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:

Black Comedy | Mental Patient | Priest | Divorce | Directed By Star

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:

As Sonny is going to look in the ICU, the hospital speaker says "Dr. Cambern, please call intensive care" and "Dr. Cambern, never mind." Donn Cambern was the film's editor.

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:

Marlon Borunki: You sure got a lotta rules about pee'in.

Movie Connections:

Remake of The Odd Job (1978)

Dom DeLuise is GOD!

Burt Reynolds throws himself in front of and behind the camera in this 1978 gem of a comedy. Not the best comedy that year, but far from the worse. Reynolds may have bit off more than he could chew by directing and acting all in one, but the final product was funny enough for cinemas. Still, without Dom DeLuise, this movie would be far from watchable. It is DeLuise that saves this movie. At sometimes dark, The End mixes mild comedy which delivers this Woody Allen (who wrote the original script) type story. DeLuise is nothing but brilliant as the lovable, yet crazy friend of Reynolds. This movie is nothing but fun. Not the best movie, but a nice story with an interesting cast of characters.