THE SUNSHINE BOYS
US, 1997, 85 minutes, Colour.
Woody Allen, Peter Falk, Sarah Jessica Parker, Liev Schreiber, Michael Mc Kean.
Directed by John Erman.
The Sunshine Boys is one of Neil Simon's best known plays. It was transferred to the screen in the mid-70s by director Herbert Ross, with Walter Matthau and George Burns as the central characters. Richard Benjamin played their nephew. George Burns won an Oscar for best supporting actor in this role. It is now considered a classic, audiences enjoying typical Matthau and Burns performances (much like many of their other performances).
In the mid-90s Neil Simon adapted his play for the small screen. He updated some of the jokes. He also changed the character of the nephew agent into a niece agent. She is played with some vivacity by Sarah Jessica Parker.
The interesting thing is to see Woody Allen and Peter Falk in the roles made so familiar in the 70s. Peter Falk is his usual self, Colombo style, in the Walter Matthau role. Woody Allen is Woody Allen in the George Burns role. In fact, Woody Allen has the ability to make Neil Simon's dialogue sound like Woody Allen dialogue.
Some critics were horror-struck at what they saw was a desecration of the earlier film. However, this is a very entertaining version. As with the first version, the stars are simply bring their screen personas and if audiences like them, they are entertained. This is exactly the same with Woody Allen and Peter Falk.
1, The popularity of Neil Simon's play? Another Odd Couple? The theatre background? Old men and their being cantankerous? Issues of success, retirement, coping with retirement, old age, illness, family? The clash between the two of the odd couple?
2. Neil Simon's wit, the one-liners, the updating to the 90s? Humorous references to plays, television and screen personalities? The incisiveness of the wit?
3. The New York settings, the apartment, hospital, the New Jersey home? An authentic New York feel? Musical score?
4. The importance of the screen personas of Peter Falk and Woody Allen? Memories of Colombo and other Falk films? Woody Allen and his own films? Their bringing their talent and personas to these characters?
5. The focus on Willie, his career, the performances with Al Lewis, the falling apart of the group, Al Lewis retiring? Willie Clark and his wife divorcing him? Living in the apartment, not having money, the apartment being made smaller? His cantankerous personality? His relationship with Nancy, dependence on her? Her continually trying to get him a job, persuading, talk with affection? Yet her getting nervous and having stomach upsets when she visited him? Getting him to the audition for the crisps - and his being cantankerous, changing the lines? The exasperation of the director? His brushing everything off, not being to blame? The locked door and his wanting the janitor to open it? The proposal about working again with Al Lewis? Agreeing but being against it? Al Lewis's visit, the tension between the two, the chair, the hot water, the teabag? Willie and his not wanting Al to spit or to poke him with his finger? The rehearsal, changing the name, the locked door, changing "Come in" to "Enter"? The phone call from Al's daughter? His promising to continue? The arguments with Nancy? Meeting at the restaurant, his refusing to talk, his agreeing again to do the performance? Going to the studio, talking to the director, the spitting and the poking, his changing the names, wanting to make his own routines? The exasperation of the director, Al and his complaining, Willie and the collapse, going to hospital? Al sending flowers and chocolates, Willie and his lying in bed, still cantankerous, Nancy's proposal that he go to Los Angeles? Allowing the visit from Al, being haughty, talking about apologies, ridiculing the chocolates and flowers? Hearing that Al was moving to Los Angeles? The final argument?
6. Woody Allen and his style as Al Lewis, the career, his memories of their meeting, his timing with the jokes (which Willie acknowledged)? Their work together, the same old routines, his wanting to change, Willie's unwillingness? Retiring, the death of his wife, living with his daughter, Nancy's visit and his explaining the shopping channel to her and getting better bargains? His wariness, going to visit Willie, the door, the tea, the rehearsal, changing names, changing words? His agreement in the restaurant? His trying to do his performance, being exasperated? Feeling guilty about Willie's heart attack, visiting him in the hospital, the talk about Los Angeles and the wonders of retirement, the Friars' Club, possible work, changing to Nancy as his agent? The final argument?
7. Nancy, devotion to Willie, admiration for Al? Her husband, child and Willie getting his name wrong? Her skill as an agent, getting the audition, its failure, getting the movie, persuading each of the participants, her friendship with Carol, going to the screen test, its failure, Willie's collapse, in hospital, arranging for the meeting with Al, promising to take Willie to Los Angeles?
8. The TV director and Willie changing the words in the audition? The film, the little boy, his laughing, the routines, the exasperation of the director?
9. A humorous picture of two cranky old men? Friendship and cantankerousness? The background of vaudeville, television and film?
