership.
Buddy Buddy Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- remake of european film
- american remake
- literature on screen
- hired killer
- killer
- hotel room
- hotel
- island
- remake
- hitman
- champagne
- repetition in title
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- american remake of european film
- american remake of french film
- french literature on screen
- european literature on screen
- hysterical man
- suicidal man
- attempted suicide
- disguise
- disguised as a policeman
- failed expectation
- comedy of manners
- 20th century literature on screen
- humoristic literature on screen
- french crime literature on screen
- french humoristic literature on screen
- title different than book
- 1970s literature on screen
- european humoristic literature on screen
- european crime literature on screen
- car
- u.s. car
- dodge aspen
- poker the card game
- suicidal thoughts
- lemmon and matthau
- wilder and lemmon
- wilder and matthau
- sex doll
- childbirth
- woman in labor
- sex clinic
- farce comedy
- based on a stage play
- wife leaves her husband for a woman
- cigar smoking
- dodge the car
- plymouth the car
- mistaken identity
Buddy Buddy Cast & Characters
Walter Matthau leads the cast as Trabucco, with Fil Formicola as Rudy 'Disco' Gambola and Jack Lemmon as Victor Clooney. Directed by Billy Wilder; 42 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Billy Wilder
-
Walter Matthau as Trabucco - Fil Formicola as Rudy 'Disco' Gambola
-
Jack Lemmon as Victor Clooney -
Paula Prentiss as Celia Clooney
Also Starring in Buddy Buddy
· 38 more- Klaus Kinski Dr. Hugo Zuckerbrot
- Ed Begley Jr. Lieutenant #1
- Charlotte Stewart Nurse
- Frances Bay Female Patient
- Dana Elcar Capt. Hubris
- Michael Ensign Assistant Manager
- Joan Shawlee Receptionist
- Billy Beck Gentleman
- Myrna Dell Cashier
- Biff Manard Highway Patrolman #2
- Troy Melton Leopold Schuster
- Ben Lessy Barney Pritzig
- Lorna Thayer Lady
- Rod Gist Policeman
- Miles Chapin Eddie, the Bellhop
- Gary Allen Man in Robe
Show all 42 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Neile Adams Saleswoman
- June Smaney Housewife
- Frank Farmer Lieutenant #2
- Tom Kindle Highway Patrolman #1
- Frank Dent Reporter #4
- David Carlile Reporter #1
- Archie Lang Reporter #2
- John Cutler Orderly
- Patti Jerome Matron
- Gene Price News Announcer
- C.J. Hunt Kowalski
- Ronnie Sperling Hippy Husband
- Suzie Galler Pregnant Wife
- Timothy Sullivan SWAT Team Member
- Bette Raya Mexican Maid
- John Schubeck Newscaster
- Dean Bruce Policeman
- Steve Hershon Policeman
- Regina Leeds Reporter #3
- Jennifer Fajardo Polynesian Girl
- Patrick Bishop Native
- Wendell Titcomb Native
More from Billy Wilder
More films directed by Billy Wilder, best-rated first: Some Like It Hot, Double Indemnity, The Apartment and Sunset Boulevard.
Buddy Buddy Plot Summary
What happens in Buddy Buddy from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Trabucco, Walter Matthau, is a coolly efficient mob hitman chasing a long-awaited retirement by eliminating a string of witnesses. His latest target is Rudy “Disco” Gambola, who is about to testify before a Riverside jury, and the job sends him on a detour that collides with a troubled man named Victor Clooney, Jack Lemmon. Victor is an emotionally unsettled television censor hoping to mend fences with his estranged wife Celia Clooney, Paula Prentiss, a researcher for a 60 Minutes segment who has become enthralled with the clinic run by Dr. Hugo Zuckerbrot, Klaus Kinski.
Full summary
The whole story of Buddy Buddy, scene by scene
Buddy Buddy Box Office
Buddy Buddy grossed $7.3 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$7.3M
- US & Canada
- $7.3M
How Well Do You Know Buddy Buddy?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays the mob hitman Trabucco?
Cars in Buddy Buddy
20 cars on screen, including the 1980 Dodge Aspen and the 1981 Plymouth Reliant K.
-
1980 Dodge Aspen Important role -
1981 Plymouth Reliant K Important role -
1980 Chrysler Cordoba Minor role -
1971 Ford Pinto Minor role
Buddy Buddy Also Known As
16 alternative titles, including “Aquí, un amigo” and “Haver, haver”.
- Also known as
-
- Aquí, un amigo
- Haver, haver
- Najlepszy kumpel
- Victor la gaffe
- Приятелче, приятелче
- Друг-приятель
- Kamaráde, kamaráde
- Amigos
- Negócios à Parte
- חברים
- אבל...
- 患难之交
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- Un amic
- Varsinaiset kumppanukset
- Kompis kompis
- Negócios a Parte
Seen Buddy Buddy?
Movies Like Buddy Buddy
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Buddy, The Buddy System and My New Partner.
Buddy Buddy FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Buddy Buddy, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Buddy Buddy?
Buddy Buddy runs 1 hour 36 minutes (96 minutes).
When was Buddy Buddy released?
Buddy Buddy was released on April 2, 1981.
Who directed Buddy Buddy?
Buddy Buddy was directed by Billy Wilder.
More films by Billy Wilder Who is in the cast of Buddy Buddy?
Buddy Buddy stars Walter Matthau as Trabucco, Fil Formicola as Rudy 'Disco' Gambola and Jack Lemmon as Victor Clooney, among 42 credited actors.
How much did Buddy Buddy make at the box office?
Buddy Buddy grossed $7.3 million worldwide.
Does Buddy Buddy have a post-credit scene?
No. Buddy Buddy has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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