The Survivors is about a pair of unlikely buddies who come together after a shared experience chasing off a robber of a fast food place. One's a blue collar
guy who loses his business in a crazy accident that incidentally is caused by the
white collar guy. How it happens I won't reveal, it's a moment that could have
happened in one of Jerry Lewis's films.
Walter Matthau is the blue collar guy and he's the usual gruff Matthau type part. It fits him perfectly. Robin Williams is our business executive who loses his job in a business reorganization after a couple of decades at the same company. I sympathize with Williams, I worked at the same place for 23 years once I found the job I really liked. Not easy to lose familiar and comfortable surroundings.
Williams is in a part that had Woody Allen written all over it. This was early in his big screen career and I think Robin was trying on a lot projects seeing what would fit his particular brand of zany.
Matthau and Williams foil a robbery committed by a man wearing a hood. That is Jerry Reed, a professional hit man doing a little robbery of a fast food place because he's between assignments and has a cash flow problem. Even hit men have to pay the rent. What he does to try and elude folks as to his identity is also pretty funny. Still Matthau pulls his hood off and recognizes him.
Later on these two capture him, but Reed gets out on bail. He feels he has to eliminate these two now because of an indiscreet remark he makes.
But Williams is feeling all kinds of macho now. He joins a survivalist group and becomes obsessed with all kinds of weaponry. Perfect NRA material. His best scenes are in the survivalist camp and it's the part of the film that will make you think Woody Allen.
Not the best or worst from either of the stars. But The Survivors might really been a better film had Woody Allen starred and directed it.
Walter Matthau is the blue collar guy and he's the usual gruff Matthau type part. It fits him perfectly. Robin Williams is our business executive who loses his job in a business reorganization after a couple of decades at the same company. I sympathize with Williams, I worked at the same place for 23 years once I found the job I really liked. Not easy to lose familiar and comfortable surroundings.
Williams is in a part that had Woody Allen written all over it. This was early in his big screen career and I think Robin was trying on a lot projects seeing what would fit his particular brand of zany.
Matthau and Williams foil a robbery committed by a man wearing a hood. That is Jerry Reed, a professional hit man doing a little robbery of a fast food place because he's between assignments and has a cash flow problem. Even hit men have to pay the rent. What he does to try and elude folks as to his identity is also pretty funny. Still Matthau pulls his hood off and recognizes him.
Later on these two capture him, but Reed gets out on bail. He feels he has to eliminate these two now because of an indiscreet remark he makes.
But Williams is feeling all kinds of macho now. He joins a survivalist group and becomes obsessed with all kinds of weaponry. Perfect NRA material. His best scenes are in the survivalist camp and it's the part of the film that will make you think Woody Allen.
Not the best or worst from either of the stars. But The Survivors might really been a better film had Woody Allen starred and directed it.