"Lost is Yonkers" is a Neil Simon comedy drama based on his highly successful 1991 stage play of the same title. The play won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for drama and won four top Tony awards on Broadway. Besides the Best Play, it took three top acting awards. Two of those actors reprised their roles in this film. Irene Worth as Grandma Kurnitz and Mercedes Ruehl as Aunt Bella are outstanding in the film, as they must have been on the stage.
This story is a classic example of Neil Simon's method and talent at combining comedy and drama. It reflects a great deal on his own childhood growing up in the Bronx of New York City during the Great Depression - and, around his own Jewish culture and family background. Simon wrote more than 30 stage plays, many of which were then made into films for which he wrote most of the screenplays. And, he also wrote original screenplays. Some of his works were hilariously funny comedies (i.e., "Murder by Death" film of 1976), but many stage and screen works combined humor with more serious situations.
"Lost in Yonkers" is one such film, about a highly dysfunctional family. This play and film capped the successful trilogy of 1983-86 autobiographical plays, "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Biloxi Blues," and "Broadway Bound." The role of the youngest boy, Arty, resembles Simon's boyhood when he tried to cover his ears to block out the frequent squabbles of his parents. Simon discussed his background and attraction to comedy in a 2002 book by Susan Koprince, "Understanding Neil Simon." He says, "I think part of what made me a comedy writer is the blocking out of some of the really ugly, painful things in my childhood and covering it up with a humorous attitude... do something to laugh until I was able to forget what was hurting."
Several scenes in this film show that clearly, with different characters, including Arty, brother Jay, Uncle Louie and especially Aunt Bella. All of the cast are very good in this film, with Mercedes Ruehl especially displaying great talent of being able to move between humor and drama, sorrow and gaiety, sadness and frivolity. In the film, Bella goes to the movies often. Simon went to many movies as a kid, and especially liked the comedies - Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton.
One other aspect struck me about this film. It's opening scenes showed numerous cars and trucks of the mid-1940s, and street scenes that seemed to be right out of that period. At least through the end of the 20th century, there was a considerable side business for the film industry. It was the storage and supply of old vehicles, aircraft, mechanical and electric machines, appliances and devices of all kinds. These would be rented or leased then for movies like this. But, in the 21st century, the use of real things from older days is being replaced with CGI
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Uncle Louie, "I could've been a concert violinist but the handkerchief kept falling off my neck." Arty, "What?" Uncle Louie, "Too fast for you, huh, boys? Never mind."
Arty, "How incredible. It's like having a James Cagney movie in your own house."
Uncle Louie, "Once you start depending on people, you'll never make it on your own."
This story is a classic example of Neil Simon's method and talent at combining comedy and drama. It reflects a great deal on his own childhood growing up in the Bronx of New York City during the Great Depression - and, around his own Jewish culture and family background. Simon wrote more than 30 stage plays, many of which were then made into films for which he wrote most of the screenplays. And, he also wrote original screenplays. Some of his works were hilariously funny comedies (i.e., "Murder by Death" film of 1976), but many stage and screen works combined humor with more serious situations.
"Lost in Yonkers" is one such film, about a highly dysfunctional family. This play and film capped the successful trilogy of 1983-86 autobiographical plays, "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Biloxi Blues," and "Broadway Bound." The role of the youngest boy, Arty, resembles Simon's boyhood when he tried to cover his ears to block out the frequent squabbles of his parents. Simon discussed his background and attraction to comedy in a 2002 book by Susan Koprince, "Understanding Neil Simon." He says, "I think part of what made me a comedy writer is the blocking out of some of the really ugly, painful things in my childhood and covering it up with a humorous attitude... do something to laugh until I was able to forget what was hurting."
Several scenes in this film show that clearly, with different characters, including Arty, brother Jay, Uncle Louie and especially Aunt Bella. All of the cast are very good in this film, with Mercedes Ruehl especially displaying great talent of being able to move between humor and drama, sorrow and gaiety, sadness and frivolity. In the film, Bella goes to the movies often. Simon went to many movies as a kid, and especially liked the comedies - Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton.
One other aspect struck me about this film. It's opening scenes showed numerous cars and trucks of the mid-1940s, and street scenes that seemed to be right out of that period. At least through the end of the 20th century, there was a considerable side business for the film industry. It was the storage and supply of old vehicles, aircraft, mechanical and electric machines, appliances and devices of all kinds. These would be rented or leased then for movies like this. But, in the 21st century, the use of real things from older days is being replaced with CGI
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Uncle Louie, "I could've been a concert violinist but the handkerchief kept falling off my neck." Arty, "What?" Uncle Louie, "Too fast for you, huh, boys? Never mind."
Arty, "How incredible. It's like having a James Cagney movie in your own house."
Uncle Louie, "Once you start depending on people, you'll never make it on your own."