The Sunshine Boys

PG

Released Dec 16, 1975

1 hr. 51 min.

Comedy

List

71%

38 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Al Lewis (George Burns) and Willy Clark (Walter Matthau) are a pair of feuding vaudeville comedians (Lewis and Clark, naturally) who performed together for 47 years before finally calling it quits. A network genius then has the brilliant idea of reuniting the duo for a TV special about the history of comedy. Once the reunion is on, the sparks and one-liners start to fly with equal speed. But can Lewis and Clark put aside their differences long enough to collect one last paycheck?

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered May 07

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent The Sunshine Boys on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

Thanks to the sparkling chemistry between its stars and Herbert Ross' gentle direction, this sweetly ambling comedy ranks among Neil Simon's finest screen adaptations.

Read Critics Reviews

Alec B

Good performances but the script is overwritten and should have been funnier.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/24

Full Review

Audience Member

The premise is simple: two old men were members of a vaudeville duo decades ago and broke up acrimoniously, but now the nephew of one wants them to reunite for a television special to showcase one of their acts. Reluctantly, they agree, though they had not met or spoken in twenty years. Once together, however, they find they still dislike one another. The big problem with the story is that it was written in the 1970's and takes place contemporaneously, while vaudeville effectively died out many years before the storyline's breakup would have taken place. Also, Matthau's character is a nasty man-nasty to everyone, even the nurse who takes care of him when he becomes ill. He's supposed to be the protagonist of the story, but I found no reason whatever to like him, or for anyone to want to have anything to do with him. The story would have been more credible if the televised reunion had fallen through.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A comic masterpiece!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/28/21

Full Review

jon c

History has been filled with some of the best comedy talents from the beginning of the 20th century; silent films, radio, vaudeville shows, broadway, and television for 47 years two men were the funniest duo there ever was in show business the late Walter Matthau and George Burns just so happened to be named Lewis and Clark, much like the explorers navigating the new world, the thing is though they parted ways and can't stand one another Richard Benjamin plays Lewis' nephew who works at ABC tv station so a pitch is brought up to get Lewis and Clark back together for an hour and a half segment Matthau is brilliant as always and Burns is just so adorably likeable even if their two characters are constantly at each other's throats it takes an hour and 10 min for things to finally get moving, if you can deal with Lewis and Clark bickering during the first half but these two comedic actors have such impeccable chemistry goes to show that even two talents who can't stand one another with such ounces of hostility can still learn so much

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

steve d

Really fun and extremely funny.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

johnathon w

Hilarious comedy that holds up thanks to some brilliant performances, though still a bit too much like a stage play. Walter Matthau and George Burns are both brilliant in their respective roles if Lewis & Clark, with Burns winning a well-deserved Oscar. Even their arguments are hilarious, as they bounce off each other perfectly, though you can tell there is real pain and affection underneath. They get fantastic support from Richard Benjamin, Lewis's nephew and agent, who tries desperately to get the two to work together even as they hate each other. Behind the camera, director Herbert Ross does a solid job adapting Neil Simon's play, and wisely just lets Matthau and Burns act off each other. The only downside is that it still feels like a stage play, despite the use of New York City locations, and the ending is a bit anti-climatic. Overall, a great watch just to see two golden age actors in their prime.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Herbert Ross

Director

Walter Matthau

Willy Clark

George Burns

Al Lewis

Richard Benjamin

Ben Clark

Lee Meredith

Miss McIntosh (nurse in sketch)

Carol Arthur

Mrs. Doris Green, Al's Daughter

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

50%

46%

Travels With My Aunt

75%

81%

Strange Brew

TRAILER

for Strange Brew

52%

83%

Spaceballs

82%

72%

Silent Movie

57%

51%

Fun With Dick and Jane

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Pauline Kael

New Yorker

The only part of the movie I enjoyed was the footage during the titles.

Oct 20, 2023

Full Review

Kevin Kelly

Boston Globe

Somehow, at base, it's oddly offensive. Old age is mocked with malice, or so it seems.

Jun 14, 2021

Full Review

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

It would seem that the more Simon contemplates the human comedy, finding it no laughing matter, the more he feels compelled to darken his humor with pathos.

Jun 14, 2021

Full Review

Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

The result is a touching, sensitive story that you can hardly stop laughing at.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

The sole point of calm in this work that constantly confuses loud for funny is George Burns, who underplays every scene and walks off with what accolades there are.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 14, 2021

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

It is a very empty comedy about the meaning of reconciliation and the decline of vaudeville actors. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 5/10

Aug 4, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Al Lewis (George Burns) and Willy Clark (Walter Matthau) are a pair of feuding vaudeville comedians (Lewis and Clark, naturally) who performed together for 47 years before finally calling it quits. A network genius then has the brilliant idea of reuniting the duo for a TV special about the history of comedy. Once the reunion is on, the sparks and one-liners start to fly with equal speed. But can Lewis and Clark put aside their differences long enough to collect one last paycheck?

Director: Herbert Ross
Screenwriter: Neil Simon
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 1975, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016

Most Popular at Home Now