MovieChat Forums > The End (1978) Discussion > A great dark comedy

A great dark comedy

posted 15 years ago by tryager
2 replies | jump to latest

I saw "The End" for the first time in the late 1980s after my dad recommended it. I never imagined that death could be made into slapstick, but Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise do a masterful job of it. The supporting cast are great as Burt's generally unsupportive family and friends.

One of my favorite parts of the movie was the ocean scene. As hilarious as it was to see God's percentage of Burt's earnings rise and fall as he went in and out of danger, it has to be said that there's a little bit of Burt in an awful lot of us. Many people find that their belief in God suddenly becomes much more important when they get into trouble.

In Burt's conversation with Kristy McNichol, we were also reminded that age does not necessarily confer wisdom or maturity. Kristy as Burt's teenage daughter was more of a grownup than any of the adults in the movie!

[–] adac-1 15 years ago

I always felt this movie was overlooked. While funny, I found parts of the movie be very sad. Great cast. Would love to see it again.

[–] WarpedRecord 14 years ago

It's especially sad now with the passing of Dom DeLuise, who stole every scene he was in (though Burt Reynolds was also excellent here). I watched this film many times on cable in the early '80s, and I now have it on DVD. It's hilarious in spots, very dark in others, and ultimately very touching. This would be a good double bill with a film like "'Night Mother," which shows the "other side."

It's the kind of film that Blake Edwards used to make -- a comedy for adults. Today we have Judd Apatow attempting this sort of buddy comedy, but with a lot more raunch. I much prefer the older films.