2009, USA
Biography, Documentary, Drama, Music
It is a tough task to find a person who cannot sing a Sherman Brothers song by heart. As merry as "I Wanna Be Like You," "Winnie the Pooh" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" are, the relationship between the men who created them is far more tumultuous. The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story illustrates this rocky collaboration between Robert and Richard Sherman, the men who have been an award-winning songwriting team since the Sixties.
The Sherman Brothers were born to silent movie actress Rosa Sherman and songwriter Al Sherman. The sons were not forced into the biz, but fate was in their blood. Though they had differing career aspirations, the right combination of events found them trying their hand at songwriting in the footsteps of their father. Robert, the soft-spoken lyricist, and Richard, the vivacious pianist, pooled their talents and ultimately found their way into Walt Disney's office. He presented them with the challenge of writing songs for P.L. Travers' book, Mary Poppins. Needless to say, their ultimate efforts were a success.
However, they were still brothers, "two-and-a-half years and eons apart," they would say. Though they created magically memorable songs, they simply had different outlooks on life. Working together could be a chore, especially if the songs and job offers were not abundant.
Despite their history with family-friendly movies, their families were not friendly. In fact, they barely knew one another. Sons Gregory Sherman (of Richard) and Jeff Sherman (of Robert) wanted to change this by co-directing a documentary of their fathers' lives for The Boys.
Filmed in parallel interviews, the brothers describe the same events, sometimes with comparable memories and other times with greatly different perceptions. Film clips and songs written by the elder Shermans are used to illustrate events, and it is difficult not to be moved by the familiar songs in new contexts. Even though this is a Disney production, it tells the story, warts and all, and is not merely an excuse to release a soundtrack.
The film delves not only into their shared relationship but also the unique identities of each brother, explaining a little about their clashing personalities. Robert appears moody and internal, haunted by his experience in World War II and exhausted by his need to write the Great American Novel. Richard is more outwardly jovial, reflecting with more sentimentality upon the lost relationship with his older brother.
The directing sons are delicate with their interviews, not needling for dark secrets when their fathers become emotional from a memory. The Boys becomes a celebration of what they were able to accomplish despite their differences, and what they created over the past five decades is quite a legacy.