Product Details

• Actors: Walter Matthau, George Burns, Richard Benjamin, Lee Meredith, Carol Arthur
• Directors: Herbert Ross
• Writers: Neil Simon
• Producers: Ray Stark, Roger M. Rothstein
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: May 4, 1999
• Run Time: 111 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0792841514
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #481,646 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

Neil Simon's Broadway hit about an effort to reunite a pair of aged vaudevillians for a TV special is both funny and poignant, thanks to the inspired casting of Walter Matthau (perhaps the consummate Simon actor) and George Burns (who kicked off something of a career comeback with this Oscar-winning role). They play a former comedy team who split up years ago over disagreements about how the act should be performed and, more importantly, over their conflicting views about the importance of show business versus that of life. Matthau is hilarious, sometimes touchingly so, while Burns remains a master of comic economy. Richard Benjamin is also good as Matthau's nephew who brings them back together. This was remade for television with Peter Falk and Woody Allen. --Marshall Fine

Amazon.com

Based on Neil Simon's popular Broadway play, this 1975 film directed by Herbert Ross (The Turning Point, Footloose) pairs the legendary comic talents of Walter Matthau and George Burns as two old-time vaudevillians who could never stand the sight of each other. The two curmudgeons are roped into appearing on a television reunion special, and they find themselves rehashing the same arguments they had 50 years earlier. Burns came out of retirement for this role and won an Oscar for his work as the laconic half of the duo, while Matthau shines as the ham-handed antagonistic egomaniac. One of Neil Simon's snappiest creations has been energetically brought to life in this enjoyable comedy, and it's a rare opportunity to see two legends in finest form. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific comedy by two old masters, September 14, 2005

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sunshine Boys (DVD)

Wonderful and hilarious Neil Simon comedy about two old vaudevillians who worked together for 43 years, but hate each other. A chance to work a TV variety show tracing the history of comedy brings them together again for the first time in 11 years. Walter Matthau and George Burns play the two old troopers, and it's marvelous to see them work. Matthau is a grouchy curmudgeon - loud and proud and irascible; Burns is a bit more mellow but just as proud. A very funny movie, and poignant, too.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece, May 28, 2005

By 

John Wilde "JW" (FRANCE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sunshine Boys (DVD)

There are movies for one time and there are movies for all times..."The sunshine boys" undoubtedly refers to this last category. Beyond the simple high-class comedy, beyond the actors incredible performance, this movie refers to both of the most important themes in a man's life : friendship and nostalgy. The most complex relationship developped here between Al and Willy refers to complexity of friendship itself...which is made of ups and downs, as if Life was indeed, theater-like...But Macbeth has already unveiled this true human situation : "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more"...really, Al and Willy have played and lived their life on one single dimension : comedy...and nobody can tell the difference between acting and living...Beyond friendship's complexity, there's nostalgy...These two men are unchained by past only...they are prisoners of "old good time" and they cannot escape it...They have been famous, and then, they're unknown again...lost in city's human sea forever...While Willy still try to come back again, at the foreground of human stage, Al's made a different choice...He retired...All this 11 years quarrel comes from the fact that Willy Clark never intended to retire, and, as Moliere, wanted to play until death -but does'nt he play, anyway ? Even without audience ?...I agree about saying that this is the greatest comedy since Shakespeare ones...an absolute masterpiece about what is life, what is time and what is absolute friendship...These two men has been together for half a century, living, playing together, same thing...beyond quarrel, there's friendship which nothing can break for good...And life is rounded with...a joke

LEONTSKY

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Think I Just Got the Finger Again....., May 21, 2001

By 

Archmaker (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: The Sunshine Boys (Widescreen Edition) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This brilliant Neil Simon comedy about two old vaudevillians who for 43 years were a tremendous comedy team onstage, but who irritated and eventually hated each other offstage is a gem of comedic acting and timing.

Based in fact on a pair of real vaudevillians who barely spoke to each other offstage, Simon has found another bickering Odd Couple with which to mine great humor. Willy Clark (Matthau) is an irascible old coot that can't give up showbiz and has his poor harassed nephew (Richard Benjamin) flogging up commercials etc. which he invariably messes up. He has not spoken to the other half of the team Al Lewis (Burns) in years, still angry at percieved onstage slights and the fact that Lewis retired. The nephew gets the idea to reunite them to do one of their classic routines on TV and that's when the insults begin to fly.

I cannot disagree more with the reviewer that disparaged Matthau's performance. He is absolutely wonderful. The old age makeup is subtle and it is his brilliant acting that convinces us he is the same age and era as his wonderful counterpart George Burns, even though Matthau was probably 20-30 years younger. The various voice modulations Matthau uses for different effects is especially noteworthy.

George Burns was called out of near-retirement to replace Jack Benny (when Benny died) in this role, and it created a new career for this marvelous old trooper. He and Matthau are superb together, and they have these old poops down to a T.

There is much fun made of these old boy's lapses due to their age. Probably politically incorrect, it is gentle and affectionate humor to my mind. Simon loves these old guys, and his ear for dialogue and eye for observation of behavior is as good here as anything he's done.

If you want to see comedy performed with exquisite timing, watch two masters at work here. Matthau is flamboyant and abrasive, Burns calm and economical. The counterpoint between them is perfect. It is also a touching story of friendship and the bonds of long partnerships in the end, and makes some nice points without going saccharine.

For most lovers of comedy, this is a "must see". Direction and all is satisfactory (nothing spectacular). It is the performances that make this 5 stars. Should be on DVD.