7 Best Walter Matthau Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 13, 2026

Walter Matthau built a career on gruff, cantankerous charm, and his comic chemistry with Jack Lemmon produced some of the most enduring buddy comedies of the era. The Odd Couple, The Fortune Cookie and Grumpy Old Men are the Lemmon pairings, The Bad News Bears turns a hopeless Little League team into a contender, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three negotiates with subway hijackers, and Charley Varrick outwits the mob after stealing their money. Cactus Flower rounds out the list.

Grumpy Old Men (1993)

TMDB ★ 6.6

Two feuding, lifelong neighbours compete for the affections of a spirited new woman in town.

Directed by Donald Petrie · 1h 43m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Bad News Bears (1976)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A washed-up former minor leaguer coaches a hopeless little league team of misfits.

Directed by Michael Ritchie · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Armed hijackers seize a New York City subway car and hold its passengers for ransom.

Directed by Joseph Sargent · 1h 45m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Charley Varrick (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A small-time bank robber discovers he has accidentally stolen mob money and must outwit a ruthless hitman.

Directed by Don Siegel · 1h 51m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Cactus Flower (1969)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A dentist's fake-fiancee scheme to avoid commitment spirals when his real girlfriend gets involved.

Directed by Gene Saks · 1h 43m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Odd Couple (1968)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A neurotic neat freak moves in with his slovenly divorced friend, creating constant domestic conflict.

Directed by Gene Saks · 1h 46m

Where to watch

Stream: MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Fortune Cookie (1966)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A cameraman's minor injury is blown up by his conniving brother-in-law, a lawyer, into a massive lawsuit.

Directed by Billy Wilder · 2h 05m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, YouTube TV, MGM Plus · Rent: Apple TV Store, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

7 Best Walter Matthau Movies

Grumpy Old Men (1993)

The Bad News Bears (1976)

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Charley Varrick (1973)

Cactus Flower (1969)

The Odd Couple (1968)

The Fortune Cookie (1966)

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