Harry and Tonto (1974)

100% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(1,519 ratings)

In Paul Mazursky's rueful character drama, 57-year-old Art Carney plays Harry, a 70-plus Manhattan widower who loses his tiny apartment to the wrecking ball. Accompanied by his pet, an aged cat named Tonto, Harry sets out on an odyssey to Los Angeles. During his journey, he finds a kindred spirit in… More In Paul Mazursky's rueful character drama, 57-year-old Art Carney plays Harry, a 70-plus Manhattan widower who loses his tiny apartment to the wrecking ball. Accompanied by his pet, an aged cat named Tonto, Harry sets out on an odyssey to Los Angeles. During his journey, he finds a kindred spirit in a youthful hitchhiker (Melanie Mayron), who eventually finds happiness with Harry's grandson (Joshua Mostel). Harry makes stops at the homes of his grown children (Philip Bruns, Ellen Burstyn, and Larry Hagman), but each visit is more disappointing than the last; he also touches base with an old flame (Geraldine Fitzgerald), who has slipped into senility. By the time he arrives in L.A., Harry has become dispirited by his desultory visits with friends and family, but he eventually realizes that each new day can be a beginning rather than an end. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Paul Mazursky
Written By: Paul Mazursky, Josh Greenfeld
Genres: Drama, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 12, 1974 Wide
On DVD: Sep 6, 2005

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Affectionate but contrived odyssey folk tale.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A seventy year old man from New York City travels across the country and discovers the joy, the confusion and the stoutness of the human adventure.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Paul Mazursky's sentimental, upbeat serio-comedy about a widower who takes to the road with his cat after being evicted form his home is lifted above the routine TV Movie of the Week by the solid turn of Art Carney, who won the Best Actor Oscar.
John A. Nesbit, ToxicUniverse.com
Worth seeing for Carney's performance
Staci Layne Wilson, StaciWilson.com
A bona finde classic, and a rare road movie that features a cat as the wheel-man.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
I remember it being better than I expected, but at the same time, that's all I remember. Pleasant, forgettable.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Lucas M

Paul Mazursky's best film ever! A beautiful story with a freshing screenplay, directing and the acting of Art Carney, Academy Award winner by is role in this movie. Harry and Tonto is touching.
Randy T

Mazursky has crafted a story populated with humanity and decency, and where the only true villain is father time. <i>Harry and Tonto</i> is sort of a modernized, colorized and Americanized version of <i>Umberto D.</i>. Sad but still heartwarming.
Byron B

Sweet movie. Funny at times and sad too. Amazing that Art Carney was able to portray this role because he was only known for his goofy character on the honeymooners. The young actors who play his children who eventually go on to big careers are great too.
Alec B

The film is uneven but Art Carney's performance is very strong. It's probably the best character study of a man and his cat.

Cast

            Art Carney as Harry

            Ellen Burstyn as Shirley

            Chief Dan George as Sam Two Feathers

            Geraldine Fitzgerald as Jessie

            Larry Hagman as Eddie

            Arthur Hunnicutt as Wade

            Herbert Berghof as Rivetowski

            Philip Bruns as Burt

            Alex Colon
            
            Cliff De Young as Burt Jr.

            René Enríquez as Grocery Clerk

            Louis Guss as Dominic

            Dolly Jonah as Elaine

            Avon Long as Leroy

            Joe Madden as Panhandler

            Sally K. Marr as Cat Lady

            Michael McCleery as Mugger

            Cliff Norton as Used Car Salesman

            Rashel Novikoff as Mrs. Rothman

            Mike Nussbaum as Old Age Home Clerk

            Andre Philippe as Chess Player

            Barbara Rhoades as Happy Hooker

            Clint Young as Bus Driver

            Melanie Mayron as Ginger

            Josh Mostel as Norman

            Michael Butler as Hitchhiker
See full cast