The Sunshine Boys [Blu-ray]

Overview

In this 1975 adaptation of Neil Simon's stage play, director Herbert Ross presents the story of two old-time Vaudvillians played by Walter Matthau and George Burns in his first starring role since 1939's Honolulu. After decades apart, the cantankerous duo is persuaded to reunite for a television special despite the fact that they hate each other. Richard Benjamin co-stars as Matthau's nephew, who has the responsibility of making sure the comedians go through with the show and don't kill each other in the process. Nominated for four Academy Awards, Burns took home the statue for Best Supporting Actor.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/16/2015
UPC:	0888574284954
Original Release:	1975
Rating:	PG
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:51:00
Sales rank:	24,410

Special Features

Commentary by Richard Benjamin; Vintage featurette: the lion roars again; Jack Benny and Walter Matthau makeup test; Phil Silvers screen test; Theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Walter Matthau	Willy Clark
George Burns	Al Lewis
Richard Benjamin	Ben Clark
Carol Arthur	Mrs. Doris Green, Al's Daughter
Lee Meredith	Nurse in Sketch
Rosetta LeNoire	Nurse
F. Murray Abraham	Mechanic
Howard Hesseman	Commercial Director
James Cranna	TV Director
Ron Rifkin	TV Floor Manager
Jennifer Lee-Pryor	Helen
Fritz Feld	Man at Audition
Jack Bernardi	Man at Audition
Garn Stephens	Stage Manager
Santos Morales	Desk Clerk
Archie Hahn	Assistant at Audition
Sid Gould	Patient
Tom Spratley	Card Player
Rashel Novikoff	Woman in Hotel
Sammy Smith	Man on Street
Dan Resin	Mr. Ferranti
Phyllis Diller	Herself
Steve Allen	Himself
Walter Stocker	TV Executive
Duchess Dale	Ben's Secretary
Bill Reddick	Delivery Boy
Eddie Villery	Delivery Boy
Gary K. Steven	Boy
Archie Hahn III	Assistant at Audition
Milt [Lewis] Kogan	Doctor
Bob Goldstein	Waiter
Whoopi Goldberg	Nurse

Technical Credits

Neil Simon

Herbert Ross	Director
Neil Simon	Screenwriter
Ray Stark	Producer
Raymond Stark	Producer
Jerry Jost	Sound/Sound Designer
Harry Tetrick	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Probably no other playwright of recent times has understood the importance of structure and conflict more than Neil Simon -- not to mention the mechanics of building a laugh. While this has a down side -- sometimes Simon is slavishly dedicated to form, with the result that he forgets to fill in his characters or to cover up the machinery and artifice -- The Sunshine Boys finds Simon operating at near-peak form. As with The Odd Couple, he reveals a special flair for combustible male-to-male relationships; his eye (and ear) for the ways in which men constantly compete with each other is in especially fine form. And as usual, there are plenty of jokes - most of them good -- to keep things lively. Herbert Ross's direction is smooth and polished and adeptly makes the change of tone in the last third seem fairly natural; if it lacks distinction, it does a marvelous job of serving Simon's script and showcasing the talents of its stars. Those stars do not disappoint, either. Walter Matthau -- playing considerably older than he was, but then it often seems that Matthau was born an old man anyway -- is a cantankerous, wily joy, spitting out his lines with an invigorating venom and employing his unique take on physical comedy to good effect. George Burns matches him step for step -- and betters him occasionally, replacing Matthau's venom with an acidity that cuts deeper. His ease before the camera masks the amount of care and work that lie underneath his portrayal. Both stars would follow Boys with two big commercial hits, Oh God for Burns and The Bad News Bears for Matthau.