Harry and Tonto (1974)

While the tale of a man and his cat sounds like a kiddie matinee, Harry and Tonto is a wise and humorous view of American life, far removed from a nursery audience.

As 72-year-old retired English teacher Harry, Art Carney gives a splendid performance that draws upon his experience as a character actor. Tonto is his pet cat.

Harry is a widower, getting through his days with quiet dignity until progress comes a-knockin’ on his New York apartment door, and he is evicted because his building is scheduled for demolition.

While his Upper West Side neighbourhood is run down (Harry has been mugged four times in the past year), it’s still his home, and in the end, the police have to carry him out into the street, still seated in his over-stuffed chair.

Director Paul Mazursky (who also wrote and produced the film) then proceeds to send Harry and his cat on a journey across America from East to West to visit his sons (Phil Bruns and Larry Hagman) and much-married daughter (Ellen Burstyn) – making several ‘detours’ along the way.

Harry discovers his first girlfriend, Jessie (Geraldine Fitzgerald) – a former dancer – in a nursing home, and during a brief dance together, the memories of their long-lost love affair come back to her like a gift.

Chief Dan George plays a charming medicine man (who cures Harry’s bad back with a tribal dance), and Josh Mostel is Harry’s insecure grandson.

Harry
Art Carney
Rivetowski
Herbert Berghof
Leroy
Avon Long
Mrs Rothman
Rashel Novikoff
Burt
Philip Bruns
Burt Jr.
Cliff De Young
Norman
Josh Mostel
Elaine
Dolly Jonah
Old Landlady
Sybil Bowan
Dominic
Louis Guss
Ginger
Melanie Mayron
Jessie
Geraldine Fitzgerald
Shirley
Ellen Burstyn
Wade
Arthur Hunnicutt
Sam Two Feathers
Chief Dan George
Eddie
Larry Hagman
Anatol
Anatol Winogradoff
Grocery Clerk
René Enríquez
Mugger
Michael McCleery
Panhandler
Joe Madden
Cat Lady
Sally Marr

Director
Paul Mazursky