"The Sherman Brothers" is a name you're probably not familiar with, but it's a near guarantee you've heard, or probably hummed, a song they've written. "The Bare Necessities," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "It's a Small World".... the list goes on. They're the recipients of two Academy Awards, two Grammys and 23 gold- and platinum-certified hits. They were also the first staff songwriters for Disney (composing songs for numerous movies and rides at Disney Parks) and even had numerous songs to hit the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, including "You're Sixteen," which hit number one with Ringo Starr in 1974.
Considering the Sherman's output of hits, you'd be stunned to find out they didn't like each other. The brothers were as different as night and day and, in all likelihood, if they weren't brothers, they probably wouldn't have associated in real life. This internal struggle between the two is what helps to make their story so compelling.
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story is a documentary by Greg and Jeff Sherman, sons of Robert and Richard Sherman. The film's genesis begins at the re-premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, where the two brothers sat at opposite sides of the theatre. The two rarely speak to each other, but that didn't stop Jeff and Greg from striking up an hours-long conversation. Through that conversation, the two decided to make a film detailing their fathers' story.
The Boys is equal part inspiration and heartbreak. The focus is, obviously, on the music, but there's so much behind each song it's kind of hard to figure out how they were able to work so well together. The only times the two appear together on screen are during heavily edited pieces with Walt or in footage (which is pulled from some other program). In the Walt-related footage, the two are shown smiling and clicking their heels. In the latter footage, they actually end up getting into a massive disagreement over nothing.
Moments like this offer an eerie contrast to the stories told by other commentators, including Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Roy E. Disney and John Lasseter. The story behind songs like "A Spoonful of Sugar" are fascinating in their own right, but the specter of the boy's animosity towards each other hangs in the background at all points. The two don't dwell on the split ("we are different people" is the best explanation given). Though I can understand the reasoning behind not dwelling on the negatives, it still leaves questions
Overall, The Boys is a well-focused documentary that carves through the Sherman's lengthy career with minimal effort. Despite the struggle, its fun to listen to the boys' stories and hear others tell about their experiences with the brothers. The downside is the documentary tends to skip around from topic to topic. There's a basic chronology there, but the insight never goes deeper than a surface-level story or musing. The only time the film really seems to hit a deeper note is when it details the Sherman's time with Walt. You get some insight into where certain songs come from and what life was like at the Disney Studios. What I found most interesting about the Walt era is it is one of the few times the two show real emotion. The two will talk about their relationship as casually as they might discuss the weather, but both break down to tears and massive smiles when discussing their time with Walt.
The included extras make for good supplemental material, but that's about it. "Disney Studios in the 60's" and "Theme Parks" were the only two I found of particular interest. "Disney" offers a little more insight on the Sherman's life at the studios while "Theme Park" looks at the songs the brothers wrote for many of the Disney attractions ("There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow," and "The Enchanted Tiki Room"). It's also the longest feature in the bunch, though people complaining about "It's a Small World" consumes most of the running time.
"Casting Mary Poppins" tells how the Shermans went about bringing Julie Andrews on board for Mary Poppins. This makes a great footnote to the Mary Poppins section of the film.
"Celebration" is a gallery of talking head interviews that found their way to the cutting room floor. "The Process" is also made up of extra footage and details how the two were able to come up with their ideas.
Finally, there's a short piece on the nickname "The Boys" and a Sherman Brother's Jukebox, which features a handful of Sherman Brothers music (sung by the brothers) including "Chim Cher-ee," "Feed the Birds," "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" and "Tall Paul."
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story is an entertaining documentary, at least for fans who are more interested in the "positives." Given the documentary was produced by family and meant as a celebration of the Sherman's career, I can understand the focus. At the same time, after watching Waking Sleeping Beauty, I can see the merit in telling the whole story.
Disney fans will love listening to favorite songs and viewing old footage. Musicians will love the insight into the creative process. Anyone looking for something deeper probably won't find it, but should still give the film a watch.
