Charly (1968)

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

Daniel Keyes (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 September 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A less than ordinary man is turned into a genius. He awakens to an exquisite love experience, but at an impossible price for CHARLY

Plot:

A retarded man undergoes an experiment that gives him the intelligence of a genius.

Plot Keywords:

Experiment | Genius | Disability | Intelligence | Mouse

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Cliff Robertson	...	Charly Gordon
Claire Bloom	...	Alice Kinian
Lilia Skala	...	Dr. Anna Straus
Leon Janney	...	Dr. Richard Nemur
Ruth White	...	Mrs. Apple
Dick Van Patten	...	Bert (as Richard Van Patten)
Edward McNally	...	Gimpy (as Skipper McNally)
Barney Martin	...	Hank
William Dwyer	...	Joey
Dan Morgan	...	Paddy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leon Collins	...	Tap Dancer (uncredited)
Harry Cooper	...	Speaker at Charly's Interview (uncredited)
Frank Dolan	...	Eddie (uncredited)
Randee Lynne Jensen	...	Extra (uncredited)
Ralph Nelson	...	Convention Speaker (uncredited)
Donald Warnock	...	Attendee at Charly's Interview (uncredited)

Directed by
Ralph Nelson

Writing credits
Daniel Keyes		(novel "Flowers for Algernon")
Stirling Silliphant		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ralph Nelson	....	producer
Selig J. Seligman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Ravi Shankar

Cinematography by
Arthur J. Ornitz		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Fredric Steinkamp

Production Design by
John DeCuir

Art Direction by
Charles Rosen

Costume Design by
Hazel Roy

Makeup Department
Vin Kehoe	....	makeup artist (as Vincent Keough)
Phil Naso	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Henry Spitz	....	production manager
Tom Walker Jr.	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Louis A. Stroller	....	assistant director
Michael Blum	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Lynn Guthrie	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Clem Portman	....	re-recording supervisor
Jim Shields	....	sound recordist (as James Shields)

Stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Brown	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Rod Stephens	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Other crew
Richard Kuhn	....	montages
Richard Kuhn	....	title designer
Doris Quinlan	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• ABC Pictures
• Robertson and Associates
• Selmur Productions

Distributors

• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV)
• CBS / Fox Video (1989) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Buena Vista Pictures (1995) (worldwide) (all media)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Parafrance Films (1969) (France) (theatrical)
• Fox Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Top Tape (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | UK:PG | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Boston City Hospital - 818 Harrison Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

ABC Pictures

Trivia:

Before Charly gains his intelligence, he writes left handed--when he becomes brilliant, he writes right-handed.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Charly is riding the tour bus past Boston University the Marsh Chapel on the campus passes the bus window twice.

Quotes:

Charly Gordon:That, that is, is. That, that is not, is not. Is that it? It is.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: King Dinosaur (#3.10)" (1990)

A beautiful film

"I want to be smarter, just so I could get a little closer, you know?" Charly Gordon

Made in the days when doctors smoked cigarettes, this is Cliff Robertson's brilliant portrayal of a man isolated from society by an IQ of 69 who through a brain operation becomes a genius.

Robertson won a well-deserved Oscar for Best Actor in 1968 for his part in this wonderful and inspiring film, and it's a great movie, albeit on a "b-movie" budget. But entwined in its message is a dark reflection on how society treats people who are mentally handicapped.

Charly is the nicest guy you would ever meet, considerate of all, kind, but simple and naïve. Everyone around him either laughs at him or is condescending toward him. No one sees him as a man, not even a human being, just whatever they label him as - "dumb-assed janitor", or just plain "moron". Then he gets his operation and becomes the smartest man on Earth, but still he is labeled, and still he is isolated.

What I got most from this film is not a clinical study of mental retardation but the way society deals with mental retardation, and in this the film soars, and it will bring a tear or two if you have even a bit of humanity. It is a wonderful film, on many levels, testing us all on how we deal with those who are so unfortunate as to be mentally handicapped.

In "Charly", society doesn't win in the end, but the movie does! 9 out of 10.