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The Out-of-Towners Reviewed by Bruce Cantwell Neil Simon's The Out-of-Towner's is a terrifying, hilarious urban legend. Type-A middle-manager George Kellerman (Jack Lemmon) and his quiet, long-suffering wife Gwen (Sandy Dennis) are en-route to New York where George is to accept a big promotion with his company. Little do they realize that they're about to enter... When flight attendant (Ann Prentiss) offers them their meals, George waves her off. Airline food is for the unwashed masses, not he and his wife who hold 8:30 dinner reservations at The Four Seasons. Soon the pilot announces that JFK is backed up. He estimates that they'll have to circle for twenty minutes or so. Re-evaluating the food situation, Gwen decides that she could use a cup of coffee. George rises to get it for her. The flight attendant politely refuses his request. FCC regulations forbid food service during the landing phase of the flight. George tries to get her to make an exception. This is the crux of Kellerman's difficulties with the world, his cock-eyed ideas that the planet and those upon it are there to cater to him. It's a strong engine for comedy, playing both against the more firmly grounded Gwen and the parade of nice-enough folks just trying to do their job. Neil Simon lets loose with one confrontation after another to unravel the Kellermans' world until they're reduced to competing with a dog for food in Central Park (a half eaten box of Cracker Jack). FYI - Though the Jack Lemmon original is commonly refered to as a "1970" movie, it is actually copyright 1969 (shown at the beginning of the movie, underneath the title). Thus, it was completed in '69 and probably released late that year or early 1970. Can you give me a theatrical release date? Thx. - Fred Hi Fred: Thanks for your note. According to the Internet Movie Database (my own recollection is far too foggy at this point) it was released May 28, 1970, to catch the Memorial Day Weekend crowd.

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