You don't have to be a AARP member or fan of Vaudeville entertainment to enjoy Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys (1975), but it helps. Like its two aging antagonists, Al Lewis (George Burns) and Willy Clark (Walter Matthau), this comedy moves at its own speed whether you like it or not: jokes are repeated and personal encounters often move at a snail's pace. On the wrong day, this formula might drive certain viewers up the wall. In fact, a few simple trims and snips here and there could probably whittle it down to an hour-long TV special. But why bother rushing things?

The story goes like this: Lewis and Clark (AKA "The Sunshine Boys") were a popular act in their younger years, working together for decades before retirement and personal contempt drove them apart for more than ten years. Clark's nephew Ben (Richard Benjamin) works as a talent agent and doggedly tries to find acting gigs for his stubborn, uncooperative uncle. Luckily enough, ABC's upcoming production of a "History of Comedy" variety show wants Lewis and Clark to reunite for $10,000...and all they've got to do is put their differences aside, rehearse for a few days, and perform one sketch in front of the cameras. Sounds simple enough, but what should be a quick and easy payday snowballs into a Sisyphean ordeal: The Sunshine Boys still push each other's buttons like an old married couple, whether the cameras are rolling or not. Ben struggles to put out the fires, but no one can move that fast.

There's more to the story, but let's just say there's a solid dose of drama mixed in with all the yuks, which shakes up the light tone a bit without dragging the entire production down with it. The bottom line, though, is that The Sunshine Boys remains enjoyable due to the strong performances, razor-sharp exchanges and steady, confident direction by film and stage veteran Herbert Ross. The 79 year-old Burns hadn't appeared in a film since 1939's Honolulu and would enjoy a successful comeback in the years to come. Matthau plays off Burns nicely, believable as his former partner despite the almost 25-year age gap. Richard Benjamin completes the trifecta as the duo's put-upon handler, reminding us that long before we grow old, forgetful and cranky we'll have to deal with relatives that already are.

Warner Bros.' original 2004 DVD went out-of-print years ago and, ten years later, was finally resurrected as part of their Archive Collection line of burn-on-demand discs. Sadly enough, it was the exact same disc and no separate Blu-ray option was made available either. Warner Bros. has corrected that problem almost exactly one year later: The Sunshine Boys has finally been released in 1080p and, though it's not exactly a night-and-day difference compared to previous discs, there are clear improvements here and all the original bonus features have been ported over too.

Presented in a slightly opened up 1.78:1 aspect ratio (Warner Bros.' standard policy for everything originally framed at 1.85:1), this Blu-ray port of the OOP 2004 DVD (and 2014 Archive Collection DVD, which is the same disc) finally represents a modest step up from both earlier version The era-specific palette and film stock translate nicely for the most part, featuring subdued and occasionally garish color schemes, as well as solid black levels and image detail. Film grain is quite thick at times, and some of the dirt and debris from the DVD editions looks to have been cleaned up. All things considered, it's a respectable effort but not exactly a night-and-day difference: The Sunshine Boys has never looked stunning and probably never will. But it looks better, so die-hard fans should be pleased.

The DTS-HD Master Audio track (presented in its original mono split to a two-channel spread) certainly won't knock you for a loop, but it balances dialogue, music and background effects quite handily. No major hissing, pops or crackles get in the way of all the yuks. Optional English subtitles are included, but only during the main feature.

Everything from the older DVDs, as expected. These recycled goodies include a feature-length Audio Commentary with Richard Benjamin ("Ben Clark"), the vintage MGM "Lion Roars Again" Featurette, separate Makeup & Screen Tests featuring Jack Benny, Walter Matthau, and Phil Silvers, plus the film's Theatrical Trailer. Nothing more, nothing less.

Like its two aging antagonists, The Sunshine Boys moves at its own speed whether you like it or not (and just for the record, you'll probably like it). The non-stop bickering is occasionally justified by dashes of drama...and though Matthau and Burns carry most of the weight, Richard Benjamin also does a terrific job as their "handler" trapped in the middle. Warner Bros.' new Archive Collection Blu-ray is essentially a new and improved version of their own identical 2004 and 2014 DVDs...but aside from a slightly cleaner and obviously more well-defined transfer, it's again pretty much the same old package right down to the bonus features. Those who never picked up either DVD will certainly want to indulge, as well as long-time fans of this charming, cranky slice of 1970s comedy. Firmly Recommended.