The Boys from Syracuse (film)

The Boys from Syracuse is a 1940 American musical comedy film directed by A. Edward Sutherland, adapted from the 1938 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on William Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors.

The film stars Allan Jones, Joe Penner, Martha Raye, and Rosemary Lane. Jones plays both Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus, while Penner plays both Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus, the twins' respective servants. Lane plays Philia, and Raye portrays Lalume, both love interests.

The plot closely follows the stage musical, revolving around the mistaken identities of two sets of identical twins separated at birth. The complications arising from these mistaken identities lead to humorous situations involving love, marriage, and legal troubles. The film features musical numbers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart and music by Richard Rodgers, including songs like "Sing for Your Supper" and "This Can't Be Love."

While the film was a moderately successful release for Universal Pictures, it is not considered a definitive cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare's work. It is primarily remembered as a vehicle for its comedic performers and the popular Rodgers and Hart score. Some critics noted the film's departure from Shakespeare's original language and themes in favor of more broad, comedic elements suitable for a mainstream movie audience.