Grumpy Old Men filming locations are as tedious as its plot. Nevertheless, we shall discuss it all here. The film is truly a classic that shows two old men hating each other and pulling obnoxious pranks just to irritate the next. The film was released in 1993. It takes a serious drive into elements such as comedy when it comes to troubling the grumpy old man next door, along with romance when it comes to wooing the same lady. Donald Petrie has directed the story from scratch and obviously has done an excellent job at it. The film also has a sequel named Grumpier Old Men.
We see two main characters named John Gustafson as well as Max Goldman. They live next to each other but absolutely do not like the idea of it. In order to make each other’s lives a little tough, they pull practical jokes on each other. One time, John leaves a dead fish in Max’s vehicle. The two pass their time with activities such as ice fishing. This rivalry might seem fun to the two of them but is a lot to take from other people living around them.
Grumpy Old Men Filming Locations
As we know, the plot of this film is set in Minnesota. Thus, the crew and cast arrived in the state when the movie was green-lit by the producers. In February of 1993, Grumpy Old Men filming finally began. Major scenes of the movie needed snowfall which was not available in the state. Thus, Paisley Park Studios were a go-to option. The scenes during which you see a lot of ice were shot at Lake Rebecca.
Having a shoot done for the film on ice meant navigating through temperatures below zero degrees Celsius. Matthau contracted pneumonia while being on the set for the movie. This, in turn, delayed the whole process by several months. This all happened when the actor was shooting a fight scene with Lemmon.
Also Read: Where is Man On Fire Filmed? The Locations and Sets
Grumpy Old Men – Release Date
Grumpy Old Men was released on the 25th of December 1993. Nobody expected this story to be a banger, but there it was, successfully performing among the crowds. The movie was shot with an initial budget of 35 million US dollars. Although, while its theatrical rollout was done, the box office collected almost 80 million dollars in profit, which was double what the crew expected.
Many critics offered the explanation for this success, stating that the comedic duo of these two actors actually elevated the entire plot. It surely is one of those movies that the whole family can sit down and watch during the holiday season. The story is quite joyous and not unnecessarily elongated to make extra scenes.
Grumpy Old Men – Plot
Well, we have already discussed how it is quite hard for the town folk to take in the feud between these two characters. We see their mutual friend Chuck, who is the owner of the bait shop, and Jack, the son of Max, who is running for mayor elections. The plot, apart from the comedy, also describes real emotions such as tragedy and helpfulness throughout the story. We see John’s daughter Melanie separating from her husband. It is her father who comes up front to support her during these tough times.
Now comes the romantic side of the plot with the entry of Ariel Traux, who works as an English professor. Chuck soon does, and John gets into a relationship with Ariel even though both of these old men liked her in the start. During the conversation, John tells her how he and Max were best friends when they were little. Later, it is revealed that the two hate each other because John married the woman Max loved during high school. Although, John reasons by saying that she was an unfaithful woman who would have only troubled Max further in his life.
Given the fact that John now has secured Ariel, Max is again furious. He reminds his neighbor that once the IRS takes away John’s house as the debt, he and Ariel have nowhere to go. Thus, John breaks up with her. Well, to summarise in brief, the story ends well with the two friends reconciling with each other and John’s debts being paid by Jacob. John and Ariel marry, but Max still leaves a fish in his wedding limo, as he should. Jacob and Melanie start a romantic chapter.
