The End (1978/I)

Director:

Burt Reynolds

Writer:

Jerry Belson (writer)

Release Date:

10 May 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Are there laughs before death?

Plot:

Slapstick black comedy about a man (Reynolds) who finds that he hasn't much longer to live and has bungled his attempts at suicide.

Plot Keywords:

Mental Patient | Black Comedy | Terminal Illness | Criminally Insane | Sleeping Pill

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Wendell Sonny Lawson
Dom DeLuise	...	Marlon Borunki
Sally Field	...	Mary Ellen
Strother Martin	...	Dr. Waldo Kling
David Steinberg	...	Marty Lieberman
Joanne Woodward	...	Jessica Lawson
Norman Fell	...	Dr. Samuel Krugman
Myrna Loy	...	Maureen Lawson
Kristy McNichol	...	Julie Lawson
Pat O'Brien	...	Ben Lawson
Robby Benson	...	Father Dave Benson
Carl Reiner	...	Dr. James Maneet
Louise LeTourneau	...	Receptionist
Bill Ewing	...	Hearse Driver
Robert Rothwell	...	Limousine Driver

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Company:

Gordon-Reynolds Productions

Trivia:

This script was originally written for Woody Allen

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Wendell Lawson slams on his brakes next to the funeral procession in front of the Church, the shadow of the Church steeple and crucifix appear on his forehead. However in the cutaway to the Church, we clearly see there are no shadows anywhere on the face of the Church, indicating that the sun is in front of the Church and not behind it, thus unable to produce a shadow on Wendell.

Quotes:

Wendell Sonny Lawson: I'm talking about dying.
Marty Lieberman: What do you mean?
Wendell Sonny Lawson: I mean lying in the ground with dirt on your face and holding your breath forever.

Movie Connections:

Remake of "Six Dates with Barker: 1970: The Odd Job (#1.3)" (1971)

Burt's show but Dom steals it

"The End" is a black comedy that should have been even darker. Had it been I think it would have been regarded as a classic. Burt Reynolds stars as a man who finds out he's dying and decides he's going to kill himself. After a lackluster start where Burt sees his parents, his daughter, etc., he goes into action. And that's when the film buckles down and takes control for the last half.

After a failed suicide attempt Burt is placed in a mental hospital where he meets fellow patient Dom DeLuise, who is as nutty as a loon. Dom decides to help Burt fulfill his dream of suicide and the laughs keep coming. Dom is so good in this film that we really miss him every time he's off screen. Burt is good in the film and has a classic moment at the end when delivers an impassioned soliloquy to God. That is worth the price of admission (or video rental), if you see it in its un-cut form.