The In-Laws (1979) Spend Their 40th Birthday on Criterion

On July 5, 2016, The Criterion Collection released The In-Laws on Blu-ray. Arthur Hiller directed the film which starred Peter Falk, Alan Arkin, and Richard Libertini.

‘The In-Laws’ Criterion Summary

Peter Falk and Alan Arkin make for a hilarious dream team in this beloved American sidesplitter. Directed by Arthur Hiller from an ingenious script by Andrew Bergman, The In-Laws may at first seem like a generic meet-the-parents comedy, as Arkin’s mild-mannered dentist suspiciously eyes Falk’s volatile mystery man, whose son is engaged to his daughter. But soon, through a series of events too serpentine and surprising to spoil, the two men are brought together by a dangerous mission that takes them from suburban New Jersey to Honduras. Fueled by elaborate stunt work and the laconic, naturalistic charms of its two stars, The In-Laws deserves its status as a madcap classic—and has continued to draw ardent fans in the years since its release.

Read the full summary, listen to our Lunchtime Movie Review episode, and our Criterion Critics episode.

Special Features

• New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Audio commentary from 2003 featuring director Arthur Hiller, actors Alan Arkin and Peter Falk, and writer Andrew Bergman
• New interview with Arkin
• In Support of “The In-Laws,” a new interview program featuring actors Ed Begley Jr., Nancy Dussault, James Hong, and David Paymer
• Trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by comedy writer Stephen Winer and a 2011 recollection of the making of the film by HillerOriginal typography on cover by Erik Marinovich

Also available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.