So often, professional partnerships are like marriages, they end in divorce. Director Herbert Ross (THE GOODBYE GIRL) and writer Neil Simon capture this dynamic so well in THE SUNSHINE BOYS. Little disagreements and the same petty arguments build into something dramatic. Eventually, the twosome can't even be in the same room with each other.
Willy Clark (Walter Matthau, THE ODD COUPLE) and Al Lewis (George Burns, OH, GOD!) were one of vaudeville's biggest comedy acts. They haven't spoken in 11 years. Clark is now represented by his nephew Ben (Richard Benjamin, WESTWORLD), who has to beg to get him potato chip commercials. He can no longer remember lines and he doesn't take direction very well. Then a new TV special commemorating the history of comedy comes along. Ben gets his uncle booked, but that's the easy part. He has to convince Willy to make up with his old partner first.
Matthau is a natural with Simon's words. Willy's short term memory is no good, but the old routines and gags are still part of his DNA. He drives Ben crazy, which drives many rapid fire laughs. When he is finally reconnected with Al, he acts like a child whose friend stole his toy over a decade ago. Al's short term memory is shot too, but he is a consummate professional. For him the show must go on. His straight-faced disregard for Willy's antics is hilarious. Burns earned his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for reserved comedy. It's one of those great moments that the Academy went for subtlety over showy. That's very rare for comedy.
Simon was also nominated for adapting his stage play. His vaudevillian dialog works so well in the mouths of these actors. Willy is always on. He's always throwing out jokes, but within all this material there's a character. Like so many performers, Willy has a great deal of insecurity. Like married couples, Willy and Al grew in different directions and Willy couldn't forgive Al for it. How Simon ironically brings the story full circle is nicely done. Al knows Willy better than Willy knows himself.
Unlike Simon's THE ODD COUPLE, this adaptation works better as a film. It feels less staged. This mainly happens through compelling characters, strategically revealing backstory and a simple plot that drives the story forward. We want Willy to get a chance to revive his glory days, but we fear that he will get in his own way.
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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
