Cinema Revisited: The Sunshine Boys (1975)

Directed by Herbert Ross. Cast: Walter Matthau, George Burns, Richard Benjamin, Carol Arthur, Howard Hessman, Ron Rifkin, Lee Meredith, Rosetta LeNoire, Fritz Feld, Jack Bernardi, Jennifer Lee Pryor. Released November 6, 1975. Running time: 111 minutes.

Along with exploring new ideas in cinema, the 1970s was a time for nostalgia. The classic films and methods enjoyed mainstream popularity. The Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields were popular on college campuses. So it was a perfect time for Neil Simon's play "The Sunshine Boys" to hit the movie screens.

The story is about a former vaudeville star named Willy Clark (Walter Matthau) who is confused and random in his personality, while still loftily believing in press notices he received some 30 years earlier. He was once part of the team Lewis and Clark, but Al Lewis (George Burns) decided to retire and relax in the country with his family. Willy never got very far as a single, despite the desperate efforts of his nephew and agent Ben (Richard Benjamin). When Ben finally lands a big TV gig for Willy, it is to reunite with Al Lewis as his partner. This brings up conflicts of decades-long standing.

"The Sunshine Boys" has essentially the same type of conflict as Simon's hit "The Odd Couple" (in which Matthau also co-starred). This time, however, the aging process and the memory of past success are factors that add another layer to the comedy. Lewis and Clark's real life conflicts are not unlike their comedy sketches, with sharp one-liners popping back and forth. Burns, of course, is an actual vaudevillian so he settled easily into this persona. Matthau, playing much older than he is, manages to keep up, simply because he is a fine actor.

Sadly, it was Jack Benny who was hired to play Al Lewis. But Jack died before filming began, so Burns took his place. It was the first movie George made since 1939, save for narrating the 1956 film "The Solid Gold Cadillac." Burns had been concentrating on radio, and then TV, in the ensuing years. But he was honored to take best friend Jack's place, and it ended up netting him an Academy Award.

There are many elements that cause "The Sunshine Boys" to stand out. First, the way their angry conflicts, buoyed by Willy's grudging impatience, change to tolerance and then sweetness when Clark suffers a near-fatal heart attack. Also, the recreation of their "Doctor Sketch" is accurate to the vaudeville style, and very funny in the classic cornball tradition.

Lewis and Clark were said to be based on the legendary team of Smith and Dale. However, Joe Smith and Charlie Dale did not have conflict like Lewis and Clark in the movie -- they remained dear friends from childhood until Charlie Dale died in 1971 at age 90. It is also interesting to consider some of the actors who auditioned for the roles, including Red Skelton and Phil Silvers. In fact, Skelton was cast in the Matthau role at first.

There is nothing terribly cinematic about "The Sunshine Boys," which makes it something of an oddball among 70s films. But its narrative, its comedy, and its performances are all first rate, and it holds up nicely upon repeated viewings. Sometimes it is purely well-crafted entertainment that make the best movies.