Review of Sunshine Boys, The

Introduction

Based on the 1972 play by Neil Simon, The Sunshine Boys is a story about an agent trying to bring together the once famous comedy pair of Lewis and Clark. The play had already been turned into a film in 1975 starring Walter Matthau and George Burns, and twenty-years on Simon updates his play and the parts are played by Woody Allen and Peter Falk.

Peter Falk plays Willy Clark, an old comedian and one half of the famous pairing, Willy & Clark; these guys were huge stars in their day and the fact that they didn`t get on and always argued was a key part of their routine. Willy Clark is cantankerous, stubborn and refuses to give up performing, while his old partner Willy is settled nicely in a house living with his daughter in New Jersey. When a studio expresses interest in re-uniting the pair for a one off, Willy`s agent niece (Sarah Jessica Parker) has to persuade these two old timers to work together once more. They argued continuously when they were partners and some things just don`t change.

Video

Presented with a 1.33:1 fullframe transfer, The Sunshine Boys looks good. Colours and detail are sharp and contrast is well balanced. There`s little dirt to see and grain is hard to see. There are no other discernible transfer problems.

Audio

The Sunshine Boys has a Digital Mono soundtrack, and this being a dialogue driven film it works well enough. Dialogue is clear and sound comes out well from the front speakers; it sounds better with Dolby Prologic II.

Features

Easy to navigate static menus with just one extra:

• Trailer (0:57) - A trailer.

The DVD has easy to read English subtitles.

Conclusion

From what I`ve read, the original 70s film of the play (and the play) is very good, but I`ve not seen it and only have this 90s version to go by. Woody Allen and Peter Falk are quite a pair as comedians with mutual hatred, but I have to say I found Falk`s dialogue annoying. Virtually every line is a retort or a smart alec quip and tries to be funny. Sometimes he is funny, but headache inducing with his gravely voice, always trying to get in the last word and just going on and on and on. It took me about four sessions to sit through this film because there is simply too much for me to take in one go, I`m exhausted listening to all his gripes and I just want to turn the TV off. Woody Allen`s character by comparison is more mild mannered and bearable.

The idea of this comedy in trying to unite two old comedians who don`t get on with each other is a nice idea, akin to the Odd Couple, as we see how aging affects them. However, it just lays gag after gag and it`s this relentless pursuit of comedy that I find off putting. Concentrating on the dialogue too makes the pace of film feel slow.

Woody Allen or Peter Falk admirers may get a kick out of it, but I would suggest renting rather than buying it; as a comedy it`s a bit hit and miss.