despite the pedigree and this version of the classic newspaper story be a real stumble by the great billy wilder . it a head scratcher why he would even want to make it . he one of the movie funny and most talented and and above all and most original voice and so why remake an old warhorse like this . walter matthau be the shifty editor and jack lemmon be his ace reporter . matthau want lemmon to cover the execution of a local radical and but lemmon want to leave town and marry susan sarandon . matthau be funny but lemmon be really at sea with this . he stutter over his dialog and be way too old for sarandon ( who have nothing to do ) and actually do not have all that much screen time with matthau . all that aside and there be a great support cast to relish and include david wayne ( very funny a a fuss bucket reporter ) and vincent gardenia and cliff osmond and austin pendleton and and a few others . there also a pretty disposable appearance by carol burnett a a hooker .