The End (1978) review

Wendell "Sonny" Lawson (Reynolds) is informed by hematologist Dr. Krugman (Norman Fell) that he has a "toxic blood disease" and less than one year to live, so he makes a final visit to a priest (Robby Benson), his parents (Myrna Loy and Pat O'Brien), girlfriend (Sally Field), ex-wife (Joanne Woodward), daughter (Kristy McNichol) and then attempts suicide with pills ... only to wake up in a psychiatric ward with paranoid schizophrenic Marlon (Dom DeLuise).  The pitch-black premise is quite daring, but it wavers tonally between dark comedy and actual drama, when it should have stuck exclusively to the former (DeLuise is a hoot).  No disrespect to Burt, who was a popular movie star, but a project like this required a more refined touch ... and also a director who would know to make the scenes with Ms. Field tolerable.  The ending is unexpectedly philosophical: let's take it all in due time....