The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story

The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story is a 2009 documentary film that delves into the lives and careers of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, the prolific brother songwriting team who penned some of the most beloved and timeless songs in film history. As the sons of Tin Pan Alley composer Al Sherman, they were destined for musical greatness, but what they achieved was beyond any family expectation.

While the Sherman brothers are probably best known for their work with Walt Disney—crafting the iconic scores for Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and many other Disney films—their careers spanned much more than that. This documentary, directed by Gregory V. Sherman and Jeff Sherman, the sons of Richard and Robert respectively, is both a celebration of their music and a probing look into their relationship, both professionally and personally.

Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, often simply referred to as the Sherman Brothers, have had a profound impact on the soundtracks of many people's childhoods. However, despite their collaborative success and the joy their music brought to millions, the brothers had a complex and at times strained relationship, which is examined in this film. The documentary highlights the dichotomy between their public persona and their private interactions, which were sometimes less harmonious than their beautiful compositions.

The film features interviews with a variety of family members, movie stars, film executives, and colleagues, including Roy Edward Disney, who gives insight into the working relationship the brothers had with The Walt Disney Company. Additionally, the documentary showcases interviews with surviving members of the Sherman family, providing a rare and intimate window into the personal lives of these two men.

The structure of the documentary moves seamlessly between interviews, archival footage, and a treasure trove of the brothers' own home movies and photographs. This footage presents a candid, behind-the-scenes glimpse at their creative process, their successes, and the challenges they faced in their partnership. It allows viewers to understand how two individuals with distinct personalities were able to merge their talents into songs that capture the essence of innocence, wonder, and imagination.

The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story also explores the broad range of the Sherman Brothers' musical work, which includes not only their Disney contributions but also their compositions for other film studios, television, and stage. Their catalog of work is robust, featuring numerous other classics that audiences might be surprised to learn came from the same hands that wrote "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "It's a Small World."

Their music transcended the boundaries of the screen and became part of the public consciousness—songs that were not only successful commercially but also critically acclaimed, earning them Academy Awards and numerous other accolades.

Yet, The Boys is not just about the celebration of their professional triumphs; it also delves into the sacrifices and costs of their lifelong partnership. The documentary touches on the brothers' personal lives, the impact of their career on their family, and the tension that sometimes stemmed from their dedication to their craft.

What emerges from The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story is a portrait of complexity. The viewer is presented with the conundrum of how two individuals who could work in such close quarters and produce such harmonious work could at the same time be so dissonant in their personal interactions.

The film serves as a touching testament to the magic and the melancholy of their partnership, the power of collaboration, and the enduring legacy they have left in the world of music and film. The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story is an enchanting, moving, and deeply human film that offers a nuanced look at the lives of these two extraordinary songwriters, whose stunning body of work continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. It's a documentary that will not only appeal to fans of their music but to anyone interested in the complexities of family dynamics and creative partnerships.