This is the film version of Neil Simon's play "The Sunshine Boys". According to IMDb, they originally wanted to cast Jack Benny in the film but he couldn't do it due to bad health. It sure might have been a very different movie had they been able to go with this original casting decision.

The film begins with a young agent, Ben (Richard Benjamin),waiting for his Uncle Willie (Walter Matthau) to meet him at a tryout for a commercial. But, the elderly Willie has not shown--much of this due to his senility. When he does show, an hour late, he is totally unprepared and totally botches the ad. Yet, despite Willie being completely uncooperative and hard to like, Ben keeps trying again and again to help his uncle find work. Eventually, Ben comes up with an absolutely insane idea--reunite Willie with his old Vaudeville partner, Al (George Burns). The problem with this notion is that Willie and Al hate each other with an intensity that dwarfs the hatred between Lincoln and Booth! To make things worse, both are extremely senile and difficult--and seem to delight in tormenting each other. Can these two super-annoying men manage to put aside their animosity in order to make a reunion appearance on TV?

While George Burns received an Oscar for his performance, he was clearly not the leading man in the film--hence his Best Supporting Actor award. The film's pivotal character was Willie--with Matthau clearly throwing himself into the bigger-than-life role. While significantly younger than his character, he managed to do a great job playing perhaps the most crotchety old man in history. While there were very, very few scenes of Burns without Matthau in the film, Matthau was in practically every minute of the film...and made the most of it.

The film is a must-see for fans of classic comedy and Vaudeville. However, some viewers might be a tad put off by the film's 1970s sensibilities--with lots of cursing. However, the language was true to the characters--they were really nasty old #^$!(!!s. Excellent acting, script and also a lot of fun.

By the way, Neil Simon and the rest really did a good job of re-creating the whole look and style of the comedy duo. So much of it was reminiscent of the act of Smith and Dale. Plus, I loved such snippets as the visit to the deli and the bag from Zabar's Jewish market--nice little New York touches.

Willy Clark (Walter Matthau) and Al Lewis (George Burns) used to be a famous vaudeville comedy duo. Agent Ben Clark (Richard Benjamin) struggles to help his grumpy absent-minded uncle Willy. ABC wants to do a variety show of comedy history and they want both Lewis and Clark. They can't stand each other and haven't seen each other in 11 years. Al has been living the quiet life with his daughter in New Jersey. Ben needs to convince them both to reunite for just one night.

I find Willy Clark more sad than funny. He is super grumpy and his bitterness doesn't make it easy to like him. He needs more loveability. It takes away from some of the comedy early on. George Burns is funnier. He's so deadpan. I love the Ah-stick. When the two of them get together, they are hilarious. Matthau's grumpy old man and Burns' biting remarks fit perfectly. The duo is a comedy master class. Their rehearsal together is comedy insanity. The movie with them apart isn't quite as funny.

THE SUNSHINE BOYS was the hilarious 1975 screen adaptation of Neil Simon's play about a retired vaudevillian team, played by Walter Matthau and George Burns, who had a very bitter breakup and have been asked to reunite one more time for a television special or something like that. The problem is that the two still hate each other and want nothing to do with each other. Richard Benjamin appears as Matthau's nephew, a theatrical agent who has been given the monumental responsibility of making this reunion a reality. This warm and winning comedy is a lovely valentine to a forgotten form of entertainment...vaudeville and it works mainly thanks to one of Neil Simon's better screenplays and outstanding work by Matthau, Burns, and Benjamin. Burns won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this, but I think Matthau walks away with this film with his flawlessly hilarious performance as Willy Clark. Matthau was nominated for Best Actor but didn't stand a chance against Nicholson for ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST; however, in another year, this was an Oscar-worthy performance. Matthau commands the screen and there is not a false note in this beautifully timed performance. The scene where he is auditioning for a potato chip commercial and can't get the name of the product right is a classic. THE SUNSHINE BOYS is a warm and winning Neil Simon comedy which shines thanks to unbeatable chemistry between Matthau and Burns.