I ragazzi irresistibili

This is an amazing accomplishment for George Burns. He had not made a film for almost 40 years and had never really acted before, and yet he gave one of the most moving performances I have ever seen in a motion picture. He was the oldest performer to ever win an Academy Award for best supporting actor and I think it would behoove acting students to study his wonderful performance. Neil Simon is one of my favorite writers and I think this is his best work. Burns and Matthau make movie magic and it is a delight from start to finish to see these two old pros at work.

THE SUNSHINE BOYS (1975) ***1/2 Walter Matthau, George Burns, Richard Benjamin. (Cameos: Steve Allen and Phyllis Diller). Extremely funny and warm-hearted adaptation of Neil Simon's play about two stubborn vaudevillians teaming up one last time for a tv special despite the fact they haven't spoken to one another in years. Matthau is a riot ("Ehnntaaaahhh!") but Burns, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, resurrected his career and became an icon in entertainment. Incidentally, Burns took this role when his best friend, Jack Benny (who was initially cast), died. Look for small roles by Howard Hesseman and F.

Murray Abraham.

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.

in one of Neil Simon's best plays. Creaky, cranky ex-Vaudeville stars played by Walter Matthau and George Burns are teaming up for a TV comedy special. The problem is they haven't even SEEN each other in over a decade. Full of zippy one liners and inside showbiz jokes, this story flies along with a steady stream of humor. Good work also by Richard Benjamin as the harried nephew, Rosetta LeNoire as the nurse, and Howard Hesseman as the TV commercial director. Steve Allen and Phyllis Diller appear as themselves. Trivia note: The opening montage contains footage from Hollywood Revue of 1929 and shows Marie Dressler, Bessie Love, Polly Moran, Cliff Edwards, Charles King, Gus Edwards, and the singing Brox Sisters.

This is a ying versus yang personality clash that worked for many years on the big stage as a successful vaudeville comedy duo who were at the top of their respective games for decades but as with any good wine it will eventually go bad if left in the proverbial sun too long. Willy Clark (Walter Matthau) and Al Lewis (George Burns) begrudgingly agree at the bequest of Willy's stage manager nephew Ben Clark (Richard Benjamin) to get together for a reunion performance of their greatest comedy skits. Both aging comedians blame the other one for their eventual falling out so the feat of getting them back on the same stage is left to Willy's nephew Ben.

Willy is a crusty old "glass half empty" entertainer who likes to feel like he is the main attraction while his old comedy partner Al is a more confident and healthier "glass half full" entertainer.

The film was originally a stage production of Neil Simon and brought back to the big screen and directed with some down to earth pizazz by director Herbert Ross. It's alight hearted message that still resonates almost fifty (50) years later with the message for all old friends which is "let bygones be bygones". Most film goers were rooting for these two old octogenarian vaudeville performers to reconcile and make one big splash on the live stage.

No spoilers here. It's a warm hearted with good intentions film well worth watching at least twice. I give it a 7 out of 10 IMDB rating.