The Survivors (film)

Infobox Film
name = The Survivors


caption = Theatrical release poster.
director = Michael Ritchie
producer = William Sackheim
writer = Michael Leeson
Jonathan Reynolds (uncredited)
starring = Walter Matthau
Robin Williams
Jerry Reed
music = Paul Chihara
cinematography = Billy Williams
editing = Richard A. Harris
distributor = Columbia Pictures
released = June 22, 1983 (New York City, New York)
runtime = 102 min
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:48010
imdb_id = 0086397

"The Survivors" is a 1983 comedy film starring Walter Matthau and Robin Williams.

Plot

Donald Quinelle (Williams) is a simple employee who gets fired from his job by a parrot. Sonny Paluso (Matthau) is a gas station owner whose station is accidentally blown up by Donald. The two men meet up at a restaurant when it is robbed by a man in a ski mask.(Jerry Reed) Donald is shot, but Sonny gets a good look at the man. Then Donald goes on the news to explain the incident and the robber learns Sonny's identity. That night the robber visits Sonny to kill him and his teenage daughter Candice, but is saved by Donald. Afterwards Sonny and Donald take Jack Locke, the robber, to the police at gun point.

On the way back they stop at a gun store and Donald buys a huge amount, even though Sonny can't stand them. Donald goes to a survival camp and Jack, fresh from jail, finds Sonny again. The two make a deal that Jack won't kill them if he and Donald agree to say nothing to the police. Sonny and his daughter go to try to talk to Donald. After Donald insults Jack on the phone Jack decides to come up there to settle it himself.

Donald has now become a killing machine thanks to the leader Wes's teachings. After a quick battle with Jack, Donald runs away and the rest of the camp gets wind of what's going on. Jack hides in Donald's cabin and Sonny tries to reason with rest of the camp. Jack and Donald come out and Donald is yelling about how they are going to kill him. However, it is a ruse and Sonny, Candice, Jack, and Donald escape in Sonny's car. After showing to the rest of the camp that Wes is a fraud the group heads home. Donald gets out of the car and has a moment of reflection in the snow and Sonny tries to comfort him. The two walk back to the car as friends.

Cast

Walter Matthau.............Sony

Robin Williams.............Donald

Jerry Reed.................Jack

John Goodman...............Commando

James Wainwright...........Wes Huntley

Kristin Vigard.............Candice Paluso

Annie McEnroe..............Doreen

Mariah Hailey..............Jack's Wife

Joseph Carberry............Detective Matt Burke

Skipp Lynch................Wiley

Reception

The film did not garner many good reviews, scoring only a 17% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Many felt that Robin Williams and Walter Matthau's style of humor did not mesh well together.