i had the misfortune to view this version of the Sunshine Boys last night as a part of my Netflix Video Streaming Service. i dozed off for a bit during the performance and that i feel was the best part of the evening.during the portion where i was awake, watching this mess, i kept comparing it in my mind to the vastly superior film that featured Walter Matheau/George Burns/Richard Benjamin/Murray Abraham/Fitz Feld/Carol Arthur etc and wondered just what compelled anyone to produce or act in this updated (?) version. i noticed Whoopie Goldberg in the part of the nurse tending to Peter Falk, but also noticed she took no billing for the part. i think i understand why. she evidently wished to be anonymous, if possible. i don't blame her in the least.do yourself a favor, don't watch this version. pick up the original version. that you'll enjoy

I couldn't assign this more than 3* -- 2 for Allen, 1 for Falk. I was in NYC on business during this work's original stage run, with Sam Levene in the Woody Allen part, and Jack Albertson in Falk's.I'm not prejudiced against New Yorkers, I just think they're about one-third to a half less-sophisticated and -trendy than they do.Everyone was praising the original of this work as if it were a treasure, and I'd have graded to original at a B+. The subsequent Burns/Matthau flick, 20 years prior to this one, could be about B-, with a bit of a stretch.I loved Columbo, and have enjoyed Peter Falk's work with his buddies, John Cassavetes and Ben Gazzara -- but here, his voice and accent throughout sounded at times like Arte Johnson when he did his nerdy German soldier character on "Laugh In," and the rest of the time like Adam Sandler doing his Opera Man, the nerd from "The Waterboy," and other inane types he has done with this same type silly nasal, whiny accent.I've thought Bruce Jenner, in his Village People opus, "Can't Stop the Music, " may have been one of the worst performances ever recorded on film -- but then Bruce's talent was running, jumping, throwing the discus, putting the shot, etc., not acting.Peter Falk, with a very strong resumé in both humorous and serious roles, may have been even worse here. It's a stretch to mark this offering even a D-.

The only reason I was unfortunate enough to see this version of "The Sunshine Boys" is because Netflix sent it to me by mistake, as I thought I was getting the 1975 film version. Boy, was I dismayed, but I gamely watched it anyway because the play is hilarious.You wouldn't know it based on this updated version. The update is one of the big reasons this version stinketh too much. In the original, Lewis and Clark were old vaudeville comics reunited to recreate their old act on a television variety show. Here, we must supposed they were sort of like Martin and Lewis on television or played Vegas...it's hard to figure out. What's worse is that in this version, we never get to see their "old act," as they've been hired to play supporting characters in a family film. Thus, we have no idea why these old guys are legends.I suppose it would be extremely difficult to stage any version of "The Sunshine Boys" without keeping it in its original time period, i.e. 1972. Let's face it: vaudeville caved in on itself in the 1930's. Anyone who was a star in vaudeville would not be alive today, or if they were they'd be in their early 100's (possibly late 80's or 90's if they were a child star).My point is that the original needs to be perpetuated, because if nothing else (aside from a look at the relationship of two performers who worked brilliantly together on stage but horribly offstage) it allows us to see a slice of Americana that is now gone - the crummy, cheap, gag-filled vaudeville act. This 1995 version shows us nothing.Al Lewis was beefed up for this version, possibly because Woody Allen was making a rare acting appearance in something not of his own doing. And Allen is an old associate of writer Neil Simon from the Golden Age of Television days. Regardless, Allen doesn't get to do much except exercise his particular brand of comic delivery (point with forefinger then jerk back thumb - repeat ad nauseam) in his added scenes showing his New Jersey retirement. Al Lewis is much more effective if we don't see him until well after Willie has kvetched about him, building up the suspense - - "will Al Lewis really be a monster?" and then a sweet old man walks in.Another wrong choice is to pad out the script with unnecessary characters (Allen's daughter, for instance) and to make Willie's nephew of the play his niece in this version. I suppose some wise guy said "Hey, when you update this show, we need more female roles. It's 1995!" Bottom line: please skip this version of the play. Please see the 1975 film. Not only will you get Walter Matthau as a hilarious old Jewish man but you'll see what is possibly George Burns's best screen performance next to "Going In Style" (at 80 - and having to hold his own against Matthau - Burns deserved his Oscar for the role).

A delightful view into the lives of legends lost. It has heart and soul. Besides the lines being hilarious, it is funny just to look at Allen and Falk together.If you enjoy woody's acting and simon's writing then definitely check this one out.