Harry and Tonto (1974)

Paul Mazursky directed this slow paced drama (The New York Times review at the time agreed) about an elderly septuagenarian (Art Carney, who was only 56 years old) who decides to go on a cross-country road trip with his cat Tonto after they are both kicked out of their apartment. Not the most exciting film, but it does offer some interesting philosophical ideas when he picks up a hitchhiker (Thirtysomething's Melanie Mayron) and visits his daughter in Chicago and son in Los Angeles. In small roles are Ellen Burstyn, Larry Hagman, and Geraldine Fitzgerald. The Academy found Mr. Carney's performance to be worthy of the Best Actor Oscar; he won over Al Pacino ("The Godfather Part 2") and Jack Nicholson ("Chinatown"). Some observers feel this was a sentimental Oscar win, because of Mr. Carney's legendary comedic work on TV, most notably in The Honeymooners and The Jackie Gleason Show from the 1950s and 60s. This was a once-in-a-career opportunity for him to have such a lead, but he never matched the success in his subsequent films.