Hopscotch (film)

Hopscotch is a 1980 American comedy spy film, produced by Edie Landau and Ely A. Landau, directed by Ronald Neame, that stars Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston, Ned Beatty, and Herbert Lom. The screenplay was written by Bryan Forbes and Brian Garfield, based on Garfield's 1975 novel of the same title.

Former CIA field officer Miles Kendig is intent on publishing an explosive memoir that will also expose the dirty tricks of Myerson, his obnoxious, incompetent, and profane former boss. Myerson and Joe Cutter, who is Kendig's protégé, are repeatedly foiled in their attempts to capture the former agent and stop the publication of his memoir. He cleverly stays one step ahead of his pursuers as the chase hopscotches around America and Western Europe.

Garfield took the name of his book from the children's playground game, "wherein a player has to retrieve 'an elusive object' while hopping on a sidewalk from space to space. One false step or clumsy move could mean falling and landing on one's backside."

Matthau's performance in the film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 38th Golden Globe Awards. In 2002, the Criterion Collection released the film on DVD, which was later followed by a 2K restoration on Blu-ray in 2017.