Neil Simon is something of a legend when it comes to writing for Hollywood. He’s received more nominations than anyone else for an Oscar and for the Tony’s and he’s written around the same number of plays as he has films. He’s won numerous awards for his works including Tony awards and those that are given out to primarily writers. His style of writing is the type of comedy that typically makes you weep it’s so funny but he can be very dramatic as well. In the business he’s one of those people you can’t help but admire so long as you know about him and his works.
Being behind the scenes doesn’t afford a lot of fame, but what he has he’s more than earned.
5. The Goodbye Girl
When Paula gets jilted and has her apartment subleased by the man that leaves her she’s none too happy about it, as you would expect obviously. But when she grows close to the next man and learns that he has an acting role that will take him far away from her it becomes another reason to fear that she might get her heart broken again. At least until he invites her to come along. She declines, but sees this as a sign that he’ll be back.
4. The Sunshine Boys
This is a very classic tale of two vaudevillian actors that were once the great of friends but had a falling out and didn’t speak to each other for years. When they finally did get back together however they realized just why they split in the first place. When Willie is admitted to a rest home though Al shows that he does have a heart and goes to see his ailing friend, only to tell him that he’ll be moving into the same home as him.
3. Laughter on the 23rd Floor
The main point of this film is to show what really goes on behind the scenes and the making of a comedy from the standpoint of those that have to do it. It also shows the type of politics and stress that is evident in this kind of environment as humor might be the goal but it’s not always how things begin or even end when everything is said and done.
2. Lost in Yonkers
The movie was based on the play that was written by Simon, but the gist of it is that when Arty and Jay’s mother passes away their father has to go on the road to pay the medical bills and they have to go and stay with their overbearing grandmother and slightly mentally unstable Aunt Bella. When another of their father’s siblings, Louie, comes to hide out from a gangster he stole from the boys soon realize that they need to find a way to earn the money that’s needed to bring their father home and get their family back together.
1. The Odd Couple II
This is another movie based off of one of Simon’s ideas and it’s one of the absolute best since Lemmon and Mathau brought it to life so perfectly. Two friends, or roommates really, Max and Felix, can’t stand each other but can’t seem to stay away from one another either. When they find out that Felix’s daughter is getting married to Max’s son though it becomes evident that getting away is never going to happen.
Simon’s mastery of verbal and situational comedy is simply astounding, and hilarious.
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