The film was shot in New York City and captures the slow unraveling of a middle-class family struggling with the countless humiliations of urban life. Jack Lemmon plays Mel Edison, a man who loses his job and gradually loses touch with reality, while Anne Bancroft plays his wife Edna, who tries to hold everything together. Based on Neil Simon's Broadway play, the story explores unemployment, apartment burglary, nosy neighbors, interfering relatives, and the general chaos of life in a high-rise building on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The film is a sharp comedy about resilience and frustration, showing how a couple on the brink of total collapse decides to fight rather than give up. Filming took place on location on Manhattan's Upper East Side and in Central Park, with the production making excellent use of real New York streets and landmarks to ground the story in an authentic urban environment.

Filming Locations:

2nd Avenue and East 87th Street

In the Film

Scene where the neighborhood of Mel and Edna Edison is shown in exterior shots around this intersection, bustling with Upper East Side life, defining their daily routine and the urban environment that amplifies their growing irritation.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the intersection of Second Avenue and East 87th Street in the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. This is a bustling commercial and residential hub typical of Yorkville, with shops, restaurants, and pre-war buildings that give the area its distinctive New York character.

Edison Apartment, 245 East 87th Street

In the Film

Scene where the exterior of the Edisons' building is shown many times in the film, representing the high-rise where Mel and Edna experience burglaries, noisy neighbors, and minor troubles that push Mel toward a breakdown.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the residential building at 245 East 87th Street near the corner of Second Avenue in Manhattan. This address was used as the exterior of the Edisons' building, located in the Yorkville section of the Upper East Side, with a dense mix of high-rise and mid-rise residential buildings.

5th Avenue and East 68th Street

In the Film

Scene where characters walk or pass through this prestigious Manhattan intersection, creating a visual contrast between the wealthy surroundings and the couple's deteriorating personal affairs as their lives spiral out of control.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and East 68th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, right by Central Park. This prestigious stretch of Fifth Avenue is lined with upscale residential buildings and cultural institutions, a few blocks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Collection.