Brewster McCloud (1970)

Director:

Robert Altman

Writer:

Doran William Cannon (written by)

Release Date:

18 August 1971 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

THIS MAY BE OVER YOUR HEAD.

Plot:

Brewster is an owlish, intellectual boy who lives in a fallout shelter of the Houston Astrodome. He...

Plot Keywords:

Bird | Fallout Shelter | Flight | Police | Chauffeur

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Bud Cort	...	Brewster McCloud
Sally Kellerman	...	Louise
Michael Murphy	...	Det. Lt. Frank Shaft
William Windom	...	Weeks
Shelley Duvall	...	Suzanne Davis
Rene Auberjonois	...	The Lecturer
Stacy Keach	...	Abraham Wright
John Schuck	...	Officer Johnson
Margaret Hamilton	...	Daphne Heap
Jennifer Salt	...	Hope
Corey Fischer	...	Officer Hines
G. Wood	...	Det. Capt. Crandall
Bert Remsen	...	Officer Douglas Breen
Angelin Johnson	...	Mrs. Breen
Dean Goss	...	Officer Ledbetter

Also Known As:

Brewster McCloud's (Sexy) Flying Machine (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:A (original rating) | Finland:K-12 (1980) | Argentina:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Astrodome - 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Trivia:

First feature film to be filmed inside the Houston Astrodome.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In final scene, as Louise is leaving the Astrodome, and the large, roll-up door opens for her, revealing bright daylight, a stage-hand can be seen operating the door at the far right edge of the scene. This is only visible on wide-screen format; probably only on the LaserDisc.

Quotes:

The Lecturer: I forgot the opening line.

Movie Connections:

References Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher (1968)

Soundtrack:

The Star Spangled Banner

Bud Cort takes flight in "Brewster McCloud"

This is one of the most interesting films I have ever seen! I own a copy on VHS and had the pleasure of seeing it 4 times at the Film Forum in New York City a couple of years ago.

After having seen Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H," his next film about the story of a young man who is building a winged contraption in the basement of the Houston Astrodome intrigued me. I had to see how the cast came together in their varied segments in this film and I wasn't too disappointed.

Robert Altman saw something in Bud Cort after seeing him in a NYC comedy revue, and then gave him a role in "M*A*S*H*, and was so impressed with him in the scenes he had in that film that he gave him is first leading film role. Altman couldn't have found a better actor to portray the lead in this film! I am a huge fan of Bud Cort's, and he kept me interested throughout in what was happening to the quiet and introverted Brewster, who dreams of flying away in a marvelously-made, flying machine. He lives a sheltered, and somewhat lonely life, other than the company of his lovesick friend Hope, who brings him food, and Louise, a strange woman who is like a mother-figure to him. Brewster doesn't say much in the film, but after a certain door is opened in his life, he becomes very talkative, and that talkativeness leads to a situation that jeopardizes his flight plans.

I thought the opening with Margaret Hamilton was funny, as well as the scenes Bud Cort had with Stacy Keach, made up as old man Abraham Wright, Brewster's former racist and mean-spirited employer.

I loved Sally Kellerman as Brewster's enigmatic and protective mother-figure, Louise, and Michael Murphy as the 'Bullit-esque' Frank Shaft, in Houston, via San Francisco, to help the police solve some suspicious bird-related murders.

The rest of the cast is fine, with the Altman touch of fine ensemble acting from the likes of John Schuck, G. Wood, and Corey Fischer. However, I found Shelly Duvall, who I've liked in other films, very annoying in this one, her film debut. She plays Suzanne, a girl who works at the Astrodome and becomes Brewster's love interest. I had rather seen Brewster become involved with Hope (Jennifer Salt), than the shallow and chirpy Suzanne. I find that most of her scenes, except for the one where she seduces Brewster, slow down the film.

Look for a delightfully strange comic turn by Rene Auberjonois, as the "Narrator" of the film.