James Caan's Last Comedy: Queen Bees on Netflix

James Caan's Legacy in Comedy and Drama

The final comedic performance by legendary actor James Caan in Queen Bees quietly marked a cast reunion nearly a quarter-century after their box office flop. Caan, who sadly passed away in 2022, appeared in dozens of classic dramas and comedies ranging from The Godfather as Sonny Corleone to Elf as Walter Hobbs, Buddy's dad. The last movie in which Caan had a leading role was the 2023 action crime thriller Fast Charlie starring Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, and Gbenga Akinnagbe.

James Caan as Dan Simpson in Queen Bees.

Queen Bees: A Netflix Hit

Queen Bees is a 2021 feel-good comedy movie that has found recent popularity on Netflix in January 2024, currently ranking in the top 3 movies in the United States on the giant streaming platform. Directed by Michael Lembeck (Friends), Queen Bees follows an elderly woman named Helen Wilson who reluctantly agrees to move into an assisted living home, played by Ellen Burstyn. This is not the first time that Caan and Burstyn have appeared on screen together, marking a 24-year reunion since their mutual appearance in a 2000 crime drama.

Queen Bees cast

Reunions and Reunions in Queen Bees

While Queen Bees was Caan's last comedy in which he starred opposite Ellen Burstyn, the pair also starred in the 2000 movie The Yards, which unfortunately was a box office bomb despite its great cast and director. The Yards featured Caan as Frank Olchin and Burstyn as Val Handler while also starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Faye Dunaway, and Charlize Theron. The Yards was a box office dud, making just under $1 million worldwide based on an estimated $20 million production budget. Adding to the surprisingly terrible box office performance of The Yards was the fact that it was also directed by James Gray, who went on to direct celebrated films such as The Immigrant (2013), The Lost City of Z (2016), and Ad Astra (2019).

Queen Bees featured several other cast reunions. Jane Curtin and French Stewart both starred in the classic television sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun while Ann-Margret and Christopher Lloyd were both featured in the 1979 classic caper comedy movie Going in Style. Queen Bees, which features the last comedic performance from the great James Caan, can be streamed exclusively on Netflix.